Brighton, Ontario

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
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
• Fed. riding	Northumberland—Clarke
• Prov. riding	Northumberland—Peterborough South
Area [2]
• Land	223.24 km2 (86.19 sq mi)
• Urban [3]	7.02 km2 (2.71 sq mi)
Population  (2021)[2]
• Total	12,108
• Density	54.2/km2 (140/sq mi)
• Urban [3]	5,847
• Urban density	833.2/km2 (2,158/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
Postal Code	K0K 1H0
Area code	613
Website	www.brighton.ca

It is home to over 12,108 inhabitants,^[2] with a higher than average percentage of those retired.

Presqu'ile Provincial Park, just south of the town centre, is one of Brighton's most popular attractions. The park is notable 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. In late September, Brighton is host to Applefest, its largest yearly festival.

Geography

Communities

Besides the town proper of Brighton, the municipality of Brighton comprises a number of villages and hamlets, including the following communities:

• Carman
• Codrington
• Hilton
• Spring Valley
• Smithfield (partially)
• Butler Creek
• Cankerville
• Cedar Creek
• Gosport
• Orland
• Presqui'le Point
• Wade Corners

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 Isthmus of Murray. The Murray Canal opened in 1889.

History

Brighton was incorporated as a village on January 1, 1859. On December 1, 1980, it became a town.^[4]

The original Simpson house, at 61 Simpson Street, was built in 1850.^[5] Brighton developed primarily into 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.

On January 1, 2001, the current Municipality of Brighton was formed through an amalgamation of the former Town of Brighton and Brighton Township.^[6]

Demographics

Post office

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 km² (86.19 sq mi), it had a population density of 54.2/km² (140.5/sq mi) in 2021.^[2]

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 km2 (86.19 sq mi)	222.71 km2 (85.99 sq mi)	222.76 km2 (86.01 sq mi)
Population density	54.2/km2 (140/sq mi)	53.2/km2 (138/sq mi)	49.1/km2 (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^[7] 2016^[8] 2011^[9]

Historical census populations – Municipality of Brighton

Year	Pop.	±%
2001	9,449	—
2006	10,253	+8.5%
2011	10,928	+6.6%
2016	11,844	+8.4%
2021	12,108	+2.2%
Source: Statistics Canada[2][10]

Historical census populations – Brighton Town

Year Pop. ±% 1871 1,357 —     1881 1,547 +14.0% 1891 1,479 −4.4% 1901 1,378 −6.8% 1911 1,320 −4.2% 1921 1,411 +6.9%	Year Pop. ±% 1931 1,580 +12.0% 1941 1,651 +4.5% 1951 1,967 +19.1% 1956 2,182 +10.9% 1961 2,403 +10.1% 1966 2,766 +15.1%	Year Pop. ±% 1971 2,956 +6.9% 1976 3,199 +8.2% 1981 3,147 −1.6% 1986 3,595 +14.2% 1991 4,366 +21.4% 1996 4,584 +5.0%
Source: Statistics Canada[11][12]

Historical census populations – Brighton Township

Year Pop. ±% 1871 3,734 —     1881 3,470 −7.1% 1891 3,017 −13.1% 1901 2,774 −8.1% 1911 2,439 −12.1% 1921 2,247 −7.9%	Year Pop. ±% 1931 2,244 −0.1% 1941 1,961 −12.6% 1951 2,051 +4.6% 1956 2,352 +14.7% 1961 2,451 +4.2% 1966 2,456 +0.2%	Year Pop. ±% 1971 2,935 +19.5% 1976 3,133 +6.7% 1981 3,230 +3.1% 1986 3,556 +10.1% 1991 4,115 +15.7% 1996 4,438 +7.8%
Source: Statistics Canada[11][12]

Media

• Brighton Independent (Metroland Media Group)^[13]
• Oldies 100.9 (My Broadcasting)
• Edville Gazette (Independently Published)^[14]

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.

See also

• List of townships in Ontario