Perth County, Ontario

The county comprises four lower-tier municipalities:{{cite web |url=https://perthcounty.ca/fileBin/pdf/County-Fact-Profile.pdf |title=Cultivating Opportunity - Community Profile 2014 |author= |date=2014 |website=County of Perth |publisher=The Corporation of the County of Perth |access-date=7 March 2017}}

• Municipality of North Perth, 2016 population 13,130
• Township of Perth East, 2016 population 12,261
• Municipality of West Perth, 2016 population 8,865
• Township of Perth South, 2016 population 3,810

File:Ont Huron Perth All.PNG

Perth County was settled primarily through the efforts of the Canada Company agency which opened a road from the site of Stratford to Goderich. The settlers were almost equal in number as to their origins: English, Irish, Scottish and German. They began arriving in the 1820s but the majority arrived in the 1830s and the 1840s. Most became farmers, and even today, the county is known for mixed farming, dairying and hog production.

This area originally formed part of the Huron District, which was constituted as the United Counties of Huron, Perth and Bruce in 1850.{{Cite canlaw|short title =An Act to divide the District of Huron, in the Province of Canada, and for other purposes therein mentioned|abbr =S.Prov.C.|year =1849|chapter = 96|link= https://books.google.ca/books?id=ulQ1AQAAMAAJ&lpg=RA1-PA55&ots=lChHrd_pK9&pg=PA625#v=onepage&f=false}} The County of Perth was given its own Provisional Municipal Council at that time,1849 Act, s. 3 and was separated from the United Counties in 1853.{{Cite canlaw|short title =An Act to authorize to Governor General to issue a Proclamation to declare the County of Perth to be separated from the United Counties of Huron, Perth and Bruce, and for other purposes therein mentioned|abbr =S.Prov.C.|year =1852|chapter = 31|link= https://books.google.ca/books?id=-AMQAAAAYAAJ&lpg=PA47&ots=UD9pEBR4HQ&pg=PA94#v=onepage&f=false}}

It had 11 original townships.Jesse Edgar Middleton & Fred Landon, Province of Ontario—A History 1615 to 1927, 1927, Dominion Publishing Company, Toronto Eight of the townships were laid out as part of the Huron Tract, and three more were surveyed from that part of the crown land known as the Queen's Bush:{{cite web |url=https://www.perthcounty.ca/en/discover/history.aspx |title=History |publisher=County of Perth |access-date=2011-01-31}}

The City of Stratford was formed from parts of Downie, Ellice and Easthope Townships. In 1831 William Sergeant was given a lot by the Canada Company on the condition that he open an inn. In 1832 he erected the first frame building in the region by the Avon River and called it the "Shakespeare Hotel." First purchaser of land was John Sharman (1834), a blacksmith from Bedfordshire, England. His son, Henry, was the first child born within the limits of the city.

Over time, four additional towns were incorporated as urban municipalities: St. Marys, Mitchell, Listowel and Milverton. On January 1, 1998, the county was restructured by reducing fourteen municipalities to four. The City of Stratford and the Town of St. Marys retained their status as separated municipalities.

As a census division in the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Perth County had a population of {{val|81565|fmt=commas}} living in {{val|32772|fmt=commas}} of its {{val|34062|fmt=commas}} total private dwellings, a change of {{percentage|{{#expr:81565-76812}}|76812|1}} from its 2016 population of {{val|76812|fmt=commas}}. With a land area of {{convert|2218.24|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|81565|2218.24|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2021.

{{Canada census

|location = Perth County (census division)

|2021_population=81,565 | 2021_pop_delta=+6.2 | 2021_land_area=2,218.24 | 2021_pop_density=36.8

|2021_median_age=42.4 | 2021_median_age_m=40.8 | 2021_median_age_f=44

|2021_total_pvt_dwell=34,062 |2021_occ_pvt_dwell=32,772 |2021_mean_hh_income=84,000 |2021_geocode=2021A00033531 | 2021_access_date=2022-04-27

|2016_population=76,796 | 2016_pop_delta=2.2 | 2016_land_area=2,218.52 | 2016_pop_density=34.6

|2016_median_age= 42.4| 2016_median_age_m= 41.0| 2016_median_age_f=43.8

|2016_total_pvt_dwell=31,747 |2016_occ_pvt_dwell=30,713 | 2016_mean_hh_income=70,336 | 2016_access_date=2018-01-11

|2011_population=75,112 | 2011_pop_delta=1.0 | 2011_land_area=2,218.46 | 2011_pop_density=33.9

|2011_median_age= 41.2| 2011_median_age_m= 39.7| 2011_median_age_f=42.6

|2011_total_pvt_dwell=30,631 | 2011_mean_hh_income= | 2011_access_date=2012-03-26

|2006_population=74,344 | 2006_pop_delta=0.9 | 2006_land_area=2,218.41 | 2006_pop_density=33.5

|2006_median_age=39.3 | 2006_median_age_m=37.8 | 2006_median_age_f=40.7

|2006_total_pvt_dwell=29,707 | 2006_mean_hh_income= 57,225| 2006_access_date=2012-03-26

|2001_population=73,675 | 2001_pop_delta=2.2 | 2001_land_area=2,218.41 | 2001_pop_density=33.2

|2001_median_age=37.2 | 2001_median_age_m=35.9 | 2001_median_age_f=38.3

|2001_total_pvt_dwell=28,379 | 2001_mean_hh_income= 51,505| 2001_access_date=2012-03-26

|notes = Includes Stratford and St. Marys.

}}

{{Historical populations

|title = {{Nowrap|Historical census populations –}} Perth County, Ontario

|align = none

|cols = 3

|percentages =

|footnote = Includes Stratford and St. Marys. Population counts are not adjusted for boundary changes.

|source = Statistics Canada{{cite journal |title=1971 Census of Canada - Population Census Subdivisions (Historical) |journal=Catalogue 92-702 Vol I, part 1 (Bulletin 1.1-2) |date=July 1973 |pages=76, 139 |publisher=Statistics Canada}}

| 1921 |50245

| 1931 |50763

| 1941 |49058

| 1951 |51962

| 1956 |54388

| 1961 |56782

| 1966 |60424

| 1971 |62973

| 1976 |66,279

| 1981 |66,096

| 1986 |66,597

| 1991 |69,976

| 1996 |72,106

| 2001 |73,675

| 2006 |74,344

| 2011 |75,112

| 2016 |76,796

| 2021 |81,565

}}

Perth County Council is made up of representatives from the four Lower-Tier member municipalities within the county's boundaries (Municipality of North Perth, Township of Perth South, Township of Perth East, Municipality of West Perth), not including Stratford or St. Marys which had 48.8% of the population in 2011.{{cite web |url=https://www.perthcounty.ca/fileBin/library/planning/pdfs/2016-cop-officialplan.pdf|title=Consolidated Official Plan |author= |date=February 2016 |website=County of Perth |publisher=The Corporation of the County of Perth |access-date=7 March 2017}} The head of County Council, known as the Warden, is elected annually from amongst the County council members, in December, by a vote at council.

• Warden Doug Kellum (Deputy Mayor, Municipality of North Perth)
• Deputy Warden Dean Trentowsky (Deputy Mayor, Municipality of West Perth)
• Councillor Todd Kasenberg (Mayor, Municipality of North Perth)
• Councillor Matt Duncan (Councillor, Municipality of North Perth)
• Councillor Rhonda Ehgoetz (Mayor, Township of Perth East)
• Councillor Hugh McDermid (Deputy Mayor, Township of Perth East)
• Councillor Jerry Smith (Councillor, Township of Perth East)
• Councillor Sue Orr (Mayor, Township of Perth South)
• Councillor Robert Wilhelm (Councillor, Township of Perth South)
• Councillor Walter McKenzie (Mayor, Municipality of West Perth)

The City of Stratford and Town of St. Marys do not have a seat on Perth County Council. The County, City and Town share a number of services (Paramedic Services, Stratford-Perth Archives, Social Services, Spruce Lodge Home for the Aged, etc.). The three municipalities form the Municipal Shared Services Committee (MSSC) for the purpose of deliberating on the shared services.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-05 |title=County Council |url=https://www.perthcounty.ca/en/county-government/county-council.aspx |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=www.perthcounty.ca |language=en}}

{{Main|Perth—Wellington (federal electoral district)}}

Perth—Wellington is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada since 2004. 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, 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.{{Cite web|title = Perth–Wellington {{!}} Maps Corner {{!}} Elections Canada Online|url = http://elections.ca/res/cir/maps2/mapprov.asp?map=35083&lang=e|website = elections.ca|access-date = 2015-08-17}}

{{CanMP}}

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{{Main|Perth—Wellington_(provincial_electoral_district)}}

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.{{Cite web|title = Perth-Wellington|url = http://www.elections.on.ca/en-CA/Tools/ElectoralDistricts/EDMaps/PerthWellington.htm|website = Elections.on.ca|access-date = 2015-08-17|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150410185403/http://www.elections.on.ca/en-CA/Tools/ElectoralDistricts/EDMaps/PerthWellington.htm|archive-date = 2015-04-10|url-status = dead}} Randy Pettapiece was elected MPP for the riding on October 6, 2011, and has been re-elected twice.{{Cite web|title = Legislative Assembly of Ontario {{!}} Members (MPPs) {{!}} Current MPPs {{!}} Randy Pettapiece, MPP (Perth—Wellington)|url = http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/members/members_detail.do?locale=en&ID=7187|website = www.ontla.on.ca|access-date = 2015-08-17}}

{{OntMPP|Perth—Wellington}}

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Perth County is an agricultural area; farm cash receipts for main commodities totaled $739 million in 2012. The county is home to 2,252 census farms and 506,291 acres of farmland, employing over 3,000 people (2012) in crop and animal production. Dairy farming is the primary category, with receipts of $210 million (2012) while pork production is second at $161 million. Food processing industries are also represented, with 20 such companies (2012).

Manufacturing, primarily in Stratford and Listowel, Ontario is also significant. Categories include auto parts, metal fabrication, plastic injection moulding, robotics, and building and construction as well as plastics and textile manufacturing. Stratford has been attracting an increasing number of high-tech companies.{{cite web |url=http://canada.autonews.com/article/20161118/CANADA/161119831/autonomous-technology-put-to-the-test-in-stratford-ont. |title=Autonomous technology put to the test in Stratford, Ont. |last=Layson |first=Greg |date=18 November 2016 |website=Auto News |quote=Professors arrived in early November and will test drive the vehicles until Dec. 19 in the Stratford Festival’s Queen Street parking lot}}

The largest employers in Perth County include

Maple Leaf Foods, Listowel Technology Inc., Spinrite Inc., Cooper Standard Automotive, Erie Meat Products Ltd., Parmalat, Armtech-Durisol, Ideal Supply Company Ltd., Taylor Construction and FGC Construction.{{cite web |url=https://www.perthcounty.ca/fileBin/library/ecDev/County-Fact-Profile.pdf |title=Investor Community Profile |publisher=Perth County |archive-date=March 8, 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170308224057/https://www.perthcounty.ca/fileBin/library/ecDev/County-Fact-Profile.pdf }}

Particularly in Stratford, tourism is a major part of the economy because of the Stratford Festival which runs from May to October each year. The full County has increased its efforts to boost tourism in the areas outside Stratford; it hired a full-time Tourism Coordinator in January 2017.{{cite web |url=https://www.perthcounty.ca/fileBin/library/ecDev/PCED_Newsletter_Winter2017.pdf |title=Perth County Newsletter |date=January 2017 |website=Perth County |access-date=March 6, 2017}}

The area is serviced by the Stratford Municipal Airport which can handle air traffic ranging from Dash 8s to helicopters. It services over 12,000 yearly flights: freight, corporate and recreational. Larger airports are located in London, Ontario, Hamilton, Ontario and outside Toronto, Ontario. Passenger rail service is offered by VIA Rail with trains from Stratford to London, Toronto and Ottawa daily. Three carriers provide daily freight rail service.

Perth County has three hospitals, in Stratford, Listowel and St. Marys, with 24-hour emergency services. Large regional health care centres are located in London, Ontario and Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario.

Listowel Hospital offers comprehensive care including a breast health centre and a Family Primary Care Centre. Stratford General Hospital offers many services, including MRI.

Perth County Paramedic Services has seven staffed ambulances; stations are located in Stratford, St. Marys, Listowel, Mitchell and Milverton. The Headquarters are in Stratford.{{cite web |url=https://www.perthcounty.ca/ems |title=EMS |author= |date=2017 |website=County of Perth |publisher=The Corporation of the County of Perth |access-date=7 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170225163652/https://www.perthcounty.ca/ems |archive-date=25 February 2017 |url-status=dead }}

The City of Stratford has its own Police Department. The Stratford Police Service also provides service to St. Marys with a police cruiser on patrol 24/7 and an additional officer stationed at Town Hall during business hours.{{Cite web|date=2020-09-08|title=Police|url=https://www.townofstmarys.com/en/living-here/Police.aspx|access-date=2020-11-12|website=www.townofstmarys.com|language=en}} Other areas of the county receive services from the Ontario Provincial Police, Perth County Detachment in Sebringville with satellite offices in Listowel, Mitchell and St. Marys

{{Further|List of secondary schools in Ontario#Perth County}}

Perth County is served by the Avon Maitland District School Board and the Huron Perth Catholic District School Board. Private schools are also present: Listowel Christian School, Nancy Campbell Academy, Sunshine Montessori School, Stratford & District Christian School and Stratford Middle Years School.

Post-Secondary facilities include the Stratford Campuses of Conestoga College and the University of Waterloo as well as Stratford Chef's School.

• The Beacon Herald
• Independent Plus
• Listowel Banner
• Mitchell Advocate

• CJCS-FM
• CHGK-FM
• CHLP-FM

• List of county courthouses in Ontario
• List of municipalities in Ontario
• List of townships in Ontario

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book |last=Johnston |first=William |date=1903 |title=History of the County of Perth: From 1825 to 1902 |location=Stratford |publisher=W. M. O'Beirne |url=https://archive.org/details/historyperth00johnuoft/}}

{{Commons category}}

• {{official website|https://www.perthcounty.ca}}

{{Geographic location

| Centre = Perth County

| North = Huron County

| East = Wellington County
Waterloo Regional Municipality

| South = Oxford County

| Southwest = Middlesex County

| West = Huron County

}}

{{Communities in Perth County}}

{{Subdivisions of Ontario}}

Category:Counties in Ontario

Category:Southwestern Ontario