East Gwillimbury, Ontario
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Town of East Gwillimbury | |||
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| Motto: Thinking Green! | |||
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| Country |  Canada |
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| Province |  Ontario |
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| Regional Municipality | York | ||
| Government | |||
| - Type | Municipality | ||
| - Mayor | James Young | ||
| - Councillor | Marlene Johnston Cathy Morton Virginia Hackson Jack Hauseman |
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| Area | |||
| - Total | 206.74 km² (79.8 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2006) | |||
| - Total | 21,069 | ||
| - Density | 86/km² (222.7/sq mi) | ||
| - Population Growth (2001-2006) | +2.5% | ||
| From StatsCan | |||
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) | ||
| Area code(s) | 905 | ||
| Website: Town of East Gwillimbury's Official Site | |||
East Gwillimbury, is a town on the East Holland River in the Regional Municipality of York. It is considered to be in the Greater Toronto Area of south-central Ontario, in Canada. It was formed by the amalgamation of the Township of East Gwillimbury with all the previously incorporated villages and hamlets within the township. The main centres in East Gwillimbury are the villages of Holland Landing, Queensville, Sharon, and Mount Albert. The town hall and municipal offices are located in Sharon. The northernmost interchange of Highway 404 is at the south edge of East Gwillimbury.
East Gwillimbury takes its name from the family of Elizabeth Simcoe, nee Gwillim.
According to the 2006 Statistics Canada Census[1]:
- Population: 21,069
- % Change (2001-2006): 2.5
- Dwellings: 6,887
- Area (km².): 245.06
- Density (persons per km².): 86
- Latitude: 44.1013
- Longitude: -79.4419
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[edit] Government
The Municipal Council comprises the Mayor and four Councillors elected at large, with the Mayor also representing the Town at the regional level of government. The current and recent mayors are:[1]
| Mayor | Overall Term |
|---|---|
| James Young | 2000 to present |
| Jim Mortson | 1991 to 2000 |
| Robert Featherstonhaugh | 1985 to 1991 |
| Angus Morton | 1977 to 1985 |
| Gladys Rolling | 1970 to 1976 |
East Gwillimbury's Councillors are Virginia Hackson, Jack Hauseman, Marlene Johnston and Cathy Morton. All were re-elected to a four year term in the 2006 municipal vote.
The Federal Member of Parliament is Peter Van Loan, a member of the Conservative Party of Canada, representing the riding of York-Simcoe.
The Member of Provincial Parliament is Julia Munro, a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, representing the riding of York North.
[edit] Emergency services
The town operates three fire and emergency services locations, in Holland Landing, Mount Albert and Queensville. They are each staffed by a District Fire Chief and volunteer firefighters.[2]
Police services are provided by the York Regional Police.
[edit] Education
Schools in East Gwillimbury are governed by the York Region District School Board and the York Catholic District School Board. There are several elementary schools in the town but no secondary schools or post-secondary school campuses.
[edit] Transportation
Local public transportation is provided by York Region Transit, who operate bus services to Sharon, Holland Landing and Mount Albert. GO Transit also offers commuter train services to Toronto through its East Gwillimbury Station.
[edit] Planning
In March, 2006 the town council passed a policy during the Committee of the Whole Council Meeting which requires all residential developments of at least ten units to comply with Energy Star qualifications.[3] The town's mayor described potential benfits of the program: "Energy efficient housing is the best way to ensure that East Gwillimbury's residents are insulated against rising energy costs and won't have to make costly energy efficiency upgrade retrofits in the future."[3] The program was developed in conjunction with the development community, and stipulates "that homes in new subdivisions must — emphasis here on must — have some of the most efficient hot water, heating and air conditioning systems, be upgraded with top-rated insulation, and have draft-proof windows."[4]
The town could not impose the requirements on single homes, because according to Peter Love, a provincial energy conservation officer, "that's clearly under (the jurisdiction of) the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. So what they did is regulate any subdivision over 10 units."[4]
East Gwillimbury is the first jurisdiction in Canada to require Energy Star certification for residential units.
[edit] Famous residents
- John Candy, actor and comedian
[edit] Events & Attractions
- Sharon Temple, museum and historic site
- Words Alive Literary Festival, a celebration of regional writers, poets, and artists
[edit] References
- ^ Community highlights for East Gwillimbury. Statistics Canada (2007-03-13). Retrieved on 2007-03-13.
- ^ http://www.eastgwillimbury.ca/municipl/services.htm
- ^ a b East Gwillimbury – First in Canada to Adopt ENERGY STAR Standards for New Housing (PDF). Town of East Gwillimbury (2006-05-15). Retrieved on 2006-06-19.
- ^ a b Hamilton, Tyler (2006-06-19). Town raises bar on efficiency. Toronto Star. Retrieved on 2006-06-19.
[edit] External links
- East Gwillimbury, Ontario is at coordinates Coordinates:
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Georgina |
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| Bradford West Gwillimbury |  |
Uxbridge | |||||
 East Gwillimbury  |
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| Newmarket, Whitchurch-Stouffville |
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