Essex County, Ontario
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Essex County | |
---|---|
County (upper-tier) | |
County of Essex Comté d'Essex (French) | |
Coordinates: 42°10′N 82°47′W / 42.167°N 82.783°W | |
Country | Canada |
Province | Ontario |
Settled | 1749 |
Named for | Essex, England |
County seat Local government | Town of Essex |
Municipalities | |
Government | |
• Warden | Hilda McDonald |
• Deputy Warden | Joe Bachetti |
Area 519/226/548 | |
Website | www.countyofessex.ca |
Essex County is a primarily rural county in
Administrative divisions
Essex County is composed of seven municipalities (in order of population):
- Municipality of Lakeshore
- Town of LaSalle
- Municipality of Leamington
- Town of Tecumseh
- Town of Amherstburg
- Town of Kingsville
- Town of Essex
The City of Windsor and the Township of Pelee are within the Essex census division but are not part of Essex County. The census division had a population of 422,860 as of 2021.[2]
Geography
Essex County is largely composed of clay-based soils, with sandy soils along the beaches and shores. For the most part, Essex County is flat farmland, with some
Adjacent counties and municipalities
- Windsor (north)
- Across (north)
- Chatham-Kent(east)
- Wayne County, Michigan, US (west and northwest)
- Monroe County, Michigan, US (southwest)
- Across Lake Erie lie Lucas (southwest), Ottawa (south), and Erie (southeast) counties, Ohio, US
Climate
Essex County hosts some of the warmest summer weather in Canada, given that it is the southernmost part of Canada. It has a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa) with four distinct seasons and a localized maritime climate from the surrounding Great Lakes.
Average winters are wet and cold with a variety of conditions including rain, snow, freezing rain, sleet and fog. Temperatures and conditions change frequently during the winter months, with short periods of both bitter cold or mild weather. Winter storms are common but usually cause minimal disruption. Essex County resides outside of the Great Lakes snowbelt and doesn't experience intense lake-effect snow accumulation like other surrounding areas, although strong westerlies off Lake Michigan can sometimes push snow squalls into the area.
Summers are hot and humid with an abundance of sunny weather. Like the surrounding
Climate data for Kingsville (1981−2010) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 15.0 (59.0) |
16.0 (60.8) |
24.5 (76.1) |
27.0 (80.6) |
31.0 (87.8) |
37.5 (99.5) |
36.5 (97.7) |
36.0 (96.8) |
34.5 (94.1) |
26.5 (79.7) |
20.0 (68.0) |
16.0 (60.8) |
37.5 (99.5) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −0.3 (31.5) |
1.0 (33.8) |
5.7 (42.3) |
12.4 (54.3) |
19.0 (66.2) |
24.3 (75.7) |
26.8 (80.2) |
25.8 (78.4) |
21.8 (71.2) |
15.1 (59.2) |
8.3 (46.9) |
2.3 (36.1) |
13.5 (56.3) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | −3.7 (25.3) |
−2.5 (27.5) |
1.7 (35.1) |
7.9 (46.2) |
14.4 (57.9) |
19.9 (67.8) |
22.5 (72.5) |
21.6 (70.9) |
17.7 (63.9) |
11.1 (52.0) |
5.0 (41.0) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
9.6 (49.3) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −7.1 (19.2) |
−6.1 (21.0) |
−2.3 (27.9) |
3.4 (38.1) |
9.8 (49.6) |
15.6 (60.1) |
18.3 (64.9) |
17.3 (63.1) |
13.5 (56.3) |
7.1 (44.8) |
1.8 (35.2) |
−3.6 (25.5) |
5.6 (42.1) |
Record low °C (°F) | −29.0 (−20.2) |
−26.0 (−14.8) |
−22.0 (−7.6) |
−13.0 (8.6) |
−2.0 (28.4) |
3.9 (39.0) |
6.0 (42.8) |
6.0 (42.8) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
−5.0 (23.0) |
−11.5 (11.3) |
−23.0 (−9.4) |
−29.0 (−20.2) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 61.2 (2.41) |
59.0 (2.32) |
65.0 (2.56) |
86.7 (3.41) |
84.2 (3.31) |
73.3 (2.89) |
84.1 (3.31) |
81.1 (3.19) |
87.9 (3.46) |
71.9 (2.83) |
79.0 (3.11) |
67.3 (2.65) |
900.5 (35.45) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 32.9 (1.30) |
36.8 (1.45) |
49.7 (1.96) |
84.3 (3.32) |
84.2 (3.31) |
73.3 (2.89) |
84.1 (3.31) |
81.1 (3.19) |
87.9 (3.46) |
71.9 (2.83) |
76.4 (3.01) |
51.9 (2.04) |
814.2 (32.06) |
Average snowfall cm (inches) | 28.3 (11.1) |
22.2 (8.7) |
15.3 (6.0) |
2.4 (0.9) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
2.5 (1.0) |
15.5 (6.1) |
86.3 (34.0) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 10.7 | 9.5 | 11.4 | 13.0 | 12.3 | 10.0 | 9.3 | 8.9 | 9.7 | 10.7 | 11.9 | 12.0 | 129.3 |
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 4.6 | 5.3 | 8.5 | 12.4 | 12.3 | 10.0 | 9.3 | 8.9 | 9.7 | 10.7 | 11.3 | 8.2 | 111.1 |
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) | 6.5 | 4.7 | 3.8 | 0.73 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.08 | 0.96 | 4.6 | 21.4 |
Source: Environment Canada[3]
|
History
Colonial settlement
The area that has come to be known as Essex was one of the first counties to be settled by non-indigenous people in
Lower down the river, lands were occupied by native people known as
Settlement continued southward along the river and was known as Petite Côte (Small Coast), which was a reference to the shorter length of river frontage compared to the Detroit/American side. Landmarks were named for settler
When river frontage along the Petite Côte was occupied, settlement began to extend toward
The British built
After the American Revolution, and the War of 1812 (1812-1815), which also was a confrontation over the northern border, some people continued to migrate north to the area. Settlers also arrived from the east seeking land, traveling by Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River of Lower Canada. Settlers began to move eastward along the north shore of Lake Erie.
The colonial government purchased land for development from the Indigenous in the southern half of the current county, located in the four townships formerly known as Gosfield North and South, and Colchester North and South. The British Court made land available for settlement, provided that the colonist complete certain improvements within a year and that it not be used for speculation. This area became known as the "New Settlement" (as compared to the "Old Settlement" of the towns of Amherstburg and Sandwich. Settlers in this area included
Formation of Essex County
In 1791, the province of Upper Canada was formed. In 1792, Upper Canada was divided into nineteen counties, of which Essex was the eighteenth and part of the Western District. At that time, the eastern boundary of Essex County extended further east into what is now Kent County. Settlement continued: on January 1, 1800 an Act for the Better Division of the Province established the Townships of Rochester, Mersea, Gosfield, Maidstone, Sandwich and Malden.
Settlement 1820 to 1870
Longer roads began to appear in the County after the
The establishment of good roads led to further settlement along the 'Middle Road' and in the area of what is now Leamington. Settlers of this era were often emigrants from Britain and Ireland; in the 1840s the Great Famine led to significant immigration. The village of Maidstone was the centre of the Irish community, and an area known as the "Scotch Colony" appeared along the shore of Lake St. Clair to the north.
In 1854 the Great Western Railway connected the Detroit frontier with the east, crossing Essex County. The Canadian terminal was in Windsor, which consequently forged ahead of the other towns of the county. Other railway lines were built that connected settlements in Kingsville, Harrow, Essex and Leamington.
Essex County was also a destination of the
Late 19th century
By the late 19th century Essex County had seen fur trading and logging, land clearing and farming, road building and railway development, saw mills and gristmills, railway stations and water ports. By this time the forests were being removed to make way for farmland.
Also noticeable in some farmers' fields are oil pumps, particularly near Belle River and Leamington, in the northern and eastern parts of the county, respectively. This is from oil shale within the bedrock of the Marcellus Formation.
20th Century
Essex County restructuring, 1990s
In 1992, discussions began to take place to reduce the number of individual municipalities, which at the time numbered 21 in the county. This culminated on January 1, 1999 when a Minister's Order by the
Township | Township seat |
Anderdon Township
|
Amherstburg
|
Colchester North | Essex |
Colchester South
|
Harrow |
Gosfield North | Cottam
|
Gosfield South | Kingsville |
Maidstone
|
Belle River |
Malden
|
Malden Centre
|
Mersea
|
Leamington |
Rochester
|
St. Joachim
|
Sandwich East | Windsor |
Sandwich South | Tecumseh |
Sandwich West | LaSalle |
Tilbury North | Stoney Point
|
Tilbury West
|
Comber
|
Townships:
- Anderdon- Now part of Amherstburg
- Colchester North - Now part of Essex
- Colchester South- Now part of Essex
- Gosfield North - Now part of Kingsville
- Gosfield South - Now part of Kingsville
- Maidstone- Now part of Lakeshore
- Malden- Now part of Amherstburg
- Mersea- Now part of Leamington
- Rochester- Now part of Lakeshore
- Sandwich East - Parts in Windsor and in Tecumseh
- Sandwich South - Now in Tecumseh
- Sandwich West - Parts in LaSalle and in Windsor
- Tilbury North - Now in Lakeshore
- Tilbury West- Now in Lakeshore
Towns:
- Amherstburg, Ontario(former town of, now merged with Anderdon Twp. and Malden Twp.)
- Belle River, Ontario
- Essex, Ontario (former town of, merged with Colchester N. Twp. and Colchester S. Twp.)
- Harrow, Ontario
- Kingsville, Ontario (former town of, merged with Gosfield N. Twp. and Gosfield S. Twp.)
- Lasalle, Ontario(former part of Sandwich Town)
- Leamington, Ontario (former town of, merged with Mersea Twp.)
- St. Clair Beach, Ontario
- Tecumseh, Ontario (former town of, merged with Sandwich S. Twp)
Demographics
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
2021 | 192,970 | +6.3% |
As a
Government
The County of Essex is governed by a County Council, whose members are the mayors and deputy mayors from the seven lower-tier municipalities of the County. The Head of Council is known as the Warden. The term of office for County Councillors and the Warden coincides with the frequency of municipal elections in Ontario, in other words a person elected to be Mayor of Leamington, for example, will be a member of County Council for the term that she or he is Mayor. Hilda MacDonald, Mayor of Leamington, was chosen to be Warden at the most recent election. A complete list (from 1853 to present) of the past Wardens of Essex County can be found online.[9]
County government is responsible for issues that include transportation, community and social services (e.g. homes for the aged, child care, social housing), libraries, planning, emergency management coordination and corporate-wide business such as finance and taxation policies, general corporate policy and labour relations. The County does not have a police force or fire services, for which the seven municipalities are responsible.
Education
English-language public education for kindergarten through secondary school grades in Essex County is administered by the Greater Essex County District School Board, along with the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board which oversees English-language Catholic education.
French-language public and Catholic education are overseen by the Conseil scolaire Viamonde and the Conseil scolaire catholique Providence respectively. The scope of all of these organizations includes both the County and the City of Windsor.
Until 1998 the Essex County Board of Education operated Anglophone secular public schools.
Public post-secondary education is available at the University of Windsor, St. Clair College, and more recently Collège Boréal.
Infrastructure
Health care
Emergency medical services
Essex-Windsor Emergency Medical Services (EMS) provides pre-hospital treatment and transportation to over 45,000 patients per year. The service operates out of 12 bases, and employs over 260 Primary Care Paramedics. Essex-Windsor EMS covers all of Essex County, Windsor, and Pelee Island.[10]
Economy
Energy
Essex County is home to Canada's largest wind farm as of June 2012. This is due to both its ideal wind conditions and abundance of available farmland.[11]
Tartan
Essex County also has an official tartan.
The tartan's colours correspond to different meanings.
- Golden/Yellow is meant to stand for sunshine, also for the rich agriculture and golden harvests of the many farmed plants (grains, corn, soybeans, barley, oats and wheat).
- Green stands for the spring fields around Essex County.
- Red represents tomatoes, as Leamington is the "Tomato Capital of Canada", and for other fruits, such as apples.
- Blue stands for the blue skies and the waterways of the county.
- Black is meant to represent the automotive industry that fuels Windsor and Essex County.
- salt mines in Windsor and western Essex County, and fishin the surrounding rivers and lakes.
Notable people
- Bruce Crowder and Keith Crowder, retired NHL players
- Richie Hawtin, electronic music artist
- Jeff Lemire, comic book artist
- Jack Miner, naturalist
- Luke Willson, retired NFL player
See also
- Essex Tech Center
- List of municipalities in Ontario
- List of townships in Ontario
- List of Underground Railroad sites
- Town of Kingsville
References
- 2011 Census of Population. Statistics Canada. Archived from the originalon August 19, 2016. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
- ^ "Essex, County [Census division] census profile". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
- Environment Canada. October 31, 2011. Retrieved April 9, 2014.
- ^ ISBN 0806520930.
- ^ ISBN 9780811746298.
- )
- ISBN 9781442667464.
- ^ "Population and dwelling counts: Canada and census divisions". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
- ^ "County of Essex: Wardens of Essex County (1853-2014)". Archived from the original on December 3, 2013.
- ^ "Essex-Windsor Emergency Medical Services (EMS)". County of Essex. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
- ^ Hall, Dave (June 5, 2012). "Essex County home to Canada's largest wind farm". Windsor Star. Retrieved October 14, 2017.
Further reading
- John Clarke. The Ordinary People of Essex: Environment, Culture, and Economy on the Frontier of Upper Canada (McGill-Queen's University Press, 2010)