Perth East, Ontario
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The Township of Perth East is a municipality in Perth County,
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, situated north of Stratford. It was created in 1998 when the Ontario government amalgamated the village of Milverton with the surrounding former townships of Ellice, Mornington, North Easthope and South Easthope. Milverton is the largest community of the township, where the municipal administration is based. The mayor is Rhonda Ehgoetz. The population in 2016 was 12,595, with 4,266 occupied private dwellings, in a land area of 711.93 km2 (275 sq. mi.).


History


Ellice Township

In 1829, the first concession in the Township of Ellice was surveyed and opened for settlement. A cairn still stands marking the site of the first home, at Lot 31, Concession 1, owned by Andrew Seebach from Bavaria. (A cairn has been erected to mark the location.) The township was named after Edward Ellice, a director of the Canada Company. The local municipal history began in 1842 when John Sebring was appointed to the position of District Councillor (later classified as a Reeve). The first separate school in the township was opened at Millbrook in 1857 and closed in 1907 when it merged with another local school. In 1908 the Ellice Council purchased the abandoned school and moved it to a site on the County Road where it served as the seat of municipal government until 1960. The building was replaced by the present hall which was built in 1961.


Village of Milverton

The first settler was Andrew West, a shoemaker who settled on a farm and opened a hotel in 1851. Other businesses soon followed and the hamlet of West's Corners in Mornington Township began to expand. The first Post Office was established in 1854 and the first schoolhouse in 1856. By 1864, the settlement contained a sawmill, a tannery, two churches and some 200 residents. In about 1871 the name of the village was changed to Milverton, named after
Milverton, Somerset Milverton is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated in the valley of the River Tone west of Taunton. The village has a population of 1,438. The parish includes the hamlet of Preston Bowyer. It has one public house, ''The Glo ...
in England. The
Stratford and Huron Railway The following railways operate in the Canadian province of Ontario. Common freight carriers *Barrie Collingwood Railway (BCRY) *Canadian National Railway (CN) including subsidiaries Algoma Central Railway (AC), Grand Trunk Western Railroad (GTW) ...
reached this area in 1877, making it easy to market the area's agricultural products; the population increased afterwards. Effective January 1, 1881, Milverton was incorporated into a village; its population at the time was 550.


Village of Shakespeare

According to Stratford Heritage, Perth County's first settler was Sebastian Fryfogel from Bavaria, Germany. He first built a log shelter in 1827 while the Canada Company's Huron Road was being surveyed. Still standing, it is part of what is now the village of Shakespeare. In 1844 or 1845, he replaced it with a larger building which served as an inn and stagecoach stop, the Fryfogel Tavern. It maintained this role until about 1856, when the railway became the primary method of transportation. According to Canada's Register of Historic Places, "graves and markers of Sebastian Fryfogel and other Fryfogel family members are located on the property's western portion, as well as a cairn (1928) marking the site's century of occupation".


Mornington Township

The first Township Council meeting was held in 1854. This, and subsequent meetings were held at taverns throughout the municipality. In 1857, only four years after the township was established, the township clerk was fired - council minutes explain that "the collections roll contained contradicting statements that... money had been collected, the expenditure of which could not be ascertained by the Auditors in a satisfactory manner". In 1876, the Stratford and Huron Railway Company and the township entered into an agreement to bring the railway into the municipality with two stations.


North Easthope Township

North Easthope Township was named after Sir John Easthope, a Canada Company director. The area was settled around 1832 by two main ethnic groups - Highland Scots and Hessen Darmstadt Deutsch due to the Canada Company's advertisement of the local land in Scottish and German newspapers.


South Easthope Township

The first settler to Southeast Township moved in on Christmas Day in 1828. In 1863, South Easthope was the smallest township in the area with a population of 2,322 and an areas of 9,759 hectares. Council meetings were held in a room leased at a hotel until 1954 when a township hall was opened. In 1959, a Fire Hall was opened housing a volunteer department of 17 men, two fire trucks and a pumper. This department still exists and serves the communities in North and South Easthope.


Municipal Restructuring

As part of provincial initiatives in the late 1990s, the Government of Ontario pursued a policy of municipal amalgamations to rationalize municipal levels of government services and "reduc government entanglement and bureaucracy with an eye to eliminating waste and duplication as well as unfair downloading by the province". On June 26, 1997, an order from the Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs for the amalgamation of the former Townships of Ellice, Mornington, North Easthope, South Easthope and the Village of Milverton into Perth East Township received Royal assent. The amalgamation came into effect on January 1, 1998.


Geography


Communities

The township comprises the communities of
Amulree Amulree (Scottish Gaelic: ''Àth Maol Ruibhe'', 'Ford of t.Maelrubha') is a small hamlet in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It lies in hilly country on the A822 road, east of Loch Freuchie in Strathbraan, west of Dunkeld and north of Crieff. ...
, Brocksden, Brunner, Burns,
Carthage Carthage was an ancient city in Northern Africa, on the eastern side of the Lake of Tunis in what is now Tunisia. Carthage was one of the most important trading hubs of the Ancient Mediterranean and one of the most affluent cities of the classic ...
, Dorking, Fernbank, Gads Hill, Hesson, Kinkora, Kuhryville, Mennonite Corner, Millbank, Milverton, Moserville, Newton, Nithburg, Peffers, Poole, Ratzburg, Rostock, Sebastopol, Shakespeare, Topping, Tralee and Wartburg. It also includes a portion of the hamlet of
Punkeydoodles Corners Punkeydoodles Corners is an unincorporated hamlet in southwestern Ontario, in Canada, known for its strange name and frequent sign theft. Although primarily located in the Wilmot Township, some portions of the hamlet extend into East Zorra – ...
, which straddles the municipal boundaries of Perth East, East Zorra – Tavistock and Wilmot. Milverton was mentioned in the Season 4 episode
Old King Clancy "Old King Clancy" is the 18th episode in the fourth season of the television series ''How I Met Your Mother'' and 82nd overall. It originally aired on March 23, 2009. In the episode, Ted struggles with his assignment to design Goliath National ...
of ''
How I Met Your Mother ''How I Met Your Mother'' (often abbreviated as ''HIMYM'') is an American sitcom created by Craig Thomas (screenwriter), Craig Thomas and Carter Bays for CBS. The series, which aired from September 19, 2005, to March 31, 2014, follows main char ...
''.


Ellice Swamp

Ellice Swamp is a large woodlot in
Perth County, Ontario Perth County is a county and Census divisions of Canada, census division in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario in Southwestern Ontario, west of Toronto. Its population centres are Listowel, Ontario, Listowel, Mi ...
. The swamp covers approximately 856 hectares (2,115 acres). It is located between Stratford and Milverton in the northeastern portion of the
Thames River The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the ...
Watershed, between the North Branch of the Thames and the
Nith River The Nith River is a river in Brant, Oxford and Perth counties and the Regional Municipality of Waterloo in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. The Nith River is approximately 125km in length and empties into the Grand River at the town of Paris. ...
. Historically, it was known as Ellice Huckleberry Swamp and was part of the
Huron Tract The Huron Tract Purchase also known as the Huron Block, registered as Crown Treaty Number 29, is a large area of land in southwestern Ontario bordering on Lake Huron to the west and Lake Erie to the east. The area spans the counties of Huron, Pe ...
administered by the
Canada Company The Canada Company was a private British land development company that was established to aid in the colonization of a large part of Upper Canada. It was incorporated by royal charter on August 19, 1826, under the ( 6 Geo. 4. c. 75) of the B ...
. It is primarily owned by the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority.


Demographics

In the
2021 Census of Population The 2021 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population with a reference date of May 11, 2021. It follows the 2016 Canadian census, which recorded a population of 35,151,728. The overall response rate was 98%, which is sli ...
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 ...
, Perth East had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021. In 2011, children aged 9 and under accounted for approximately 15.4% of the population, while the percentage at retirement age (65 and over) is approximately 12.8%. The median age was 36.1 years of age. The average income was $37,303 with an average after-tax income of $32,356. In 2011, 6.2% of the population had immigrant status. The most common countries immigrants come from are
Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
(28.5%), followed by the
Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
(16.3%) and
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
(10.8%). The majority of residents of Perth East are members of a
Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
faith and account for 87.5% of the population. Less than 1% of the population is
Sikh Sikhs (singular Sikh: or ; , ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ''Si ...
or "Other religion" with the remaining population (11.8%) reporting no religious affiliation. Of the Christian population, the largest religious affiliation is
Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
(18.5%) followed by
Lutheran Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...
(15.2%),
United Church A united church, also called a uniting church, is a denomination formed from the merger or other form of church union of two or more different Protestantism, Protestant Christian denominations, a number of which come from separate and distinc ...
(11.8%),
Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...
(1.6%),
Anglican Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...
(2.4%),
Pentecostal Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a movement within the broader Evangelical wing of Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes direct personal experience of God in Christianity, God through Baptism with the Holy Spirit#Cl ...
(1.4%),
Baptist Baptists are a Christian denomination, denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers (believer's baptism) and doing so by complete Immersion baptism, immersion. Baptist churches ge ...
(1.3%) and other Christian (42%).


Economy

The township indicates that economic categories include agriculture, farm-related businesses, millwrighting, metal fabrication, and tourism. Industrial companies in this area include Iron Bridge Fabrication, Quality Fertilizers, Mornington Communications and Nuhn Industries. Nuhn Industries is a third generation, family owned business founded in 1902. In 2014, the company was planning a 30,000 square foot addition to their 66,000 square foot facility to better serve its customers throughout North America, Latin America, Japan and Africa. According to the 2011 National Household Survey, the largest economic sectors by number of workers employed are manufacturing (910 workers); construction (710 workers); health care and social assistance (645 workers) and retail trade (600 workers). Other industries in the region employing more than 200 workers are wholesale trade; transportation and warehousing; administrative and support, waste management and remediation services; accommodation and food services; and public administration.


Local government

Perth East Township is governed by a Township Council composed of seven members including a Mayor, Deputy Mayor and five Councillors. Councillors represent the wards of Ellice, Milverton, Mornington, North Easthope and South Easthope. Township operations are overseen by the Chief Administrator's Office and municipal departments include Building, Clerk's Office, Finance, Fire Services, Library Services, Planning, Public Works, and Recreation.


Township Council 2018-2022

Source:


County government

Because the Perth East is part of the upper-tier municipality
Perth County, Ontario Perth County is a county and Census divisions of Canada, census division in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario in Southwestern Ontario, west of Toronto. Its population centres are Listowel, Ontario, Listowel, Mi ...
, it has representation on the County Council. The Perth County Council is determined by a restructuring order that came into force on January 1, 1998. That Council is made up of representatives from the four Perth Townships. The head of County Council is elected from among the council members annually, by a vote at council and is known as the Warden. In 2018–2019, the Perth County Warden is Walter McKenzie from West Perth. Perth East Mayor Rhonda Ehgoetz, Deputy Mayor Hugh McDermid, and Councillor Daryl Herlick serve as Perth East's representatives on County Council.


Provincial Government

Perth—Wellington is a provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since the 2007 provincial election. It was created in 2003 from parts of Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey, Perth—Middlesex and Waterloo—Wellington ridings. It consists of the County of Perth, and the Town of Minto and the townships of Mapleton and Wellington North in the County of Wellington. As of June 2, 2022, the MPP for the riding is Matthew Rae.


Federal government

Perth—Wellington is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada since 2004. The riding was created in 2003 from parts of
Perth—Middlesex Perth—Middlesex was an electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that was represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1997 to 2003 and in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1999 to 2007. This riding was created in 1996 from parts ...
(76%),
Waterloo—Wellington Waterloo—Wellington was a federal electoral district represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1997 to 2003. It continued to be a provincial electoral district represented in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario until the 2007 provin ...
(17%) and
Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey could refer to: * Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey (federal electoral district) * Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey (provincial electoral district) {{Disambiguation ...
(7%) ridings. It did not undergo any boundary changes in the 2012 electoral redistribution. It consists of the County of Perth, the City of Stratford, the Town of St. Mary's and the Town of Minto and the townships of Mapleton and Wellington North in the County of Wellington. Since 2015, the MP for this riding has been
John Nater John Nater (born February 14, 1984) is a Canadian politician. He is currently serving as the Member of Parliament for the riding of Perth Wellington in the House of Commons of Canada. Education and early life Nater was born in Logan Townsh ...
(PC).


See also

*
List of townships in Ontario This is a list of township (Canada), townships in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. Townships are listed by List of census divisions of Ontario, census division. Northern Ontario Northeastern Ontario Algoma D ...


References


External links

* {{Communities in Perth County Lower-tier municipalities in Ontario Municipalities in Perth County, Ontario Township municipalities in Ontario