Georgina, Ontario

Georgina is a town in south-central Ontario. The northernmost municipality in the Regional Municipality of York, the town is bounded to the north by Lake Simcoe. Although incorporated as a town, it operates as a township in which dispersed communities share a common administrative council. The largest communities are Keswick, Sutton, and Jackson's Point. Smaller communities include Pefferlaw, Port Bolster, Roches Point, Udora, and Willow Beach. The town was formed by the merger of the Village of Sutton, the Township of Georgina, and the Township of North Gwillimbury in 1971 and incorporated in 1986. North Gwillimbury had been part of Georgina but became its own township in 1826. It took its name from the family of Elizabeth Simcoe, née Gwillim.

Georgina
Town (lower-tier)
Town of Georgina
View of Lake Simcoe from Sibbald Point Provincial Park
Location of Georgina within York Region
Georgina Location of Georgina within Southern Ontario
Coordinates (Civic Centre): 44°18′N 79°26′W
Country	Canada
Province	Ontario
Regional Municipality	York Region
Named	late 1790s
Amalgamated	1971 (township)[1]
Incorporated	1986 (town)
Named for	George III
Government
• Type	Municipality
• Mayor	Margaret (Jordan) Quirk
• Regional Councillor / Deputy Mayor	Naomi Davison
• Councillor	Charlene Biggerstaff (Ward 1), Dan Fellini (Ward 2), Dave Neeson (Ward 3), Dale Kerr Genge (Ward 4), Lee Dale (Ward 5),
Area [2]
• Total	287.69 km2 (111.08 sq mi)
Population  (2021)[2]
• Total	47,642
• Density	165.6/km2 (429/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
Postal code FSA	L0E, L0C, L4P
Area code(s)	905, 289 and 705
NTS Map	31D6 Beaverton
GNBC Code	FBHBU
Website	www.georgina.ca

Municipal composition

The main centres in Georgina are the communities of Keswick, Belhaven, Sutton West, Jackson's Point,^[3] Baldwin, Virginia, Pefferlaw, Port Bolster, Udora, and Willow Beach. Other settlements include Jersey, Cedarbrae, Brown Hill, Island Grove, Maple Hill, Elm Grove, Roches Point (named for the family of Author Mazo de la Roche, who is buried in the cemetery, at St. George's Anglican Church, Sibbald Point), Sibbald Point, Virginia/Virginia Beach (originally called Frenchtown), McRae Beach, Duclos Point, Balfour Beach, Varney, Brighton Beach, and a variety of other beach communities.^[4]

Demographics

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1991	29,746	—
1996	34,777	+16.9%
2001	39,263	+12.9%
2006	42,346	+7.9%
2011	43,517	+2.8%
2016	45,418	+4.4%
2021	47,642	+4.9%

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Georgina had a population of 47,642 living in 17,895 of its 19,368 total private dwellings, a change of 4.9% from its 2016 population of 45,418. With a land area of 287.69 km² (111.08 sq mi), it had a population density of 165.6/km² (428.9/sq mi) in 2021.^[2]

Racial profile As per the 2011 Canadian Census

• 96.1% White
• 1.6% Aboriginal
• 0.5% Black
• 0.3% Chinese

Religions^[5]

• 45.7% Protestant
• 22.4% Roman Catholic
• 3.3% other Christian
• 0.3% Jewish
• 28.3% non-religious

Mother Tongue^[6]

• 90.3% English
• 1.2% French
• 1.0% German
• 1.0% Italian

Government

Georgina and other communities on Lake Simcoe, Ontario

The Town of Georgina operates under a ward system, and its municipal council consists of the mayor, regional councillor (known procedurally as deputy mayor) and a councillor for each of the five wards. The current council consists of:^[7]

• Mayor: Margaret Quirk
• Deputy Mayor/Regional Councillor: Naomi Davison
• Councillor Ward 1: Charlene Biggerstaff
• Councillor Ward 2: Dan Fellini
• Councillor Ward 3: Dave Neeson
• Councillor Ward 4: Dale Kerr Genge
• Councillor Ward 5: Lee Dale

The mayor and the deputy mayor represent Georgina at meetings of York Regional Council.

Georgina is part of the federal riding of York—Simcoe, represented by Scot Davidson of the Conservative Party of Canada, who was elected in a by-election on February 25, 2019.^[8]

Provincially, it was part of the riding of York North until 2007 and is now part of the provincial riding of York—Simcoe, represented by Caroline Mulroney of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario.

Attractions

The Briars (Georgina)

• Captain William Johnson's Old Mill^[9]
• St. George's Anglican Church, built in 1877 by the pioneering Sibbald family and burial place of Stephen Leacock and Mazo de la Roche^[9]
• Roche's Point Anglican Church, built in 1862^[9]
• The ROC (Recreational Outdoor Campus), including the Georgina Pioneer Village Museum and Archives
• The Red Barn Theatre, Canada's oldest summer stock theatre. [Currently not operating due to a fire in 2010.^[10]]^[9]
• Stephen Leacock Theatre
• Georgina Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Information Centre
• Duclos Point Nature Reserve
• Georgina Arts Centre and Gallery
• The Peter Gzowski Festival of Stories^[11]
• Georgina Public Libraries
• York Regional Forests
• Sibbald Point Provincial Park
• Sutton Fair and Horse Show^[12]
• Ramada Jacksons Point Resort and Spa
• Willow Beach Conservation Area
• Georgina Military Museum^[13]
• The Briars (Georgina)

Climate

Climate data for Ravenshoe, elevation: 250.9 m or 823 ft, 1971-2000 normals,[a] extremes 1973-1992
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	11.5 (52.7)	14.5 (58.1)	23.3 (73.9)	30.0 (86.0)	32.0 (89.6)	33.5 (92.3)	35.0 (95.0)	34.4 (93.9)	33.0 (91.4)	25.5 (77.9)	21.5 (70.7)	19.5 (67.1)	35.0 (95.0)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	−3.9 (25.0)	−2.9 (26.8)	2.9 (37.2)	10.8 (51.4)	18.2 (64.8)	22.8 (73.0)	25.9 (78.6)	24.7 (76.5)	19.5 (67.1)	12.7 (54.9)	5.8 (42.4)	−1.1 (30.0)	11.3 (52.3)
Daily mean °C (°F)	−8.0 (17.6)	−7.0 (19.4)	−1.6 (29.1)	5.8 (42.4)	12.6 (54.7)	17.1 (62.8)	20.1 (68.2)	19.2 (66.6)	14.5 (58.1)	8.2 (46.8)	2.2 (36.0)	−4.8 (23.4)	6.5 (43.8)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	−12.0 (10.4)	−11.2 (11.8)	−6.0 (21.2)	0.8 (33.4)	6.9 (44.4)	11.4 (52.5)	14.2 (57.6)	13.7 (56.7)	9.4 (48.9)	3.6 (38.5)	−1.4 (29.5)	−8.4 (16.9)	1.8 (35.2)
Record low °C (°F)	−35.0 (−31.0)	−33.0 (−27.4)	−29.0 (−20.2)	−13.0 (8.6)	−4.5 (23.9)	−1.0 (30.2)	3.0 (37.4)	3.3 (37.9)	−7.0 (19.4)	−7.8 (18.0)	−18.5 (−1.3)	−32.0 (−25.6)	−35.0 (−31.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	57.0 (2.24)	53.6 (2.11)	69.0 (2.72)	66.7 (2.63)	78.6 (3.09)	80.4 (3.17)	79.9 (3.15)	101.3 (3.99)	82.5 (3.25)	75.4 (2.97)	79.7 (3.14)	77.1 (3.04)	901.2 (35.5)
Average rainfall mm (inches)	12.6 (0.50)	20.1 (0.79)	41.4 (1.63)	56.6 (2.23)	77.6 (3.06)	80.4 (3.17)	79.9 (3.15)	101.3 (3.99)	82.5 (3.25)	72.2 (2.84)	60.8 (2.39)	28.7 (1.13)	714.1 (28.13)
Average snowfall cm (inches)	44.3 (17.4)	33.5 (13.2)	27.6 (10.9)	10.0 (3.9)	1.0 (0.4)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	3.3 (1.3)	18.8 (7.4)	48.4 (19.1)	186.9 (73.6)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm)	15.7	12.7	13.3	12.6	12.7	12.1	11.0	12.5	13.1	14.4	14.5	16.7	161.3
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm)	3.0	3.3	7.2	10.6	12.5	12.1	11.0	12.5	13.1	13.8	10.5	5.3	114.9
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm)	13.5	10.5	7.6	3.1	0.36	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	5.7	13.1	54.86
Source: Environment Canada[14]

Notable residents

• Canadian Wrestling Hall of Fame member Whipper Billy Watson was a lifelong resident, and he spearheaded the campaign to build the Georgina Cultural Centre in the 1980s, which also houses the Stephen Leacock Theatre.
• Keswick is the birthplace and childhood home of former NHL goaltender Curtis Joseph.
• Captain William Johnson, former Royal Navy officer and founder of Pefferlaw, Ontario.
• Noted writer Stephen Leacock settled on a farm near Egypt, a hamlet within Georgina.
• Jim Carrey, a Canadian actor, comedian, impressionist, screenwriter, and producer. He was born in nearby Newmarket. His family settled in Jackson's Point in his late teens.
• Caroline Mulroney and her husband own land in Jackson's Point.

Local media

• Georgina Advocate (Metroland Media Group)

See also

• List of townships in Ontario

Notes

1. Although the period does not fit perfectly, being 1971–1992 (precipitation) and 1973-1992 (temperature), therefore a semi-normal.

References

1. Some sources say 1971:
    • Welch, Deborah; Payne, Michael (April 28, 2020). "Georgina". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved 2008-01-02.
   Some say 1970:
    • "York County Maps and Facts". York Region Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society. Retrieved 2008-01-02.
    • "History of the Town of Georgina". Georgina Village Museum. Archived from the original on 2008-03-02. Retrieved 2008-01-02.
2. "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Ontario". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
3. Kibble, Tracy (2009-08-27). "Jackson's Point offers alluring gem". YorkRegion.com. Archived from the original on March 6, 2012. Retrieved 2009-08-28.
4. "Brighton Beach". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 2013-05-13.
5. Statistics Canada. (2002). Georgina Archived 2015-11-07 at the Wayback Machine 2001 Community Profiles. Released June 27, 2002. Last modified: 2005-11-30. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 93F0053XIE
6. Statistics Canada (2011). Census Profile for Georgina, Ontario (Town). Released October 24, 2011
7. "Mayor and Council". Town of Georgina. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
8. "February 25, 2019 By-elections Election Results". Elections Canada. February 28, 2019. Retrieved March 24, 2019.
9. "Town of Georgina Historical Sites". Archived from the original on 2008-01-11.
10. "Ontario's oldest summer theatre closes down". The Toronto Star. 4 July 2010.
11. "Peter Gzowski Festival of Stories". Archived from the original on 2005-12-18.
12. "Sutton Fair & Horse Show". Retrieved July 27, 2019.
13. "Georgina Military Museum". Retrieved May 8, 2020.
14. "Canadian Climate Normals 1981-2010 - Ravenshoe". Environment Canada. 19 January 2011. Retrieved November 26, 2019.

External links

• Official website