Brighton, Ontario

Brighton
Municipality (lower-tier)
Municipality of Brighton
Motto:  Where the past greets the future
Brighton Show map of Northumberland County Brighton Show map of Southern Ontario
Coordinates: 44°01′51″N 77°43′23″W[1]
Country	Canada
Province	Ontario
County	Northumberland
Formed	January 1, 2001
Government
• Mayor	Brian Ostrander
• Federal riding	Northumberland—Quinte West
• Prov. riding	Northumberland—Quinte West
Area [2]
• Land	222.71 km^2 (85.99 sq mi)
Population  (2021)[3]
• Total	12,108
• Density	54.2/km^2 (140/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
Postal Code	K0K 1H0
Area code	613
Website	www.brighton.ca

Post office

Brighton is a town in Northumberland County, Ontario, Canada,[1] approximately 150 kilometres (93 mi) east of Toronto and 100 km (62 mi) west of Kingston. It is traversed by both Highway 401 and the former Highway 2. The west end of the Murray Canal that leads east to the Bay of Quinte is at the east end of the town.

Brighton later developed into primarily an agricultural community, specializing in the farming of apples and production of new apple types. However, in recent years, many of the original orchards in the area have been partially removed, to make way for the steadily growing population, and more profitable agricultural produce, such as wheat, corn and soybeans. In late September, Brighton is host to Applefest, its largest yearly festival.

The Municipality of Brighton (formed on January 1, 2001, through an amalgamation of the former Town of Brighton and Brighton Township) is home to over 12,108 inhabitants,[4] with a higher than average percentage of those retired. This is common, as the quiet, clean and friendly atmosphere of many smaller towns near Lake Ontario tend to draw the elderly as popular places for retirement living.

Presqu'ile Provincial Park, just south of the town centre, is one of Brighton's most popular attractions. The park is noted for bird-watching and other nature-oriented activities. Memory Junction Railway Museum, located in a former Grand Trunk station, has a collection of rail equipment and memorabilia.

Communities

Besides the town proper of Brighton, the municipality of Brighton comprises a number of villages and hamlets, including the following communities such as Carman, Codrington, Hilton, Spring Valley, Smithfield (partially); Butler Creek, Cankerville, Cedar Creek, Gosport, Orland, Presqui'le Point, Wade Corners.

History

The village of Brighton was incorporated on January 1, 1859. On December 1, 1980, it became a town.[5]

The original Simpson house, at 61 Simpson Street, was built in 1850.[6]

The artificial island area of Brighton

Part of the current Municipality of Brighton is on a separate artificial island. This is a consequence of the borders chosen when the Township of Brighton was created in 1851, and the excavation of the Murray Canal across the historic Isthmus of Murray. The Murray Canal opened in 1889.

Demographics

Brighton population history

Year	Pop.	±%
1996	9,022	—
2001	9,449	+4.7%
2006	10,253	+8.5%
2011	10,928	+6.6%
2016	11,844	+8.4%
[7][2]

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Brighton had a population of 12,108 living in 5,014 of its 5,392 total private dwellings, a change of 2.2% from its 2016 population of 11,844. With a land area of 223.24 km^2 (86.19 sq mi), it had a population density of 54.2/km^2 (140.5/sq mi) in 2021.[8]

Canada census – Brighton community profile

	2021	2016	2011
Population	12,108 (+2.2% from 2016)	11,844 (+8.4% from 2011)	10,928 (+6.6% from 2006)
Land area	223.24 km^2 (86.19 sq mi)	222.71 km^2 (85.99 sq mi)	222.76 km^2 (86.01 sq mi)
Population density	54.2/km^2 (140/sq mi)	53.2/km^2 (138/sq mi)	49.1/km^2 (127/sq mi)
Median age	56.0 (M: 53.6, F: 58.0)	52.8 (M: 51.2, F: 54.3)
Private dwellings	5,392 (total)  5,014 (occupied)	5,099 (total)	4,825 (total)
Median household income	$81,000	$68,683

References: 2021[9] 2016[10] 2011[11]

Notable residents

• Eddie Hayward, racehorse trainer who won the Kentucky Derby
• Mark Kellogg, Associated Press correspondent killed at the Battle of the Little Bighorn
• Gail Vaz-Oxlade, financial writer and television personality. Host of the Slice series Til Debt Do Us Part and Princess.

Media

• Brighton Independent (Metroland Media Group)[12]
• Oldies 100.9 (My Broadcasting)
• Edville Gazette (Independently Published)[13]

See also

• List of townships in Ontario

References

1. "Brighton". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 2013-04-21.
2. "Census Profile, 2016 Census: Brighton, Municipality". Statistics Canada. 8 February 2017. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
3. "Census Profile, 2021 Census: Brighton, Municipality". Statistics Canada. 8 February 2023. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
4. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2022-02-09). "Profile table, Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population - Brighton, Municipality (MU) [Census subdivision], Ontario". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
5. Broughton, John William David (1981). "They desired a better country". pp. 5, 8. Archived from the original on 2014-05-27.
6. "Heritage Homes". Brighton Digital Archives. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
7. Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006 Census
8. "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Ontario". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
9. "2021 Community Profiles". 2021 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. February 4, 2022. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
10. "2016 Community Profiles". 2016 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. August 12, 2021. Retrieved 2019-06-25.
11. "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. March 21, 2019. Retrieved 2012-03-12.
12. "Breaking News Stories | Northumberland News". 18 August 2023.
13. "Edville Gazette". Edville Gazette.

External links

• Official website