| City of Kawartha Lakes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| — Unitary authority & city — | |||
| Kawartha Lakes city hall in Lindsay | |||
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| Motto: Catch the Kawartha Spirit. | |||
| Kawartha Lake's location within Ontario. | |||
| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | Canada | ||
| Province | Ontario | ||
| County (historical) | Victoria | ||
| Formed by political merger | January 1, 2001 | ||
| Seat | Lindsay | ||
| Government | |||
| • Mayor | Ric McGee | ||
| • Council | City of Kawartha Lakes Council | ||
| • MP | Barry Devolin (CPC) | ||
| • MPP | Laurie Scott (PC) | ||
| Area[1] | |||
| • Total | 3,059.47 km2 (1,181.3 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2006)[1] | |||
| • Total | 74,561 | ||
| • Density | 24.4/km2 (63.1/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) | ||
| Postal Code | beginning with K and L | ||
| Area code(s) | 705 | ||
| Website | www.city.kawarthalakes.on.ca | ||
The city of Kawartha Lakes (2006 population 74,561[1]) is a unitary municipality in Central Ontario, Canada. Although called a city, Kawartha Lakes is the size of a typical Ontarian county and is mostly rural.
The main population centres are Bobcaygeon, Fenelon Falls, Lindsay, Omemee and Woodville.
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The city's names comes from the name of the Kawartha lakes. The term Kawartha is an anglicization of the word Ka-wa-tha (from Ka-wa-tae-gum-maug or Gaa-waategamaag, meaning), a word coined in 1895 by aboriginal Martha Whetung of the Curve Lake First Nations. The word meant "land of reflections" in the Anishinaabe language, according to Whetung. The word was subsequently changed by tourism promoters to Kawartha, meaning "bright waters and happy lands."[2]
Prior to its restructuring as a city, the area was known as Victoria County. The city was created in 2001, during the ruling provincial Progressive Conservative party's "Common Sense Revolution". Through provincial legislation, the former Victoria County and its constituent municipalities were amalgamated into one entity named the City of Kawartha Lakes.
This act was made by Ontario commissioner Kitchen, responding to a 2 - 3 vote by the Township of Emily to call the commissioner in to assist with the mismanagement of their landfill site. Despite a general opposition from residents of the area, the provincial government pushed forward with the amalgamation,[3][4] which officially came into effect on January 1, 2001.[5]
By a narrow margin (51% for, 49% against), the citizens of Kawartha Lakes voted to de-amalgamate in a November 2003 local plebiscite, but the provincial and municipal governments have not taken any steps since the vote to initiate de-amalgamation.[4]
| Census | Population |
|---|---|
| Lindsay | |
| 1841 | 200 |
| 1871 | 4,049 |
| 1881 | 5,080 |
| 1891 | 6,081 |
| 1901 | 7,003 |
| 1911 | 6,964 |
| 1921 | 7,620 |
| 1931 | 7,505 |
| 1941 | 8,345 |
| 1951 | 9,603 |
| 1961 | 11,399 |
| 1971 | 12,746 |
| 1981 | 13,596 |
| 1991 | 16,696 |
| Kawartha | Lakes |
| 2001 | 69,179 |
| 2006 | 74,561 |
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In 2006, the population of the Lindsay urban area was 19,361.
National rank in terms of population (2006): 69
Provincial rank in terms of population (2001): 36
Only ethnic groups that comprise greater than 1% of the population are included. Note that a person can report more than one group[7]
The following is a list of all the former incorporated villages, unincorporated hamlets and communities, and existing or abandoned rural post offices left desolate by the start of rural mail delivery.
Prior to 2001, Victoria County consisted of 13 separate townships and 6 incorporated villages with their own local governments:[9]
Population centres:
The township of Laxton, Digby and Longford is an amalgamation of the once individual townships of Digby and Laxton, and half of the original Longford Township. The separate township of Longford is uninhabited, though dotted with abandoned logging towns. In 2000, just prior to amalgamation into the city of Kawartha Lakes, the township of Verulam and the village of Bobcaygeon were amalgamated into the Municipality of Bobcaygeon/Verulam.[10]
The following King's Highways pass through the city:
Highway 7B also exists entirely within the city, following the length of Kent Street through Lindsay, and cosigning with Highway 35 for 800 m.
| Gravenhurst | Bracebridge | Minden Hills | ||
| Ramara Brock |
Galway-Cavendish and Harvey Smith-Ennismore-Lakefield |
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| Kawartha Lakes | ||||
| Scugog | Clarington | Cavan-Monaghan |
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