Scugog Explained

Scugog
Official Name:Township of Scugog
Settlement Type:Township (lower-tier)
Pushpin Map:CAN ON Durham#Canada Southern Ontario
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:Province
Subdivision Type2:Regional Municipality
Subdivision Name2:Durham
Established Title:Established
Established Date:January 1, 1974
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Wilma Wotten [1]
Leader Title1:Regional Councillor
Leader Name1:Ian McDougall[2]
Leader Title2:Councillors
Leader Title3:MP
Leader Name3:Erin O'TooleDurham
Area Land Km2:474.65
Population Footnotes:[3]
Population Total:21,617
Population As Of:2016
Population Density Km2:45.4
Timezone:EST
Utc Offset:-5
Timezone Dst:EDT
Utc Offset Dst:-4
Postal Code Type:Postal Code FSA
Area Code:905, 289, 365, and 742
Leader Title4:MPP
Leader Name4:Todd McCarthyDurham

Scugog is a township in the Regional Municipality of Durham, south-central Ontario, Canada. It is northeast of Toronto and just north of Oshawa. The anchor and largest population base of the township is Port Perry. The township has a population of roughly 22,500. A smaller Scugog Township was also a historic municipality and geographic township prior to the amalgamation that formed the current municipality.

History

The original township of Scugog used to be divided between Reach and Cartwright townships in Ontario County and Northumberland and Durham County, respectively. When Lake Scugog was created by a dam in Lindsay in 1834, flooding created an island known as Scugog Island. The island was separated from Reach and Cartwright to form Scugog Township in 1856. In 1872 George Currie built a grain elevator which is currently Canada's oldest grain elevator. The new township was part of Ontario County.

According to Alan Rayburn's Place Names of Ontario, the name Scugog is derived from the Mississauga word sigaog, which means "waves leap over a canoe." This refers to the creation of Lake Scugog. Other sources indicate that it is an Ojibwe word meaning swampy or marshy land. The existence of two other lakes by the same name[4] (neither of which is artificial) lends support to the latter etymology.

The creation of the Regional Municipality of Durham in 1974 resulted in municipal restructuring of the various townships in Ontario County. The current township of Scugog was created through the amalgamation of the original townships of Scugog, Reach and Cartwright and the town of Port Perry.

Local government

The Township of Scugog is governed by a mayor, a regional councillor and five councillors elected on the basis of one per ward. Ward 1 includes Greenbank, Seagrave, Epsom, Utica and Manchester. Ward 2 is Port Perry (South of 7A) and Prince Albert. Ward 3 is Scugog Island. Ward 4 is Blackstock, Nestleton Station, Nestleton and Caesarea. Ward 5 is Port Perry (north of 7A). The council holds regular meetings, open to the public at the town hall in Port Perry.

The regional councillor joins the mayor to attend meetings at the Durham Regional Council.[5] The members of council elected in 2018 are:[6]

Mayor: Wilma Wotten
Regional Councillor: Ian McDougall

Councillors:

Current municipality

Port Perry is the chief commercial and administrative centre of the municipality. The township also includes the communities of:

Mississaugas of Scugog First Nations

Reserves # 34 consists of two tracts, east of Mississauga's Trail between Hood Drive and Pogue Road as wellas west of Mississauga's Trail from Pogue Road to Seven Mile Island Road/Chandler Drive.

Great Blue Heron Casino is located on the reserve. A Health and Resource Centre and Reserves Administration Office are located on Island Road.

Schools

Public Schools:

High Schools:

Catholic Schools:

Economy

The largest private-sector employer in the area is the Great Blue Heron Casino, located on the Scugog First Nation on Scugog Island. Schneider Meats also has a facility in the Township. The Township is also a popular tourist destination due to the casino and recreational opportunities from Lake Scugog. Many residents also commute to other Durham Region communities and further afield by road.

Attractions

Transportation

Roads and highways

Main roads in Scugog are:

Airports

There are two airports in Scugog, both are public airfields used by small propeller aircraft:

Lakeridge Health Port Perry site has a helipad for air ambulance use only.

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Scugog had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of 474.38km2, it had a population density of in 2021.[7]

Racial makeup
Canada 2006 CensusPopulation % of total population
Visible minority group
Source:[8]
75 0.4
70 0.3
70 0.3
25 0.1
15 0.1
Southeast Asian 0 0
0 0
15 0.1
35 0.2
45 0.2
Mixed visible minority 10 0
Other visible minority 35 0.2
Total visible minority population395 1.9
Aboriginal group
Source:[9]
110 0.5
60 0.3
0 0
Total Aboriginal population 180 0.9
20,580 97.3
Total population 21,155 100

In film

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mayor and Council . Township of Scugog . December 13, 2018.
  2. Web site: Mayor and Council . Township of Scugog . December 13, 2018.
  3. Statistics Canada 2011 Census – Scugog community profile
  4. Web site: Geographical names in Canada: Search Results for Scugog. www.nrcan.gc.ca. June 28, 2019.
  5. Web site: Council Members. www.durham.ca. December 13, 2018.
  6. Web site: Mayor and Council . Township of Scugog . December 31, 2023.
  7. Web site: Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Ontario . . February 9, 2022 . April 2, 2022.
  8. Web site: Community Profiles from the 2006 Census. March 13, 2007. Statistics Canada – Census Subdivision.
  9. Web site: Aboriginal Peoples – Data table. Statistics Canada.
  10. Web site: The Thanksgiving Treasure (1973 TV Movie) Filming & Production . . November 24, 2018.