Central Ontario is a subregion of
Southern OntarioSouthern Ontario is the portion of the Canadian province of Ontario lying south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14-15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of Canada.Southern...
in the
CanadianCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of
OntarioOntario is a province located in east-central Canada, the largest by population and second largest, after Quebec, in total area. Ontario is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba to the west and Quebec to the east, and 5 U.S...
which lies between
Georgian BayGeorgian Bay is a large bay of Lake Huron, located in Ontario, Canada. The main body of the bay lies east of the Bruce Peninsula and south of Manitoulin Island....
and the eastern end of
Lake OntarioLake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. The lake is bounded on the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the south by Ontario's Niagara Peninsula and by the U.S. state of New York...
.
The population of the region was 959,266 in 2001; however, this number does not include large numbers of seasonal
cottage countryCottage country is a common name in Canada for areas that are popular locations for recreational properties such as cottages and summer homes. The name is often applied locally; that is, any major population centre may have its own popular "cottage country" area...
residents, which at peak times of the year swell its population to well in excess of 1.5 million. Although it contains small urban centres, much of Central Ontario is covered by farms, lakes (with freshwater beaches), rivers or sparsely populated forested land on the southern edge of the
Canadian ShieldThe Canadian Shield — also called the Laurentian Plateau, or Bouclier Canadien — is a massive geological shield covered by a thin layer of soil that forms the nucleus of the North American or Laurentia craton...
.
Central Ontario is located within
Southern OntarioSouthern Ontario is the portion of the Canadian province of Ontario lying south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14-15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of Canada.Southern...
.
Central Ontario is a subregion of
Southern OntarioSouthern Ontario is the portion of the Canadian province of Ontario lying south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14-15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of Canada.Southern...
in the
CanadianCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of
OntarioOntario is a province located in east-central Canada, the largest by population and second largest, after Quebec, in total area. Ontario is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba to the west and Quebec to the east, and 5 U.S...
which lies between
Georgian BayGeorgian Bay is a large bay of Lake Huron, located in Ontario, Canada. The main body of the bay lies east of the Bruce Peninsula and south of Manitoulin Island....
and the eastern end of
Lake OntarioLake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. The lake is bounded on the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the south by Ontario's Niagara Peninsula and by the U.S. state of New York...
.
The population of the region was 959,266 in 2001; however, this number does not include large numbers of seasonal
cottage countryCottage country is a common name in Canada for areas that are popular locations for recreational properties such as cottages and summer homes. The name is often applied locally; that is, any major population centre may have its own popular "cottage country" area...
residents, which at peak times of the year swell its population to well in excess of 1.5 million. Although it contains small urban centres, much of Central Ontario is covered by farms, lakes (with freshwater beaches), rivers or sparsely populated forested land on the southern edge of the
Canadian ShieldThe Canadian Shield — also called the Laurentian Plateau, or Bouclier Canadien — is a massive geological shield covered by a thin layer of soil that forms the nucleus of the North American or Laurentia craton...
.
Definitions
Central Ontario is located within
Southern OntarioSouthern Ontario is the portion of the Canadian province of Ontario lying south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14-15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of Canada.Southern...
. It is not geographically close to the actual "centre" of Ontario as its name would suggest, but in the central third of Southern Ontario on a horizontal west to east axis. Still, it is considered a sub-region of the south or billed as a "Gateway to the North."
Parry Sound District and Muskoka District are within Central Ontario, but are treated as part of
Northern OntarioNorthern Ontario is the part of the province of Ontario which lies north of Lake Huron , the French River and Lake Nipissing....
by federal economic development programs because of these districts' special economic circumstances; Parry Sound, but not Muskoka, is now classed with Northern Ontario by the provincial government.
All or part of
Grey CountyGrey County is a county and census division of the Canadian province of Ontario. The county seat is in Owen Sound. The population was 83,378 in 2006. It is located in the subregion of Southern Ontario named Southwestern Ontario...
and
Bruce CountyBruce County is a county in western Ontario, Canada, and includes the Bruce Peninsula. As of 2006, the population was 65,349. The area was . The county seat is Walkerton, Ontario. It is located at ....
may on occasion be included with Central Ontario as they are north of
44 degreesThe 44th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 44 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane.Starting at the Prime Meridian and heading eastwards, the parallel 44° north passes through:-See also:*43rd parallel north*45th parallel north...
in latitude but are far more often treated as part of Western Ontario or the
Georgian TriangleThe Georgian Triangle is the name of the geographic region of Southern Ontario containing the counties surrounding the Georgian Bay, mostly Nottawasaga Bay, in particular. The main city in the region is Collingwood, but it is a short distance from its larger neighbours, Owen Sound and Barrie...
area, which includes parts of both Central and Western Ontario.
Hastings CountyHastings County is located in the province of Ontario, Canada. It is The Cheese Capital of Canada. Geographically, it is located on the border of Eastern Ontario and Central Ontario. The population was 125,915 in 2001 and grew to 130,474 in the 2006 Canada Census...
and
Prince Edward CountyPrince Edward County is a single-tier municipality and a census division of the Canadian province of Ontario.-Geography and demographics:Prince Edward County is located in Southern Ontario on a large irregular headland or littoral at the eastern end of Lake Ontario, just west of the head of the St....
may be considered part of Central Ontario by different sources but are more often included as being in
Eastern OntarioEastern Ontario is a subregion of Southern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario which lies in a wedge-shaped area between the Ottawa River and St. Lawrence River...
, mostly because they share the same telephone area code
(613)Area code 613 is an area code for Ottawa and surrounding Eastern Ontario, Canada. It is one of the 86 original area codes of North America assigned in October 1947...
, have better transportation links to this region, and are part of the coverage area of Kingston-area media.
The southern portion of the region is mostly agricultural land mixed with wooded areas, together with the growing cities of
BarrieBarrie is a city of 128,430 residents, the 35th largest municipality in Canada. It is located on Kempenfelt Bay, an arm of Lake Simcoe in the central portion of Southern Ontario, Canada....
and
PeterboroughPeterborough is a city on the Otonabee River in Southern Ontario, Canada, 125 kilometres northeast of Toronto. The population of the City of Peterborough was 74,898 in the 2006 census, while the census metropolitan area had a population of 116 570. It presently ranks as the 33rd and smallest CMA...
. Both cities serve as regional centres with strong economic ties to the
Greater Toronto AreaThe Greater Toronto Area is the most populous metropolitan area in Canada. The GTA is a provincial planning area in Southern Ontario with a population of 5,555,912 at the 2006 Canadian Census...
.
BarrieBarrie is a city of 128,430 residents, the 35th largest municipality in Canada. It is located on Kempenfelt Bay, an arm of Lake Simcoe in the central portion of Southern Ontario, Canada....
in particular has a fast growing population as a result of the GTA's northern encroachment and has benefited economically from its key position in close proximity to Toronto. Both Barrie and Peterborough are also located in the Greater Golden Horseshoe region.
Geography
The Canadian Shield runs over the northern part of Central Ontario, a recreational area with a much increased summer-time population, including the wilderness of
Algonquin Provincial ParkAlgonquin Provincial Park is a provincial park located between Georgian Bay and the Ottawa River in Central Ontario, Canada, mostly within the Unorganized South Part of Nipissing District. It is the first provincial park in Canada having been established in 1893. It covers about 7,653 square...
. Often referred to as 'Cottage Country', this area's lakes and rivers are dotted with numerous cottages, some of them seasonal, but in recent years there is a growing trend for some of these 'summer cottages' to be used as year-round residences due to a number of factors, abundance of outdoor recreation, baby-boom retiree population, increased local services and improved wireless communication.
The
Trent-Severn WaterwayThe Trent-Severn Waterway is a Canadian canal system formerly used for commercial purposes but now exclusively for pleasure boats, connecting Lake Ontario at Trenton to the Georgian Bay portion of Lake Huron at Port Severn...
, constructed over many years in the mid-19th century, spans Central Ontario via a series of boat locks, connecting
Georgian BayGeorgian Bay is a large bay of Lake Huron, located in Ontario, Canada. The main body of the bay lies east of the Bruce Peninsula and south of Manitoulin Island....
with
Lake OntarioLake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. The lake is bounded on the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the south by Ontario's Niagara Peninsula and by the U.S. state of New York...
, entering the bay at Port Severn and Lake Ontario at the
Trent RiverThe River Trent is a river in the United Kingdom.Other rivers of the same name include:* a Trent River in Ontario, Canada* a Trent River in North Carolina, United States* a Trent River, New Zealand in New Zealand...
in
TrentonTrenton is a community in Southern Ontario in the municipality of Quinte West, Ontario, Canada. Located on the Bay of Quinte, it is the main population centre in Quinte West....
. Bypassing many rapids, this world renowned waterway is used by pleasure boaters and anglers during the summer months.
Along the northern edge of Central Ontario, are some of the highest elevations in
Southern OntarioSouthern Ontario is the portion of the Canadian province of Ontario lying south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14-15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of Canada.Southern...
. These
highlandsThe term highland or upland is used to denote any mountainous region or elevated mountainous plateau.The Scottish Highlands refers to the mountainous region north and west of the Highland Boundary Fault...
are known as the
Opeongo HillsThe Opeongo Hills are a range of hills in Southern Ontario, near Algonquin Provincial Park...
, and they stretch into portions of
Eastern OntarioEastern Ontario is a subregion of Southern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario which lies in a wedge-shaped area between the Ottawa River and St. Lawrence River...
as well.
Climate
The climate of this area is a
Humid continental climateThe humid continental climate is a climate found over large areas of landmasses in the temperate regions of the mid-latitudes where there is a zone of conflict between polar and tropical air masses. The humid continental climate is marked by variable weather patterns and a large seasonal...
with large seasonal variation moderated somewhat by the
Great LakesThe Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in eastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth. They are sometimes referred to as the "Third...
. Summers are warm and humid (sometimes hot) but are shorter than further south with generally cooler nights. Winters are cold with significant snowfalls; some snowbelt areas receive an average of over 300cm (120 in.) per year. Severe summer storms are also commonplace, particularly in Simcoe County which for Ontario has a high
tornadoA tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air which is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud...
prevalence and was the site of the infamous Barrie Tornado in 1985.
List of Counties or Districts
- Parry Sound District
Parry Sound District is a census division of the Canadian province of Ontario. Its seat is Parry Sound. Its boundaries are Muskoka to the south, the Sudbury District, the French River and Lake Nipissing in the north, Nipissing District, Ontario and North Bay in the north and east and parts of...
- Muskoka
The District Municipality of Muskoka, more generally referred to as the District of Muskoka or, simply, Muskoka is a Regional Municipality located in Central Ontario, Canada. Muskoka extends from Georgian Bay in the west, to the northern tip of Lake Couchiching in the south, to the western border...
- Haliburton County
Haliburton is a county of Ontario, Canada, known as a tourist and cottage area in Southern Ontario for its scenery and for its resident artists. Minden Hills is the county seat. Haliburton County was established in 1983, but had existed as the Provisional County of Haliburton since 1874...
- Simcoe County
Simcoe is a county located in central portion of Southern Ontario, originally established as "Simcoe District" in 1843 by the Legislature of Upper Canada...
- Dufferin County
Dufferin County is a county and census division of the Canadian province of Ontario. The county seat is Orangeville, and the current Warden is Mayor Gord Montgomery of Mulmur Township, Ontario. The Current Chief Administrative Officer is Linda J. Dean. Dufferin covers an area of , and its...
- Kawartha Lakes
The city of Kawartha Lakes is a single-tier municipality in east-central Ontario, Canada. Although designated as a city, at a population density of 24.4 per square kilometer it is a largely rural area. The municipality is named after the kawartha lakes, which themselves are from the anglicized...
- Northumberland County
Northumberland County is situated on the north shore of Lake Ontario, in central Ontario, Canada. It is located east of Durham County , west of Hastings, southeast of Kawartha Lakes and south of Peterborough County. The county seat is Cobourg...
- Peterborough County
Peterborough County is located in Southern Ontario, Canada. It is projected to reach a population of 159,840 by 2031, according to the Ontario Ministry of Finance's Ontario Population Projections Update...
- Hastings County
Hastings County is located in the province of Ontario, Canada. It is The Cheese Capital of Canada. Geographically, it is located on the border of Eastern Ontario and Central Ontario. The population was 125,915 in 2001 and grew to 130,474 in the 2006 Canada Census...
- Prince Edward County
Prince Edward County is a single-tier municipality and a census division of the Canadian province of Ontario.-Geography and demographics:Prince Edward County is located in Southern Ontario on a large irregular headland or littoral at the eastern end of Lake Ontario, just west of the head of the St....