Ontario County, Ontario

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Ontario County was the name of two historic counties in the Canadian province of Ontario.

The original Ontario County existed from 1792 to 1800 as part of the Eastern District, and consisted of the islands in the St. Lawrence River. After 1800, Ontario County was dissolved and the islands were reassigned to the nearest mainland counties.

The second Ontario County was created in 1851 from the East Riding of York County. It comprised the townships of Rama, Mara, Thorah, Brock, Scott, Uxbridge, Reach, Scugog, Pickering, Whitby and East Whitby, and the town of Oshawa.

Effective January 1, 1974, the portion of Ontario County south of the Trent-Severn Waterway and about half of adjacent Durham County were amalgamated as the Regional Municipality of Durham. The remaining portions of Durham County were transferred to other neighbouring counties, and the portion of Ontario County north of the Trent-Severn Waterway (Rama and Mara Townships) was transferred to Simcoe County. At this time both Ontario and Durham counties were dissolved.