Claremont, Ontario
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Claremont is an unincorporated community in
Southern Ontario Southern Ontario is a Region, primary region of the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario. It is the most densely populated and southernmost region in Canada, with approximately 13.5 million people, approximately 36% o ...
in the north part of Pickering,
Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
, Canada. Historically, Claremont was part of Pickering Township, Ontario County, Ontario until 1974 when Ontario County was amalgamated into the
Regional Municipality of Durham The Regional Municipality of Durham (), informally referred to as Durham Region, is a regional municipality in Southern Ontario, Canada. Located east of Toronto and the Regional Municipality of York, it forms the east end of the Greater Toronto A ...
, which had just been established. Claremont is one of many rural villages with suburban type housing mixed with older historic buildings in the
Greater Toronto Area The Greater Toronto Area, commonly referred to as the GTA, includes the Toronto, City of Toronto and the regional municipality, regional municipalities of Regional Municipality of Durham, Durham, Regional Municipality of Halton, Halton, Regional ...
. Brock Road, the main north-south regional road in the area, was realigned to bypass the village to the east in 1970. Claremont is just below the
Oak Ridges Moraine The Oak Ridges Moraine is an Ecology, ecologically important Geology, geological landform in the Mixedwood Plains of south-central Ontario, Canada. The moraine covers a geographic area of between Caledon, Ontario, Caledon and Rice Lake (Ontario ...
, in the Greenbelt. Typical of the moraine countryside, around 50 to 70% of the land area around Claremont is forested. The remaining land around the village is wooded farmland and streams. Until the establishment of regional government in 1974, the municipal offices of the former Township of Pickering were located in Claremont. Access to and traffic through Claremont increased greatly with the completion of the eastern extension of the Highway 407, which has terminated at the Brock Road exit since 2001. The Havelock Subdivision of the
Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway () , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadian Pacific Kansas City, Canadian Pacific Ka ...
runs through Claremont. This line is used for freight traffic, but there have been proposals for the return of passenger service as part of a
GO Transit GO Transit is a regional public transit system serving the Greater Golden Horseshoe region of Ontario, Canada. With its hub at Union Station in Toronto, GO Transit's green-and-white trains and buses serve a population of more than seven mil ...
expansion to
Peterborough Peterborough ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in the City of Peterborough district in the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Cambridgeshire, England. The city is north of London, on the River Nene. A ...
. Claremont is located 20 km northwest of
Oshawa Oshawa is a city in Ontario, Canada, on the Lake Ontario shoreline. It lies in Southern Ontario, approximately east of downtown Toronto. It is commonly viewed as the eastern anchor of the Greater Toronto Area and of the Golden Horseshoe. It ...
and about 55 km northeast of
Downtown Toronto Downtown Toronto is the main city centre of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Located entirely within the district of Old Toronto, it is approximately 16.6 square kilometres in area, bounded by Bloor Street to the northeast and Dupont Street to the nor ...
. Claremont has a elementary school from junior kindergarten to grade 8 and also has a cafe and a convenience store.


Nearest places

* Markham, west * Whitchurch-Stouffville, northwest *
Uxbridge Uxbridge () is a suburban town in west London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Hillingdon, northwest of Charing Cross. Uxbridge formed part of the parish of Hillingdon in the county of Middlesex. As part ...
, north * Brooklin, east * Greenwood, southeast * Pickering, south


History

In 1972, the
Government of Canada The Government of Canada (), formally His Majesty's Government (), is the body responsible for the federation, federal administration of Canada. The term ''Government of Canada'' refers specifically to the executive, which includes Minister of t ...
expropriated 7,530 ha of land just west of Claremont for a possible future airport. Indeed, by the late-1990s, the Greater Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA) there were plans initiated to build an international Airport in Pickering which would be constructed to relieve congestion at Pearson International Airport, located some 70 km to the southwest. This new airport was also going to become the main cargo facility for the
Greater Toronto Area The Greater Toronto Area, commonly referred to as the GTA, includes the Toronto, City of Toronto and the regional municipality, regional municipalities of Regional Municipality of Durham, Durham, Regional Municipality of Halton, Halton, Regional ...
. But air traffic at Pearson declined in the years to follow and is only slowly returning (although it has not reached) to previous passenger volumes. Also, terminal expansion at Pearson and the massive Cargo infield development by the GTAA have further delayed Pickering Airport from becoming a reality, at least in the near future. But in 2005, there has been renewed discussion about airport construction. The plan anticipates 11.9 million passengers per year (or 32,600 per day) by 2032. A confidential "needs analysis study" was completed by the Greater Toronto Airports Authority for the federal government in May 2010; in summer 2010
Transport Canada Transport Canada () is the Ministry (government department), department within the Government of Canada responsible for developing regulations, Policy, policies and Public services, services of road, rail, marine and air Transport in Canada, tra ...
began a "due diligence review." The current landholders, mostly rural farmers are leasing the land from the federal government. Claremont is the closest community to the future airport/terminal building locations. The Claremont General Store was destroyed by fire in July 2009. The building was built in 1847 and had been operated as a General Store since it was originally built - one of the longest operating General Stores in Canada.


Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by
Statistics Canada Statistics Canada (StatCan; ), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. It is headquartered in ...
, Claremont had a population of 1,215 living in 402 of its 413 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 1,202. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.


Community features

Claremont has a fire station and community hall, two churches, a Royal Canadian Legion hall (Branch 483), cafe (Old Brock Cafe), community co-op (which also serves as a
Liquor Control Board of Ontario The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO, ) is a Crown agency that retails and distributes alcoholic beverages throughout the Canadian province of Ontario. It is accountable to the Legislative Assembly through the minister of finance. It wa ...
and Beer Store outlet) and an elementary school (Claremont Public School). Claremont was also the hometown of legendary Canadian painter Tom Thomson, who was born in Claremont on August 5, 1877.Pickering Ajax Digital Library
Thomson House
.


Community events


Yard Sale Day

Claremont is well known in the local area for its annual "Yard Sale Day", an event where all residents are invited to host simultaneous garage/yard sales. The sale is typically held on the second or third Saturday of June and has been known to draw well over 1000 visitors and bargain hunters to the small hamlet. Due to its popularity, the annual event also spawns fundraisers, BBQs, and other community gatherings.


Winter Carnival

Claremont remains a vibrant and active community even through the cold of winter with its annual Winter Carnival that marks a week's worth of events in January or February. The most popular of these events include a winter parade through town, a teen dance at the local community centre, karaoke at the Legion, and the highly anticipated Trapper's Ball, along with a host of traditional winter activities including snowshoeing, tobogganing, family skates at an outdoor community rink, and a neighbourhood snow sculpture contest.


Local government

Claremont is part of the City of Pickering which is governed by an elected
city Council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, borough counc ...
consisting of six councillors and one
Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...
. The City of Pickering is divided into three wards, each ward electing a City Councillor and a Regional Councillor. Claremont is part of Ward 3. The current council was elected in November 2022. The members of the council are:
Mayor Kevin Ashe
Ward 1 (South West Pickering) City Councillor Lisa Robinson
Ward 1 (South West Pickering) Regional Councillor Maurice Brenner
Ward 2 (South & Central Pickering) City Councillor Mara Nagy
Ward 2 (South & Central Pickering) Regional Councillor Linda Cook
Ward 3 (South East & North Pickering) City Councillor Shaheen Butt
Ward 3 (South East & North Pickering) Regional Councillor David Pickles


References


External links


Claremont Enquirer WebsiteClaremont
at Geographical Names of Canada {{Coord, 43, 58, 21, N, 79, 07, 45, W, region:CA-ON_type:city, display=title Neighbourhoods in Pickering, Ontario Designated places in Ontario