This is something that I've been working on for the better half of the last decade, revising and editing the plan constantly to address and meet the realities of local politics and the geographical attachments of community. I've actually dedicated a lot of time to this, pouring over maps, visiting the different places and locales of the area to get a better idea of how things are actually represented on the ground. This may ruffle a few feathers, it may cause some disgruntlement, as amalgamation in some lights is viewed as a negative. Some view amalgamation as a loss of community, as a loss of a unique identity, and the potential demotion of certain areas in newer municipalities, as the stronger areas may benefit more so than the smaller areas. However, all of the proposed amalgamations that I have made are not unheard of, and they are not outside of the sphere of original conceptualisation. I view these amalgamations as the necessary steps to bring Almaguin, Nipissing, and Parry Sound out of the dark ages and into the modern atmosphere of forward progression and expansion, as well as the delivery of necessary and desired services to deserving communities. The amalgamation of municipalities will lessen the burden placed on smaller towns and townships by combining their tax base and pooling their resources to offer broader services with a greater reach. The document is extensive, refers to all areas and places by their legal names, a good map of the area may be needed to accompany the reader. Disclaimer: The following is the intellectual property of Adam Nathan Lingenfelter, UE, BA.
The Creation of the Counties of Almaguin, Nipissing and Parry Sound
The Present Situation
The Territorial District of Parry Sound is regarded as too large to become a county, and as a county has to be of a manageable size, it is being suggested that the Territorial District of Parry Sound be partitioned into two new counties: The County of Parry Sound (PS) and the County of Almaguin (AL). Along with the southern portion of the Territorial District of Nipissing, the creation or change of these territorial districts into counties would pave the way for their incorporation into Southern Ontario.
The County Line between the County of Almaguin and the County of Parry Sound
The dividing line between the County of Almaguin and the County of Parry Sound will be as such: the area of the Township of McMurrich/Monteith (AL) that was annexed to the Township of Seguin (PS) will be re-annexed to Municipality of McMurrich/Monteith (AL). Following that boundary (the original boundary between the former townships of Christie (PS), now part of the Municipality of Seguin(PS) and Monteith (AL), now part of the Municipality of McMurrich/Moneith (AL)) it will continue to follow the boundary between the Township of McKellar (PS) and the former township of Spence (AL), now part of the Municipality of Magnetawan (AL). The dividing line will then follow the boundary between the portion of the former township of Croft(AL), now part of the Municipality of Whitestone (PS) and the former township of Spence (AL), now part of the Municipality of Magnetawan (AL), until reaching the property line between Lot 30 and Lot 31 of the former township of Croft (AL/PS), where the dividing line will then follow that property line until reaching the boundary between the former townships of Croft (AL/PS) and Ferrie (AL/PS). The dividing line will then follow this former boundary until reaching the property line between Lot 30 and 31 of the former township of Ferrie (AL/PS) where it will then follow that property line until the boundary between the former township of Ferrie (AL/PS) and the former township of East Mills (AL), now part of the Municipality of Argyle (AL). It will follow this boundary and from here it will transition into the boundary between the former township of McKenzie (PS), now part of the Municipality of Whitestone (PS) and the former township of Wilson (AL), now part of the Municipality of Argyle (AL). From here the boundary line will transition into the boundary between the former township of Brown (PS), now part of the Municipality of Lost Channel (PS), and the former township of Wilson (AL), now part of the Municipality of Argyle (AL). From here the boundary line will transition into the boundary between the former township of Blair (PS), now part of the Municipality of Lost Channel (PS), and the former township of McConkey (AL), now part of the Municipality of Argyle (AL). The dividing line will terminate at the junction with the boundary between Northern and Southern Ontario, the southern boundary of the District of Sudbury, on the French River.
The Boundary between the County of Nipissing and Northern Ontario
The Territorial District of Nipissing straddles the boundary between Northern and Southern Ontario, that being the Mattawa River. Perhaps this is why the areas that lie South of the French River, Lake Nipissing and the Mattawa River are still considered Northern Ontario by some. The new boundary for the County of Nipissing is as follows.
The boundary will start at the present boundary between the former Territorial District of Parry Sound and the former Territorial District of Nipissing in Lake Nipissing (which will become the boundary between the County of Almaguin and the Country of Nipissing), it will then go around to include the Manitou Islands, then following the city limits of the City of North Bay to include it in the County of Nipissing, then it will follow the geographic centre of the Mattawa River and around the town limits of the Town of Mattawa to include it in the County of Nipissing and then to the present Ontario-Quebec border on the Ottawa River. All areas north of this boundary will either be divided between the Territorial District of Sudbury and the Territorial District of Timiskaming, or remain as the independent Territorial District of North Nipissing.
The Partitioning of the Territorial District of Nipissing
A. to the Country of Almaguin:
1. The Unorganised Geographic Township of Paxton lying outside of Algonquin Provincial Park will be annexed to the Municipality of Sundridge.
2. The Unorganised Geographic Township of Ballantyne lying outside of Algonquin Provincial Park will be annexed to the Municipality of South River.
B. to the Country of Haliburton:
1. The Unorganised Geographic Townships of: Canisbay, Finlayson (eastern portion), Peck, and Sproule will be annexed by the Township of Algonquin Highlands. These four unorganised townships form the southern portion of Algonquin Provincial Park, which is serviced by the Hwy. 60 Corridor. (Note: the western portion of the Unorganised Geographic Township of Finlayson that lies outside of Algonquin Provincial Park was previously annexed to the Municipality of Lake of Bays, the District Municipality of Muskoka).
C. to the Country of Renfrew:
1. The Township of South Algonquin.
2. The Unorganised Geographic Townships of: Airy, Barron, Bronson, Clancy, Edgar, Fitzgerald, Guthrie, Master, Niven, Preston, Stratton, and White. These twelve unorganised geographic townships form the eastern portion of Algonquin Provincial Park.
Administrative Establishment
All of the administrative institutions of the District of Parry Sound will be carried over to become the administrative institutions of the County of Parry Sound, with exception to any that are in the jurisdictional area of the County of Almaguin, such as the Almaguin Roads Board, the Provincial Court House in Burk’s Falls and the Family Health Team in Powassan.
The county seat of the County of Parry Sound will remain in Parry Sound, where as a county seat will be established in Sundridge for the County of Almaguin.
All of the administrative institutions of the Territorial District of Nipissing will be carried over to become the administrative institutions of the County of Nipissing. The County Seat of Nipissing will remain in North Bay.
Creation of New Municipalities
A goal of the creation of the new counties will be to eliminate any unorganised geographic townships by amalgamating them with organised municipalities, and to amalgamate townships and municipalities that in practice share the same services (i.e., community centres, volunteer fire departments, etc.).
County
of Almaguin
1. The Unorganised Geographic Township of East Mills, the Unorganised Geographic
Township of Hardy south of the
Restoule River, the Unorganised Geographic Township of Wilson, and the Unorganised Geographic Township of McConkey will be amalgamated to become
the Municipality of Argyle.
2. The Township of Armour, the Township of Ryerson
and the Village of Burk’s Falls will
be amalgamated to become the Municipality
of Burk’s Falls.
3. The Municipality of Callander will remain the Municipality
of Callander.
4. The Town of Kearney will remain the Town
of Kearney.
5. The Unorganised Geographic Township of Laurier and the Unorganised Township of Ballantyne lying outside of Algonquin
Provincial Park, will be amalgamated to become the Township of Laurier-Ballantyne.
6. The Municipality of Magnetawan will remain the Municipality
of Magnetawan.
7. The Township of McMurrich/Monteith will remain the Township of McMurrich/Monteith.
8. The Township of Nipissing will remain the Township
of Nipissing.
9. The Township of Perry will remain the Township
of Perry.
10. The Municipality of Powassan will remain the Municipality of Powassan.
11. The Unorganised Geographic Township of Patterson, the Unorganised Geographic
Township of Pringle, and the part of
the Unorganised Geographic Township of Hardy
north of the Restoule River will be amalgamated to become the Municipality of Restoule.
12. The Township of Machar, the Unorganised Geographic Township of Lount, and the Village of South
River will be amalgamated to become the Municipality of South River.
13. The Township of Joly, the Township of Strong,
the Unorganised Geographic Township of Paxton
lying outside of Algonquin Provincial Park, and the Village of Sundridge will be amalgamated to become
the Municipality of Sundridge.
Municipalities
of the County of Almaguin
1. Municipality of Argyle (Ontario) (Twp): East Mills, Hardy (South Portion), McConkey,
Wilson
2. Municipality of Burk’s Falls (Mun): Burk’s Falls, Armour, Ryerson
3. Municipality of Callander (Mun): North Himsworth
4. Town of Kearney (Twp): Bethune, Butt, Kearney, McCraney, Proudfoot
5. Township of Laurier-Ballantyne (Twp): Ballantyne, Laurier
6. Municipality of Magnetawan (Twp): Chapman, Croft, Spence
7. Township of McMurrich/Monteith (Twp): McMurrich, Monteith
8. Township of Nipissing (Twp): Gurd, Nipissing
9. Township of Perry (Twp): Perry
10. Municipality of Powassan (Mun): Powassan, South Himsworth, Trout Creek
11. Municipality of Restoule (Twp): Hardy (North Portion), Patterson, Pringle
12. Municipality of South River (Mun): Machar, Lount, South River
13. Municipality of Sundridge (Mun): Joly, Paxton, Strong, Sundridge
County
of Parry Sound
1. The Township of Carling will remain the Township
of Carling.
2. The Unorganised Geographic Township of Henvey, parts of the Unorganised Geographic
Township of Mowat west of the French
River Indian Reserve, Grundy Lake Provincial Park, and Portage Lake, the
western portion of the Unorganised Geographic Township of Wallbridge, and the area of the Municipality of Killarney, Sudbury
District that was annexed from the Unorganised Geographic Township of Henvey and the Unorganised Geographic
Township of Mowat, will be
amalgamated to become the Township of Henvey-Wallbridge.
3. The Unorganised Geographic Township of Blair, the Unorganised Geographic Township
of Brown, the Unorganised Geographic
Township of Mowat except for the
portion west of the French River Indian Reserve, Grundy Lake Provincial Park,
and Portage Lake, and the eastern portion of the Unorganised Geographic
Township of Wallbridge will be
amalgamated to become the Township of Lost
Channel.
4. The Township of McDougall will remain the Township
of McDougall.
5. The Township of McKellar will remain the Township
of McKellar.
6. The Township of the Archipelago will be
divided into two: the Township of the North
Archipelago (the former Unorganised Geographic Township of Harrison and the former Unorganised
Geographic Township of Shawanaga);
and the Township of the South
Archipelago (the former Unorganised Geographic Township of Conger and the former Unorganised
Geographic Township of Cowper).
7. The remaining portions of the Unorganised
Geographic Township of Harrison and
the Unorganised Geographic Township of Shawanaga
will be annexed to the Township of the
North Archipelago.
8. The Township of Seguin will remain the Township
of Seguin.
9. The Town of Parry Sound will remain the Town
of Parry Sound.
10. The Municipality of Whitestone will remain the Municipality of Whitestone.
Municipalities
of the County of Parry Sound
1. Township of Carling (Twp): Carling
2. Township of Henvey-Wallbridge (Twp): Henvey, part of Mowat, Wallbridge (western
portion)
3. Municipality of Lost Channel (Twp): Blair, Brown, Mowat, Wallbridge (eastern
portion)
4. Township of McDougall (Twp): Ferguson, McDougall
5. Township of McKellar (Twp): McKellar
6. Municipality of the North Archipelago (Twp): Harrison, Shawanaga
7. Town of Parry Sound (Town): Parry Sound
8. Township of Seguin (Mun): Christie, Foley, Humphrey
9. Municipality of the South Archipelago (Twp): Conger, Cowper
10. Municipality of Whitestone (Mun): Burton, part of Croft, East Burpee, Ferrie,
Hagerman, McKenzie
Country
of Nipissing
1. The Unorganised Geographic Township of Lauder will be annexed to the Township of Calvin.
2. The Unorganised Geographic Township of Boulter will be annexed to the Township of Bonfield.
3. The north portion of the Unorganised Geographic
Township of Boyd will be annexed to
the Township of Papineau-Cameron.
4. The Manitou Islands and the portion east
of the Duchesney Creek in the Unorganised Geographic Township of Commanda will be annexed to the City of North Bay.
5. The Township of Chisholm will remain the Township
of Chisholm.
6. The Municipality of East Ferris will remain the Municipality
of East Ferris.
7. The Town of Mattawa will remain the Town
of Mattawa.
8. The Unorganised Geographic Townships of Anglin, Ballantyne (eastern portion), Biggar, Bishop, Bower, Boyd (southern
portion), Butt (eastern portion), Deacon, Devine, Dickson, Freswick, Hunter,
Lister, McCrany (eastern portion),
McLaughlin, Osler, Paxton (eastern portion), Pentland, and Wilkes, which
make up the remaining portion of Algonquin Provincial Park that was not annexed
from the former Territorial District of Nipissing to either the County of
Haliburton or the County of Renfrew, will remain unorganised.
Municipalities
of the County of Nipissing
1. Township of Bonfield (Twp): Bonfield, Boulter
2. Township of Calvin (Twp): Calvin, Lauder
3. Township of Chisholm (Twp): Chisholm
4. Municipality of East Ferris (Twp): East Ferris
5. Town of Mattawa (Town): Mattawa
6. City of North Bay (City): Parts of Commanda (Manitou Islands), North Bay,
West Ferris, Widdifield
7. Township of Papineau-Cameron (Twp): Parts of Boyd (North Portion), Cameron,
Papineau
Downloading and Renumbering of area highways
All Secondary Highways in the three new counties will be either upgraded to King’s Highways (11 in total) or downloaded to the lower municipal tier (8 in total).
1. Hwy 510: the 2.8km highway will be downloaded to the Municipality of Magnetawan, County of Almaguin to become a portion of the Nipissing Road.
2. Hwy 518: will become King’s Highway 18
3. Hwy 520: will become King’s Highway 20 (with the downloading of the 1.9 km King’s Highway 20 in the City of Thorold, Regional Municipality of Niagara). The portion in the Municipality of Whitestone, County of Parry Sound, will be extended along the Clear Lake Road west of Ardbeg, to be connected to Wilson Lake Road in the Municipality of the Archipelago, County of Parry Sound, reaching a terminus at the future Hwy 400.
4. Hwy 522: will become King’s Highway 22
5. Hwy 523: the 20.1km highway will be downloaded to the Municipality of South Algonquin, County of Renfrew, and become known as Cross Lake Road.
6. Hwy 524: will become King’s Highway 42
7. Hwy 526: the 3.9km highway will be downloaded to the Municipality of North Georgian, County of Parry Sound, and become known as Riverside Drive.
8. Hwy 529: will become King’s Highway 29
9. Hwy 529A: the 5.2km highway will be downloaded to the Municipality of the Archipelago, County of Parry Sound, and become known as Bayfield Inlet Road.
10. Hwy 530: will become King’s Highway 30
11. Hwy 531: will become King’s Highway 31 and extended along Bluesea Road, Development Road, and South Shore Road (all Township of Bonfield), South Shore Road (Township of Chisholm), South Shore Road, Lake Nosbonsing Road (Township of East Ferris), all County of Nipissing, reaching a terminus at the junction with King’s Highway 11 and King’s Highway 54 (formerly Hwy 654).
12. Hwy 534: will become King’s Highway 43 and continued along the Restoule River where it will end at the junction with Dokis Road in the Dokis Indian Reserve 9 on the French River, while in the County of Almaguin.
13. Hwy 559: will become King’s Highway 59
14. Hwy 592: will become King’s Highway 92
15. Hwy 612: the 4.2km highway will be downloaded to the Municipality of Seguin, County of Parry Sound, and become known as either Dock Siding Road, Healey Lake Road (an extension of the already existing road at which point Hwy 612 terminates), or MacTier Road.
16. Hwy 632: the 11km highway will be downloaded to the Municipality of Seguin, County of Parry Sound, and become known as Peninsula Road.
17. Hwy 644: the 0.8km highway will be downloaded to the Municipality of the Archipelago, County of Parry Sound, and become known as South Shore Road.
18. Hwy 645: the 3.7km highway will be downloaded to the Municipality of North Georgian, County of Parry Sound, and become known as Byng Inlet Road.
19. Hwy 654: will become King’s Highway 54
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