Alnwick/Haldimand

The Township of Alnwick/Haldimand is a township in central Ontario, Canada, in Northumberland County, situated between Lake Ontario and Rice Lake. It was formed in 2001 by the merger of Alnwick Township in the north and Haldimand Township in the south.[2] Alderville First Nation is an autonomously governed First Nation contained within the township boundaries, in two non-contiguous sections along County Roads 45 and 18.

Alnwick/Haldimand
Township (lower-tier)
Township of Alnwick/Haldimand
Township hall in Grafton
Nickname(s):  The Township between the Lakes
Alnwick/Haldimand
Coordinates: 44°05′N 78°02′W
Country	Canada
Province	Ontario
County	Northumberland
Incorporated	2000
Government
• Type	Township
• Mayor	Gail Latchford
• Federal riding	Northumberland-Peterborough South
• Prov. riding	Northumberland—Quinte West
Area [1]
• Land	398.45 km^2 (153.84 sq mi)
Population  (2016)[1]
• Total	6,869
• Density	17.25/km^2 (44.7/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
Postal Code	K0K
Area code(s)	905, 705, 289 and 365
Website	www.alnwickhaldimand.ca

Grafton

History

Alnwick Township

Alnwick Township was originally surveyed in 1795 when twenty-four lots were laid out on the first concession. It was named for Alnwick in Northumberland, England. The first crown grants were issued in 1798 and other surveys would follow in subsequent years.[3] The township's first residents were made up of United Empire Loyalists, attracted by large unencumbered land grants, sometimes in the thousands of acres.[4] In 1835, 3,600 acres of land along the first and second concessions were set aside as an Indian settlement. Shortly after, the Indian Band from Grape Island was moved into this settlement and a school and church were built at Alderville.[3] The first council meeting was held in 1845 at Alderville School. The Alnwick/Haldimand Township building located in Grafton was built in 1858. Prior to its construction, Township Council meetings were held at local taverns or the residences of council members.[5]

Haldimand Township

Haldimand Township was formed in 1791 and was named in honour of Sir Frederick Haldimand – a British general who served as Governor-in-Chief of Canada between 1778 and 1796.[6] By 1804, there were 356 settlers in Haldimand Township making it the second most populous township in the region after Hamilton Township to the West.[6] The town hall was constructed in 1860. However, in order to be as accessible to as many rate payers as possible, council held frequent meetings in public buildings in towns across the Township. On one occasion following a fire that destroyed the Centreton Community Centre in 1943, a council meeting was held at the private residence of former reeve Stanley McBride.[6]

Municipal Restructuring

As part of provincial initiatives in the late 1990s, the Government of Ontario pursued a policy of municipal amalgamations to rationalize municipal levels of government services and "reduc[e] government entanglement and bureaucracy with an eye to eliminating waste and duplication as well as unfair downloading by the province".[7] On June 9, 1999, an order from the Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs for the amalgamation of Alnwick Township and Haldimand Township into a single Township of Alnwick/Haldimand received Royal assent. The amalgamation came into effect on January 1, 2001.[2]

Geography

Geographical Features

Alnwick/Haldimand is part of the Oak Ridges Moraine: a significant land form in Ontario.

31.3 km² of the Cobourg Creek watershed runs through the Township. The majority of this area is located within the Oak Ridges Moraine.[8] The Creek supports a diverse ecosystem including forests, meadows and wetlands. Numerous species inhabit the Creek including brown trout, rainbow trout, scuplins and darters. Migratory Chinook Salmon spawn in the creek and Atlantic Salmon are being stocked as part of a provincial initiative to return these native fish to Lake Ontario.[8]

The Ganaraska Forest is an 11,000-acre forest located in the Township. It is one of the largest blocks of forested land in southern Ontario.[9] The Millvalley Hills Forest is a 297 hectare forest located within the Township of Alnwick/Haldimand. The dominant trees species are red and white pine, and red and white oak, however red oak dominates the area.[8]

The Harwood Road Wetland is a class 2 provincially significant wetland located in the Township of Hamilton and the Township of Alnwick/Haldimand. 95.9 hectares in size, the wetland is 95% swamp, and 0.5% marsh.[8]

Communities

The township comprises the communities of Burnley, Carmel, Centreton, Dunnette Landing, Fenella, Grafton, The Gully, Lakeport, Little Germany, McCracken Landing, Oak Heights, Robins Landing, Roseneath, Vernonville and Wicklow.

Alderville First Nation

Main article: Alderville First Nation

The Alderville First Nation is an Anishinaabe First Nation located in southern Ontario, Canada. As of September 2008, Alderville First Nation had 1007 registered band members, of which their on-Reserve population was only 313 people, meaning the majority of their registered population live outside the reserve (off-reserve) in neighbouring communities.[10]

The First Nation have reserved for themselves two areas. Their main reserve, the Alderville First Nation (formerly designated as Alderville Indian Reserve 37 by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada), is located near the south shores of Rice Lake in Ontario (44°11′N 78°04′W). It consists of six non-contiguous areas within the Alnwick/Haldimand Township approximately 30 kilometres (19 mi) north of Cobourg, and occupies a total area of 1,199.8 hectares (2,965 acres). They also maintain a smaller parcel of land on nearby Sugar Island, the 40.5 hectares (100 acres) Sugar Island 37A Indian Reserve (44°13′N 78°8.25′W).[11] It has been home to the Mississauga division of the Anishinaabe (Ojibwa) Nation since the mid-1830s.[12]

Economy

The township is rural based with agriculture being the largest contributor to the general economy. Grain, cash crops, milk, livestock, vineyards and apple farming are all viable in the area.[4] The top industries for the employed labour force are manufacturing, public administration and construction. Approximately 15% of workers were self-employed as of the 2011 Census of Canada.[13]

Tourism is also a contributor to the local economy. Venues such as Golden Beach Resort and Ste. Anne's Country Inn & Spa are among the top private sector employers in Northumberland County.[14] Outdoor activities including hiking, kayaking, snowmobiling, fishing, birding and camping also contribute to the tourism industry.[15]

Demographics

Population

As of the 2011 Census of Canada, the population of Alnwick/Haldimand was 6,617 with a median age of 46.6 years.[16] Each year there is a seasonal cottage population influx of approximately 1,500 individuals which is expected to continue into the future.[8]

Canada census – Alnwick/Haldimand community profile
	2016	2011	2006
Population:	6,869 (+3.8% from 2011)	6,617 (+2.8% from 2006)	6,435 (+10.1% from 2001)
Land area:	398.45 km^2 (153.84 sq mi)	398.57 km^2 (153.89 sq mi)	398.08 km^2 (153.70 sq mi)
Population density:	17.2/km^2 (45/sq mi)	16.6/km^2 (43/sq mi)	16.2/km^2 (42/sq mi)
Median age:	48.6 (M: 48.4, F: 48.6)		43.4 (M: 44.0, F: 42.8)
Total private dwellings:	3,064	3,052	2,858
Median household income:	$85,837		$63,913
References: 2016[17] 2011[18] 2006[19] earlier[20]

According to the 2011 National Household Survey, 13.1% of the population was foreign-born and 86.6% were Canadian born. The most common countries of birth of immigrants living in Alnwick/Haldimand are the United Kingdom (62% of the immigrant population) and the Netherlands (6.4%).[13]

Population trend

Alnwick/Haldimand population history

Year	Pop.	±%
1996	5,528	—
2001	5,846	+5.8%
2006	6,435	+10.1%
2011	6,617	+2.8%
2016	6,869	+3.8%
[21][22][1]

Prior to amalgamation (2001):

• Population total in 1996: 5,528
  • Alnwick (township): 1,078
  • Haldimand (township): 4,450
• Population in 1991:
  • Alnwick (township): 1,072
  • Haldimand (township): 4,172

Religion

According to the 2011 National Household Survey, 72.7% of the population in Alnwick/Haldimand reported a religious affiliation while 27.4% said they had no religious affiliation. The most common religion was the United Church (22.3%), followed by Anglicanism, (22.2%) and Roman Catholicism (13.5%).[13]

Languages Spoken

Mother tongue:[19]

• English as first language: 92.4%
• French as first language: 1.2%
• English and French as first language: 0.2%
• Other as first language: 6.2%

Government

Local Government

Alnwick/Haldimand has a Township Council of 5 members including a Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and three ward councillors. Normally, they are elected for four-year terms, along with all other municipalities in Ontario. The next election is scheduled to take place in 2022. On the current council, Greg Booth was selected to replace Raymond Benns, who died in March, 2019.[23]

In addition to the Township Council, members sit on a number of local committees.

Township Council 2018 - 2022

Position	Name	Portfolio	Committee Appointments (as of June 2019)
Mayor	John Logel	Protective Services	Public Liaison Communal Water Committee Grafton Grafton Community Centre Community Control Group (Emergency Plan) Roseneath Revitalization Police Services Board
Deputy Mayor	Gail Latchford	Public Works and Infrastructure	Police Services Board Fenella Community Centre Committee Northumberland Hills Hospital Physician Recruitment Committee Public Works Committee
Councillor Ward 1	Greg Booth	Rural and Environment	Public Liaison Communal Water Committee Grafton Centreton Community Centre Committee Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority Lower Trent Conservation Authority Nawautin Sanctuary Committee Safe Communities Committee Agricultural Advisory Committee
Councillor	Michael Filip	Culture and Heritage	Heritage Cemetery Committee Alnwick/Haldimand Public Library Board Heritage Alnwick/Haldimand Vernonville Hall Committee Alnwich/Haldimand Community Policing Committee
Councillor	Sherry Gibson	Recreation, Tourism, Economic Development	Joint Animal Control Municipal Service Board Alnwick Civic Centre Board of Management Northumberland & Central Chamber of Commerce Parks and Recreation Committee Accessibility Committee Economic Development Committee

Source: [24]

County Government

Alnwick/Haldimand is part of Northumberland County. County Council is composed of the mayors of each of the seven towns, townships and local municipalities within its boundaries. The head of County Council is called the Warden as is elected annually from amongst its membership.[25]

Alnwick/Haldimand Mayor John Logel serves as the representative on the County Council.

Provincial Representation

Alnwick/Haldimand is in the provincial electoral district of Northumberland—Peterborough South, represented by David Piccini of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario.

Federal Representation

As of the 2015 Federal Election, Alnwick/Haldimand is in the federal electoral district of Northumberland—Peterborough South.[26] This riding was created by the 2012 federal electoral boundaries redistribution and came into effect upon the calling of the 42nd Canadian federal election. The riding has been represented by Philip Lawrence of the Conservative Party of Canada since 2019.

See also

• List of municipalities in Ontario
• List of townships in Ontario

References

1. "Census Profile, 2016 Census: Alnwick/Haldimand, Township". Statistics Canada. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
2. "Municipal Restructuring Activity Summary Table". www.mah.gov.on.ca. Retrieved 2015-08-16.
3. "Alderville - Alnwick Township History". www.ontariogenealogy.com. Retrieved 2015-08-16.
4. "Mayors Message | Township of Alnwick Haldimand". www.alnwickhaldimand.ca. Retrieved 2015-08-16.
5. Heritage Alnwick/Haldimand. "A self-guided walking tour of the Historic Hamlet of Grafton" (PDF). A self-guided walking tour of the Historic Hamlet of Grafton. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
6. Haldimand's History Committee (1997). Memories of Haldimand Township: When the Lakes Roared. http://www.ourroots.ca/e/toc.aspx?id=6034: Boston Mills Press.CS1 maint: location (link)
7. Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario. 1994. The Common Sense Revolution. Toronto: Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario.
8. Cobourg Creek Background Report: Abiotic, Biotic and Cultural Features. Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority. 2008.
9. "About Ganaraska Forest Centre: The Forest THE FOREST". www.ganaraskaforestcentre.ca. Archived from the original on 2015-08-31. Retrieved 2015-08-16.
10. Registered Population Archived 2006-02-20 at the Wayback Machine. First Nation Profiles. Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.
11. Reserve Detail. First Nation Profiles. Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.
12. General History. Alderville First Nation.
13. "NHS Focus on Geography Series – Alnwick/Haldimand". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2015-08-16.
14. "Leading Employers - Northumberland Economic Development". www.investnorthumberland.ca. Archived from the original on 2015-10-13. Retrieved 2015-08-16.
15. "Outdoor Adventure". www.northumberlandtourism.com. Archived from the original on 2015-08-06. Retrieved 2015-08-16.
16. "Focus on Geography Series, 2011 Census - Census subdivision of Alnwick/Haldimand, TP (Ontario)". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2015-08-16.
17. "2016 Community Profiles". 2016 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. February 21, 2017. Retrieved 2019-06-25.
18. "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. July 5, 2013. Retrieved 2012-03-13.
19. "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. March 30, 2011. Retrieved 2009-02-24.
20. "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. February 17, 2012.
21. Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006 Census
22. "Alnwick/Haldimand census profile". 2011 Census of Population. Statistics Canada. Retrieved 2012-03-13.
23. "Greg Booth appointed as councillor in Alnwick/Haldimand". Metroland Media Group. Northumberland News. May 30, 2019. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
24. "Meet the Members of Alnwick/Haldimand Township Council". Alnwick/Haldimand Township. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
25. "Meet Your Council - Northumberland County". www.northumberlandcounty.ca. Retrieved 2015-08-16.
26. "Northumberland–Peterborough South | Maps Corner | Elections Canada Online". www.elections.ca. Retrieved 2015-08-16.

External links

• Roseneath's Post Office (oldest in Ontario)
• Northumberland Tourism