Jump to content

Brantford

Coordinates: 43°09′25″N 80°15′27″W / 43.15694°N 80.25750°W / 43.15694; -80.25750 (Brantford)[1]
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Brantford, ON)
For other uses, see Brantford (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Brentford or Bradford, Ontario.

Brantford
City (single-tier)
City of Brantford
From top, left to right: Flowerbed outside RBC Building, Statue of Joseph Brant, Colborne Street in Downtown Brantford, Bell Homestead, City Hall, Grand River
From top, left to right: Flowerbed outside RBC Building, Statue of Joseph Brant, Colborne Street in Downtown Brantford, Bell Homestead, City Hall, Grand River
Flag of Brantford
Flag
Official logo of Brantford
Logo
Brantford is located in Southern Ontario
Brantford
Brantford
Coordinates: 43°09′25″N 80°15′27″W / 43.15694°N 80.25750°W / 43.15694; -80.25750 (Brantford)[1]
CountryCanada
ProvinceOntario
CountyBrant (independent)
EstablishedMay 31, 1877
Government
 • MayorKevin Davis
 • Governing BodyBrantford City Council
 • MPLarry Brock (Conservative)
 • MPPWill Bouma (Progressive Conservative)
Area
[2] [3]
 • Land98.65 km2 (38.09 sq mi)
 • Metro
1,074.00 km2 (414.67 sq mi)
Elevation
248 m (814 ft)
Population
 (2021)
 • City (single-tier)
104,688 (53rd)
 • Density1,061.2/km2 (2,748/sq mi)
 • Metro
144,162 (30th)
 • Metro density134.2/km2 (348/sq mi)
Gross Metropolitan Product
 • Brantford CMACA$6.1 billion (2020)[4]
Time zoneUTC−05:00 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−04:00 (EDT)
Forward sortation area
N3P to N3V
Area code(s)519, 226, and 548
Websitewww.brantford.ca

Brantford (2021 population: 104,688[2]) is a city in Ontario, Canada, founded on the Grand River in Southwestern Ontario. It is surrounded by Brant County but is politically separate with a municipal government of its own that is fully independent of the county's municipal government.[5][6][7]

Brantford is situated on the Haldimand Tract,[8][9] and is named after Joseph Brant, a Mohawk leader, soldier, farmer and slave owner.[10] Brant was an important Loyalist leader during the American Revolutionary War and later, after the Haudenosaunee moved to the Brantford area in Upper Canada. Many of his descendants and other First Nations people live on the nearby Six Nations of the Grand River reserve south of Brantford; it is the most populous reserve in Canada.

Brantford is known as the "Telephone City" because the city's famous resident, Alexander Graham Bell, invented the first telephone at his father's homestead, Melville House, now the Bell Homestead, located in Tutela Heights south of the city. Brantford is also known as the birthplace and hometown of Wayne Gretzky and Phil Hartman.

History

[edit]
Thayendanegea or Joseph Brant, Mohawk military and political leader

The Iroquoian-speaking Attawandaron, known in English as the Neutral Nation, lived in the Grand River valley area before the 17th century; their main village and seat of the chief, Kandoucho, was identified by 19th-century historians as having been located on the Grand River where present-day Brantford developed. This community, like the rest of their settlements, was destroyed when the Iroquois declared war in 1650 over the fur trade and exterminated the Neutral nation.[11]

In 1784, Captain Joseph Brant and the Mohawk people of the Iroquois Confederacy left New York State for Canada.[12][13] As a reward for their loyalty to the British Crown, they were given a large land grant, referred to as the Haldimand Tract, on the Grand River. The original Mohawk settlement was on the south edge of the present-day city at a location favourable for landing canoes. Brant's crossing (or fording) of the river gave the original name to the area: Brant's ford The Glebe Farm Indian Reserve exists at the original site today.

The area began to grow from a small settlement in the 1820s as the Hamilton and London Road was improved. By the 1830s, Brantford became a stop on the Underground Railroad, and a sizable number of runaway African-Americans settled in the town.[14] From the 1830s to the 1860s – several hundred people of African descent settled in the area around Murray Street, and in Cainsville. In Brantford, they established their own school and church, now known as the S.R. Drake Memorial Church.[15] In 1846, it is estimated 2000 residents lived in the city's core while 5199 lived in the outlying rural areas.[16] There were eight churches in Brantford at this time – Episcopal, Presbyterian, Catholic, two Methodist, Baptist, Congregational, and one for the African-Canadian residents.[16]

By 1847, Europeans began to settle further up the river at a ford in the Grand River and named their village Brantford.[17] The population increased after 1848 when river navigation to Brantford was opened and again in 1854 with the arrival of the railway to Brantford.

Because of the ease of navigation from new roads and the Grand River, several manufacturing companies could be found in the town by 1869.[18] Some of these factories included Brantford Engine Works, Victoria Foundry and Britannia Foundry.[18] Several major farm implement manufacturers, starting with Cockshutt and Harris, opened for business in the 1870s.

The history of the Brantford region from 1793 to 1920 is described at length in the book At The Forks of The Grand.[19]

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Canadian government encouraged the education of First Nations children at residential schools, which were intended to teach them English and European-Canadian ways and assimilate them into the majority cultures. Such institutions in or near Brantford included the Thomas Indian School, Mohawk Institute Residential School (also known as Mohawk Manual Labour School and Mush Hole Indian Residential School), and the Haudenosaunee boarding school. Decades later and particularly since the late 20th century, numerous scholarly and artistic works have explored the detrimental effects of the schools in destroying Native cultures. Examples include Ronald James Douglas' graduate thesis titled Documenting Ethnic Cleansing in North America: Creating Unseen Tears,[20] and the Legacy of Hope Foundation's online media collection: "Where are the Children? Healing the Legacy of the Residential Schools".[21]

In June 1945, Brantford became the first city in Canada to fluoridate its water supply.[22][23]

Brantford generated controversy in 2010 when its city council expropriated and demolished 41 historic downtown buildings on the south side of its main street, Colborne Street. The buildings constituted one of the longest blocks of pre-Confederation architecture in Canada and included one of Ontario's first grocery stores and an early 1890s office of the Bell Telephone Company of Canada. The decision was widely criticized by Ontario's heritage preservation community, however, the city argued it was needed for downtown renewal.[24][25]

Historical plaques and memorials

[edit]

Plaques and monuments erected by the provincial and federal governments provide additional glimpses into the early history of the area around Brantford.[26]

The famed Mohawk Chief Joseph Brant (Thayendanega) led his people from the Mohawk Valley of New York State to Upper Canada after being allied with the British during the American Revolution, where they lost their land holdings. A group of 400 settled in 1788 on the Grand River at Mohawk Village which would later become Brantford.[26] Nearly a century later (1886), the Joseph Brant Memorial would be erected in Burlington, Ontario in honour of Brant and the Six Nations Confederacy.[27]

The Mohawk Chapel, built by the British Crown in 1785 for the Mohawk and Iroquois people (Six Nations of the Grand River), was dedicated in 1788 as a reminder of the original agreements made with the British during the American Revolution.[26] In 1904 the chapel received Royal status by King Edward VII in memory of the longstanding alliance. Her Majesty's Royal Chapel of the Mohawks is an important reminder of the original agreements made with Queen Anne in 1710. It is still in use today as one of two royal Chapels in Canada and the oldest Protestant Church in the province. Joseph Brant and his son John Brant are buried here.[28]

Chief John Brant (Mohawk leader) (Ahyonwaeghs) was one of the sons of Joseph Brant.[29] He fought with the British during the War of 1812 and later worked to improve the welfare of the First Nations. He was involved in building schools and improving the welfare of his people. Brant initiated the opening of schools and, from 1828, served as the first native Superintendent of the Six Nations.[26] Chief Brant was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada for Haldimand in 1830 and was the first aboriginal Canadian in Parliament.[30]

The stone and brick Brant County Courthouse was built on land purchased from the Six Nations in 1852. The structure housed courtrooms, county offices, a law library and a gaol. During additions in the 1880s, the Greek Revival style, with Doric columns, was retained.[26]

Among the most famed residents were Alexander Graham Bell and his family, who arrived in mid 1870 from Scotland while Bell was suffering from tuberculosis. They lived with Bell's father and mother, who had settled in a farmhouse on Tutela Heights (named after the First Nations tribe of the area[31] and later absorbed into Brantford.) Then called Melville House, it is now a museum, the Bell Homestead National Historic Site. This was the site of the invention of the telephone in 1874 and ongoing trials in 1876. The Bell Memorial, also known as the Bell Monument, was commissioned to commemorate Bell's invention of the telephone in Brantford; it is also one of the National Historic Sites of Canada.

Invention of the telephone

[edit]
Bell Memorial, commemorating the invention of the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell.

Some articles suggest that the telephone was invented in Boston, where Alexander Graham Bell did a great deal of work on the development of the device.[32] However, Bell confirmed Brantford as the birthplace of the device in a 1906 speech: "the telephone problem was solved, and it was solved at my father's home".[33] At the unveiling of the Bell Memorial on 24 October 1917, Bell reminded the attendees that "Brantford is right in claiming the invention of the telephone here... [which was] conceived in Brantford in 1874 and born in Boston in 1875" and that "the first transmission to a distance was made between Brantford and Paris" (on 3 August 1876).[34][35] As well, the second successful voice transmission (over a distance of 6 km; 4 miles) was also made in the area, on 4 August 1876, between the telegraph office in Brantford, Ontario and Bell's father's homestead over makeshift wires.[36][37]

Canada's first telephone factory, created by James Cowherd, was located in Brantford and operated from about 1879 until Cowherd's death in 1881.[38][39] The first telephone business office which opened in 1877, not far from the Bell Homestead, was located in what is now Brantford.[26] The combination of events has led to Brantford calling itself "The Telephone City".

Law and government

[edit]

Brantford is located within the County of Brant; however, it is a single-tier municipality, politically separate from the county.[5][6][7] Ontario's Municipal Act, 2001 defines single-tier municipalities as "a municipality, other than an upper-tier municipality, that does not form part of an upper-tier municipality for municipal purposes."[40] Single-tier municipalities provide for all local government services.[41]

Brantford federal election results[42]
Year Liberal Conservative New Democratic Green
2021 29% 13,409 38% 17,655 21% 9,956 3% 1,226
2019 31% 14,977 38% 18,058 22% 10,280 6% 2,747
Brantford provincial election results[43]
Year PC New Democratic Liberal Green
2022 43% 13,926 30% 9,773 13% 4,252 7% 2,158
2018 39% 16,473 44% 18,560 10% 4,032 4% 1,860

At the federal and provincial levels of government, Brantford is part of the Brant riding.

Brantford City Council is the municipal governing body. As of October 22, 2018, the mayor is Kevin Davis.

Safety

[edit]

Brantford's economy was hit hard in the 1980s when farm equipment manufacturers Massey Ferguson and White Farm Equipment closed their local plants.[44] By the end of 1981, the city's unemployment rate reached 22%.[44] As with other small Ontario cities hit by the decline of manufacturing, the community struggled with an increase in social problems.[44]

In more recent times, the city was hit hard by the opioid crisis. In 2018, Brantford had the highest rate of emergency department visits for overdose of any city in Ontario.[45][46] In 2018, Brantford police reported an overall crime rate of 6,533 incidents per 100,000 population, 59% higher than in Ontario (4,113) and 19% higher than in Canada (5,488).[47] The same year, Maclean's magazine ranked Brantford as having a higher rate of crime severity than most of the province.[48]

Economy

[edit]

The electric telephone was invented here leading to the establishment of Canada's first telephone factory here in the 1870s. Brantford developed as an important Canadian industrial centre for the first half of the 20th century, and it was once the third-ranked Canadian city in terms of the cash value of manufactured goods exported.

The city developed at the deepest navigable point of the Grand River. Because of existing networks, it became a railroad hub of Southern Ontario. The combination of water and rail helped Brantford develop from a farming community into an industrial city with many blue-collar jobs based on the agriculture implementation industry. Major companies included S.C. Johnson Wax, Massey-Harris, Verity Plow, and the Cockshutt Plow Company. This industry, more than any other, provided the well-paying and steady employment that allowed Brantford to sustain economic growth through most of the 20th century.

By the 1980s and 1990s, Brantford's economy was in steady decline due to changes in heavy industry and its restructuring. Numerous companies suffered bankruptcies, such as White Farm Equipment, Massey Ferguson (and its successor, Massey Combines Corporation), Koering-Waterous, Harding Carpets, and other manufacturers. The bankruptcies and closures of the businesses left thousands of people unemployed. As a consequence, it became one of the most economically depressed areas in the country, leaving a negative impact on the once-vibrant downtown.

An economic revival was prompted by the completion of the Brantford-to-Ancaster section of Highway 403 in 1997, bringing companies easy access to Hamilton and Toronto and completing a direct route from Detroit to Buffalo. In 2004 Procter & Gamble and Ferrero SpA chose to locate in the city. Though Wescast Industries, Inc. recently closed its local foundry, its corporate headquarters will remain in Brantford. SC Johnson Canada has their headquarters and a manufacturing plant in Brantford, connected to the Canadian National network. Other companies that have their headquarters here include Gunther Mele and GreenMantra Technologies. On February 16, 2005, Brant, including Brantford, was added to the Greater Golden Horseshoe along with Haldimand and Northumberland counties.

In February 2019, Brantford's unemployment rate stood at 4.6% – lower than Ontario's rate of 5.6%.[49]

Climate

[edit]

Brantford has a humid continental climate (Dfb) with warm to hot summers and cold, moderately snowy winters, though not severe by Canadian standards.

Climate data for Brantford (1981−2010 normals, extremes 1960–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 17.0
(62.6) 		16.5
(61.7) 		25.5
(77.9) 		30.5
(86.9) 		34.0
(93.2) 		35.5
(95.9) 		38.5
(101.3) 		36.5
(97.7) 		34.4
(93.9) 		30.0
(86.0) 		25.0
(77.0) 		20.5
(68.9) 		38.5
(101.3)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) −1.6
(29.1) 		0.3
(32.5) 		5.1
(41.2) 		12.4
(54.3) 		19.3
(66.7) 		24.6
(76.3) 		27.2
(81.0) 		25.8
(78.4) 		21.7
(71.1) 		14.5
(58.1) 		7.9
(46.2) 		1.4
(34.5) 		13.2
(55.8)
Daily mean °C (°F) −6.0
(21.2) 		−4.3
(24.3) 		0.3
(32.5) 		7.0
(44.6) 		13.5
(56.3) 		18.7
(65.7) 		21.3
(70.3) 		20.2
(68.4) 		16.0
(60.8) 		9.3
(48.7) 		3.8
(38.8) 		−2.5
(27.5) 		8.1
(46.6)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −10.4
(13.3) 		−8.9
(16.0) 		−4.5
(23.9) 		1.5
(34.7) 		7.5
(45.5) 		12.7
(54.9) 		15.4
(59.7) 		14.6
(58.3) 		10.1
(50.2) 		3.9
(39.0) 		−0.3
(31.5) 		−6.3
(20.7) 		3.0
(37.4)
Record low °C (°F) −30.0
(−22.0) 		−31.4
(−24.5) 		−24.0
(−11.2) 		−12.8
(9.0) 		−5.1
(22.8) 		1.1
(34.0) 		5.6
(42.1) 		1.1
(34.0) 		−4.5
(23.9) 		−7.0
(19.4) 		−16.0
(3.2) 		−27.0
(−16.6) 		−30.5
(−22.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 54.7
(2.15) 		51.5
(2.03) 		59.1
(2.33) 		68.9
(2.71) 		81.1
(3.19) 		75.9
(2.99) 		95.0
(3.74) 		75.0
(2.95) 		86.6
(3.41) 		70.1
(2.76) 		84.4
(3.32) 		65.1
(2.56) 		867.3
(34.15)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 27.6
(1.09) 		30.4
(1.20) 		43.5
(1.71) 		65.3
(2.57) 		81.1
(3.19) 		75.9
(2.99) 		95.0
(3.74) 		75.0
(2.95) 		86.6
(3.41) 		70.1
(2.76) 		78.3
(3.08) 		40.8
(1.61) 		769.6
(30.30)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 27.1
(10.7) 		21.9
(8.6) 		15.6
(6.1) 		3.6
(1.4) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		6.1
(2.4) 		24.2
(9.5) 		98.4
(38.7)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) 11.3 9.5 11.1 12.2 12.4 10.4 10.4 10.5 10.6 12.2 13.2 12.0 135.6
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) 4.5 4.7 8.1 11.6 12.4 10.4 10.4 10.5 10.6 12.2 11.8 7.0 114.0
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) 7.0 5.4 3.7 0.92 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.5 5.8 24.4
Source: Environment Canada[50]

Demographics

[edit]
Historical population
YearPop.±%
18412,000—    
18718,107+305.3%
18819,616+18.6%
189112,753+32.6%
190116,619+30.3%
191123,132+39.2%
192129,440+27.3%
193130,107+2.3%
194131,622+5.0%
195136,727+16.1%
196155,201+50.3%
197164,421+16.7%
198174,315+15.4%
199181,997+10.3%
199684,764+3.4%
200186,417+2.0%
200690,192+4.4%
201193,650+3.8%
201698,563+5.2%
2021104,688+6.2%
[51]

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Brantford had a population of 104,688 living in 41,673 of its 43,269 total private dwellings, a change of 6.2% from its 2016 population of 98,563. With a land area of 98.65 km2 (38.09 sq mi), it had a population density of 1,061.2/km2 (2,748.5/sq mi) in 2021.[52]

At the census metropolitan area (CMA) level in the 2021 census, the Brantford CMA had a population of 144,162 living in 56,003 of its 58,047 total private dwellings, a change of 7.4% from its 2016 population of 134,203. With a land area of 1,074 km2 (415 sq mi), it had a population density of 134.2/km2 (347.7/sq mi) in 2021.[53]

Ethnicity

[edit]

103,210 people gave their ethnic background on the 2021 census,[54] up from 95,780 on the 2016 census.[55] Brantford has the highest proportion of Indigenous people (Status Indians) in Southern Ontario, outside of an Indian reserve.[56]

Panethnic groups in the City of Brantford (2001−2021)
Panethnic
group 		2021[54] 2016[57] 2011[58] 2006[59] 2001[60]
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
European[a] 82,015 79.46% 80,945 84.51% 81,035 88.11% 79,205 89.15% 78,115 91.77%
South Asian 6,070 5.88% 3,115 3.25% 1,640 1.78% 1,660 1.87% 1,245 1.46%
Indigenous 5,415 5.25% 5,395 5.63% 4,090 4.45% 3,440 3.87% 2,475 2.91%
African 3,570 3.46% 2,015 2.1% 1,550 1.69% 1,580 1.78% 1,110 1.3%
Southeast Asian[b] 2,385 2.31% 1,805 1.88% 1,190 1.29% 1,195 1.35% 1,045 1.23%
East Asian[c] 1,020 0.99% 1,065 1.11% 1,090 1.19% 940 1.06% 670 0.79%
Middle Eastern[d] 910 0.88% 490 0.51% 655 0.71% 115 0.13% 140 0.16%
Latin American 905 0.88% 445 0.46% 365 0.4% 360 0.41% 140 0.16%
Other[e] 920 0.89% 510 0.53% 355 0.39% 245 0.28% 190 0.22%
Total responses 103,210 98.59% 95,780 98.24% 91,975 98.21% 88,845 98.51% 85,125 98.5%
Total population 104,688 100% 97,496 100% 93,650 100% 90,192 100% 86,417 100%
  • Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses.

Religion

[edit]

In 2021,[61] 51.8% of residents were Christian, down from 64.8% in 2011.[62] 22.2% of residents were Catholic, 17.6% were Protestant, and 7.7% were Christian not otherwise specified. All other Christian denominations and Christian-related traditions accounted for 4.1% of the population. 40.4% of residents had no religion, up from 31.6% in 2011. All other religions and spiritual traditions make up 8.1% of the population. The largest non-Christian religions were Sikhism (2.6%), Islam (2.0%), Hinduism (1.7%) and Buddhism (0.5%).

Film and television

[edit]

Brantford has been used as a filming location for TV and films.

  • The television series Murdoch Mysteries has used the Carnegie Building, now part of Wilfrid Laurier University's Brantford campus, as the courthouse.[63] The interior of the Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts has also been featured in the series.[63][64] In addition, Victoria Park and many of the older homes along Dalhousie and George streets have been used for shot locations.[64]
  • The television series The Boys third season was partially filmed in Brantford during the spring of 2021.[65]
  • The television series The Handmaid's Tale had several locations filmed in Brantford during 2018, 2020 and 2022.[66]
  • Several movies have had scenes shot at the Brantford Airport, including Welcome to Mooseport and Where the Truth Lies. Many Mayday episodes have also been filmed there.[citation needed]
  • An episode of Due South, "Dr. Long Ball", was filmed at Arnold Anderson Stadium in Cockshutt Park.
  • Brantford's downtown provided locations for Weirdsville in 2006 and "Silent Hill" in 2005. Many area residents[67] observed that little work had to be done to make downtown look decayed and haunted.
  • Brantford's Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts was used as "The Rose" mainstage theatre of the "New Burbage Festival" in the series Slings & Arrows.[citation needed]

Education

[edit]

Statistics from the Federal 2016 Census indicated that 54.1% of Brantford's adult residents (ages 25 to 64) had earned either a post-secondary certificate, diploma, or university degree.

Universities and colleges

[edit]
Brantford campus of Nipissing University

Several post-secondary institutions have facilities in Brantford.

  • Laurier Brantford, a campus of Wilfrid Laurier University, offers a variety of programs at their downtown campus.[68] The 2013–14 enrollment is 2,800 full-time students.
    • The Faculty of Liberal Arts includes Contemporary Studies, Journalism, History, English, Youth and Children's Studies, Human Rights and Human Diversity, Languages at Brantford and Law and Society programs. The Faculty of Human and Social Sciences includes Criminology, Health Studies, Psychology and Leadership.
    • The Faculty of Social Work includes the Bachelor of Social Work.
    • The Faculty of Graduate and Post-Doctoral Studies includes Social Justice and Community Engagement (MA) and Criminology (MA)
    • The School of Business and Economics includes Business Technology Management.
  • Six Nations Polytechnic operates out of the former Mohawk College campus.[69] The school offers various 2-year college programs from their campus in Brantford. They also have a campus on the nearby Six Nations of the Grand River, catering to mostly university programs.[70]
  • Nipissing University, in partnership with Laurier Brantford, offers the Concurrent Education program in Brantford. In five years, students earn an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Society, Culture & Environment from Laurier Brantford and a Bachelor of Education from Nipissing University.[71] During the 2013–14 academic year there were 70 full-time and 100 part-time students in the program.
  • Conestoga College offers academic programming in Brantford's downtown core in partnership with Wilfrid Laurier University and its Laurier Brantford campus. Conestoga College offers diplomas in Business and Health Office Administration, a graduate certificate in Human Resources Management, and a certificate in Medical Office Practice in Brantford.[72] This program has 120 full-time students in the 2013–14 academic year.
  • Mohawk College had a satellite campus; however, the college ceased operations in Brantford and transferred the property to Six Nations Polytechnic at the end of the 2013–14 academic year.[73]

Secondary schools

[edit]

Public education in the area is managed by the Grand Erie District School Board, and Catholic education is managed by the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board.

Elementary schools

[edit]

Public education in the area is managed by the Grand Erie District School Board, and Catholic education is managed by the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board and the Conseil Scolaire de District Catholique Centre-Sud.[citation needed]

Other

[edit]

Media

[edit]

Online

[edit]

BTOWN is a free alternative online magazine which highlights people, projects and events in the Brantford area.[74]

Print

[edit]

The Brantford Expositor, started in 1852, is published by Sun Media Corp. six days a week (excluding Sundays).

The Brant News was a weekly paper, delivered Thursdays until 2018; it publishes breaking news online at their website,[75] and is published by Metroland Media Group.

The Two Row Times, a Free weekly paper started in 2013, is published on Wednesdays, delivered to every reservation in Ontario and globally online at their website,[76] published by Garlow Media.

BScene, a Free community paper founded in 2014, is published monthly and distributed locally throughout Brantford and Brant County via local businesses and community centers, It can also be viewed online at their website.[77] Independently published.

Radio

[edit]

Television

[edit]

Brantford's only local television service comes from Rogers TV (cable 20), a local community channel on Rogers Cable. Otherwise, Brantford is served by stations from Toronto, Hamilton and Kitchener.

Transportation

[edit]

Air

[edit]

Brantford Municipal Airport is located west of the city. It hosts an annual air show featuring the Snowbirds. The John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport in Hamilton is located about 35 km (20 miles) east of Brantford. Toronto Pearson International Airport is located in Mississauga, about 100 km (60 miles) northeast of Brantford.

Rail

[edit]

Brantford station is located just north of downtown Brantford. Via Rail has daily passenger trains on the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor. Trains also stop at Union Station in Toronto.

Street rail began in Brantford in 1886 with horse-drawn carriages; by 1893, this system had been converted to electric. The City of Brantford took over these operations in 1914. Around 1936, it began to replace the electric street car system with gas-run buses, and by the end of 1939, the changeover was complete.[78]

Bus

[edit]

Provincial highways

[edit]

Cycling

[edit]

As of 2022, there are at least 18 km (11 mi) of bikeways in Brantford.[79] There are some planned street redesigns which include protected bike lanes and multi-use trails, which as of 2022 are in the public consultation phase.[80]

Some former rail lines serving Brantford have been converted to rail trails, which allow for intercommunity cycling connections to the north, south, and east. This includes the SC Johnson Trail to Paris (with further connections north to Cambridge and beyond)[81] and the Hamilton to Brantford Rail Trail, which provides a connection east to Hamilton through Dundas and Jerseyville.[82] Twin rail trails, the LE&N Trail and TH&B Trail, connect south to Mount Pleasant, where they connect further south ultimately to Port Dover.[83]

Culture and entertainment

[edit]
The Armoury

Local museums include the Bell Homestead, Woodland Cultural Centre,[84] Brant Museum and Archives,[85] Canadian Military Heritage Museum[86] and the Personal Computer Museum.

Annual events include the "Brantford International Villages Festival" in July;[87] the "Brantford Kinsmen Annual Ribfest" in August;[88] the "Chili Willy Cook-Off" in February; the "Frosty Fest", a Church festival held in winter;[89]

The Bell Summer Theatre Festival,[90] takes place from Canada Day to Labour Day at the Bell Homestead

Brantford is the home of several theatre groups including Brant Theatre Workshops,[91] Dufferin Players, His Majesty's players, ICHTHYS Theatre, Stage 88, Theatre Brantford and Whimsical Players.

Brantford has a casino, Elements Casino Brantford. The Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts is a local performance venue.[92]

Sports, teams and tournaments

[edit]

The YMCA in Brantford organized individual and team sports, led by J. Howard Crocker from 1908 to 1911.[93] This included intercity basketball competitions,[94] a junior ice hockey league,[95] and a junior baseball league.[96] There was also an annual racewalking event sponsored by the Brantford Expositor,[97] and the Brantford-to-Hamilton marathon race.[98] In 1910, Brantford hosted the YMCA national athletics championships.[99]

Current intercounty or major teams

[edit]

Defunct teams

[edit]

Events

[edit]
  • The Wayne Gretzky International Hockey Tournament,[100] which celebrated its 9th anniversary in 2015,[101] is held in Brantford annually.
  • Brantford hosted and won the 2008 Allan Cup, which celebrated the 100th anniversary of the event.[102]
  • The city served as the pre-season camp and facility for the Pittsburgh Penguins during the late 1960s, hosting the franchise's first preseason training camp and its first preseason exhibition game.[103]
  • The Walter Gretzky Street Hockey Tournament, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2016, is held in Brantford annually. In 2010, the tournament was recognized and established a Guinness World Record for the largest Street Hockey Tournament in the world, with 205 teams and just over 2,096 participants.

Notable people

[edit]
Main article: List of people from Brantford

Twin towns – sister cities

[edit]

Brantford is twinned with:

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Statistic includes all persons that did not make up part of a visible minority or an indigenous identity.
  2. ^ Statistic includes total responses of "Filipino" and "Southeast Asian" under visible minority section on census.
  3. ^ Statistic includes total responses of "Chinese", "Korean", and "Japanese" under visible minority section on census.
  4. ^ Statistic includes total responses of "West Asian" and "Arab" under visible minority section on census.
  5. ^ Statistic includes total responses of "Visible minority, n.i.e." and "Multiple visible minorities" under visible minority section on census.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Brantford". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
  2. ^ a b "Brantford Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Archived from the original on February 22, 2022. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
  3. ^ "Brantford Ontario [Census metropolitan area] Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Archived from the original on February 22, 2022. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
  4. ^ "Statistics Canada. Table 36-10-0468-01 Gross domestic product (GDP) at basic prices, by census metropolitan area (CMA) (x 1,000,000)". Statistics Canada.
  5. ^ a b "Proposed Boundary Adjustment". Brant.ca. Archived from the original on April 7, 2017. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
  6. ^ a b "Members of Council". Brantford.ca. March 21, 2019. Archived from the original on February 13, 2011. Retrieved March 13, 2011.
  7. ^ a b "Councillors and Wards – County of Brant". Brant.ca. Archived from the original on April 2, 2018. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  8. ^ "Haldimand Tract". Grand River Country. Archived from the original on July 9, 2019. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  9. ^ Filice, Michelle (December 16, 2020). "Haldimand Proclamation". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Archived from the original on August 5, 2019. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  10. ^ "Sophia Burthen Pooley: Part of the Family?". Ontario Ministry of Government and Consumer Services. Archived from the original on July 15, 2021. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  11. ^ Reville, F. Douglas. The History of the County of Brant Archived 2010-02-15 at the Wayback Machine, Brantford: Hurley Printing Company, vol. 1, pp. 15–20, 1920.
  12. ^ "Joseph Brant (Thayendanegea) | The Canadian Encyclopedia". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Archived from the original on June 5, 2021. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  13. ^ "Mohawk Language in the Workplace" (PDF). Six Nations Polytechnic. Six Nations Polytechnic University. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  14. ^ "- Grand River Branch – United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada". www.grandriveruel.ca. Archived from the original on November 27, 2020. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  15. ^ "Lieuxpatrimoniaux.ca – HistoricPlaces.ca". www.historicplaces.ca. Archived from the original on February 12, 2019. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  16. ^ a b Smith, Wm. H. (1846). SMITH'S CANADIAN GAZETTEER – STATISTICAL AND GENERAL INFORMATION RESPECTING ALL PARTS OF THE UPPER PROVINCE, OR CANADA WEST. Toronto: H. & W. ROWSELL. p. 19.
  17. ^ "Brantford Facts". Brantford.ca. Archived from the original on June 2, 2016. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  18. ^ a b Henry McEvoy (October 21, 1869). The Province of Ontario Gazetteer and Directory: Containing Concise ... Robertson & Cook. ISBN 9780665094125. Retrieved October 21, 2017 – via Internet Archive.
  19. ^ Smith, Donald Alexander; (Ont.), Paris Public Library Board (October 21, 2017). At the Forks of the Grand. Brant County Library. ISBN 9780969124511. Archived from the original on August 14, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2020 – via Google Books.
  20. ^ Douglas, Ronald James (2010). "Documenting ethnic cleansing in North America: Creating unseen tears (AAT 1482210)". ProQuest 757916758.
  21. ^ Legacy of Hope Foundation. "Healing the Legacy of the Residential Schools". Where Are the Children?. Archived from the original on December 5, 2012. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  22. ^ Chris Purdy (March 10, 2016). "The great debate to fluoridate (or not)". Hamilton Spectator. Archived from the original on March 1, 2019. Retrieved February 28, 2019.
  23. ^ Madeline Smith; Andrew Jeffery (January 14, 2019). "Windsor, Ont. flips back to fluoride — why that's unlikely to change minds in Calgary". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on March 1, 2019. Retrieved February 28, 2019.
  24. ^ Blaze Carlson, Katherine (June 8, 2010). "Ontario city to demolish historic street, despite Ottawa's objection". Toronto Sun. Archived from the original on February 8, 2022. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
  25. ^ Wilkes, Jim (June 8, 2010). "Demolition of historic buildings begins in Brantford". The Toronto Star. Archived from the original on February 8, 2022. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
  26. ^ a b c d e f "Historical Plaques of Brant County". Waynecook.com. Archived from the original on March 26, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  27. ^ "Thayendanega (Joseph Brant) Historical Plaque". ontarioplaques.com. Archived from the original on August 21, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  28. ^ "History". Mohawk Chapel. 2011. Archived from the original on January 30, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  29. ^ "War of 1812". Eighteentwelve.ca. Archived from the original on October 13, 2018. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  30. ^ "Ahyouwaighs, Chief of the Six Nations 1838". vitacollections.ca. Archived from the original on April 8, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  31. ^ Patten, William; Bell, Alexander Melville. Pioneering The Telephone In Canada Archived 2016-01-01 at the Wayback Machine, Montreal: Herald Press, 1926, pg.7. (Note: Patten's full name as published is William Patten, not Gulielmus Patten as stated at Google Books)
  32. ^ Haughton, Robert N. E. "Alexander Graham Bell and the Invention of the Telephone". Telecommunications.ca. The Telecommunications Mosaic: An Introduction to the Information Age. Archived from the original on July 25, 2016. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  33. ^ Reville, F. Douglas (1920). History of the County of Brant (PDF). Brantford, Ontario: Hurley. p. 315. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 12, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
  34. ^ "The Unveiling of the Bell Memorial" (PDF). Brantford.library.on.ca. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 23, 2017. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
  35. ^ Reville, F. Douglas. History of the County of Brant Vol. 1. Brantford, ON: Brant Historical Society, Hurley Printing, 1920/. PDF pp. 187–197, or document pp. 308–322. (PDF)
  36. ^ "Alexander Graham Bell & Brantford". Brantford.ca. Archived from the original on April 7, 2017. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
  37. ^ MacLeod, Elizabeth (1999). Alexander Graham Bell: An Inventive Life. Toronto, Ontario: Kids Can Press. p. 14 to 19. ISBN 1-55074-456-9
  38. ^ "Evolution of Telecommunications". Virtualmuseum.ca. Archived from the original on March 4, 2017. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
  39. ^ Murray, Robert P. (October 21, 2017). The Early Development of Radio in Canada, 1901–1930: An Illustrated History of Canada's Radio Pioneers, Broadcast Receiver Manufacturers, and Their Products. Sonoran Publishing. ISBN 9781886606203. Archived from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 21, 2017 – via Google Books.
  40. ^ "Law Document English View". July 24, 2014. Archived from the original on March 30, 2015. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
  41. ^ "AMO – Ontario Municipalities". Amo.on.ca. Archived from the original on October 22, 2017. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
  42. ^ "Official Voting Results Raw Data (poll by poll results in Brantford)". Elections Canada. April 7, 2022. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
  43. ^ "Official Voting Results by polling station (poll by poll results in Brantford)". Election Ontario. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
  44. ^ a b c Freeze, Jason (October 25, 2018). "Brantford in the 1980s – Part 4". BScene. Archived from the original on July 15, 2021. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  45. ^ Gee, Marcus (February 24, 2019). "In Brantford's opioid nightmare, a community sees more hopeful days ahead". Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on July 15, 2021. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  46. ^ "Brantford struggles to deal with opioid crisis and homelessness". NorthbayNipissing.com. Archived from the original on July 15, 2021. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  47. ^ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada. "Safe Cities profile series: Key indicators by census metropolitan area – Brantford, Ontario". www150.statcan.gc.ca. Archived from the original on August 14, 2022. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  48. ^ "Canada's Most Dangerous Places 2018: Explore the data". Macleans.ca. Maclean's magazine. Archived from the original on July 15, 2021. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  49. ^ Canada, Government of Canada, Statistics. "CANSIM – 282-0135 – Labour force survey estimates (LFS), by census metropolitan area based on 2011 Census boundaries, 3-month moving average, seasonally adjusted and unadjusted". 5.statcan.gc.ca. Archived from the original on May 17, 2017. Retrieved January 7, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  50. ^ "Brantford MOE". Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010. Environment Canada. September 25, 2013. Archived from the original on April 13, 2014. Retrieved April 9, 2014.
  51. ^ "File Not Found". 12.statcan.gc.ca. Archived from the original on September 23, 2018. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
  52. ^ "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Ontario". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Archived from the original on May 12, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  53. ^ "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Archived from the original on March 27, 2022. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  54. ^ a b Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (October 26, 2022). "Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  55. ^ "Brantford (City) community profile". 2016 Census data. Statistics Canada. Archived from the original on January 11, 2018. Retrieved February 21, 2013.
  56. ^ "Census Mapper (Status Indians)". Census Mapper. Archived from the original on October 13, 2018. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  57. ^ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (October 27, 2021). "Census Profile, 2016 Census". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  58. ^ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (November 27, 2015). "NHS Profile". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  59. ^ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (August 20, 2019). "2006 Community Profiles". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  60. ^ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (July 2, 2019). "2001 Community Profiles". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  61. ^ "2021 Census Profile- Brantford, City". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022.
  62. ^ "NHS Profile, Brantford, CY, Ontario, 2011". Statistics Canada. May 8, 2013.
  63. ^ a b Ruby, Michelle (August 28, 2012). "Murdoch Mysteries filming in Brantford". The Expositor. Archived from the original on February 26, 2014. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
  64. ^ a b Ruby, Michelle (October 1, 2013). "No mystery Murdoch is popular". The Expositor. Archived from the original on February 26, 2014. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
  65. ^ "Filming Notice – April 13–17, 2021". City of Brantford. April 13, 2021. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  66. ^ Ruby, Michelle (March 4, 2021). "Brantford has starring role in a record number of film productions in 2020". Brantford Expositor. Archived from the original on June 9, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  67. ^ "A Walk On The South Side" Archived 2011-07-06 at the Wayback Machine, Brantford Expositor, 10 June 2010
  68. ^ "Wilfrid Laurier University – Laurier Brantford – Academic Information/Advising". Wlu.ca. Archived from the original on February 21, 2014.
  69. ^ "Mohawk set to transfer Brantford campus to Six Nations Polytechnic". CBC News. August 31, 2013. Archived from the original on August 12, 2020. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  70. ^ "Programs & Courses". Six Nations Polytechnic. November 29, 2016. Archived from the original on September 1, 2018. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  71. ^ "Brantford Campus : Nipissing University". Nipissingu.ca. Archived from the original on April 8, 2018. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
  72. ^ "Brantford Campus – Conestoga College". Conestogac.on.ca. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
  73. ^ "Mohawk College to expand Hamilton programs for Brantford students" Archived 2014-02-25 at the Wayback Machine, Mohawk Matters
  74. ^ "BTOWN // Brantford, ON // Publication Highlighting Our Amazing City". The BTOWN. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  75. ^ "Brantford-Brant News – Latest Daily Breaking News Stories – BrantNews.com". BrantNews.com. Archived from the original on July 10, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2010.
  76. ^ "Homepage". December 22, 2013. Archived from the original on February 20, 2014. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  77. ^ "BScene". BScene. Archived from the original on February 27, 2015. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
  78. ^ Brantford, Ontario Principal System Archived 2012-03-09 at the Wayback Machine, Canadian Street Railways. 31-Mar-2011.
  79. ^ "Bike and Trail Maps". City of Brantford. June 25, 2020. Archived from the original on May 23, 2022. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  80. ^ "Bike Lanes". City of Brantford. March 7, 2022. Archived from the original on May 23, 2022. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  81. ^ "SC Johnson Trail". Grand River Conservation Authority. February 18, 2022. Archived from the original on May 23, 2022. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  82. ^ "Brantford to Hamilton Rail Trail". Grand River Conservation Authority. July 18, 2022. Archived from the original on May 24, 2022. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  83. ^ "Other trails". Grand River Conservation Authority. December 17, 2021. Archived from the original on May 23, 2022. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  84. ^ "Woodland Cultural Centre". Woodland Cultural Centre. Archived from the original on August 22, 2017. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  85. ^ "Brant Historical Society". Brant Historical Society. Archived from the original on October 1, 2007. Retrieved September 21, 2007.
  86. ^ "The Canadian Military Museum". Archived from the original on November 9, 2016. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  87. ^ Committee, The Brantford International Villages. "International Villages Cultural Festival – (Brantford International Villages Festival) – 44th Cultural Exchange: July 5th–8th, 2017". Brantfordvillages.ca. Archived from the original on May 30, 2012. Retrieved April 14, 2012.
  88. ^ "Brantford Kinsmen Ribfest". Brantfordribfest.ca. Archived from the original on May 3, 2022. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  89. ^ "Frosty Fest celebrates winter". Brantford Expositor. Archived from the original on November 9, 2016. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  90. ^ "Brant Theatre Workshops :: Bell Summer Festival". branttheatre.com. Archived from the original on March 16, 2017. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
  91. ^ "Brant Theatre Workshops :: Home". branttheatre.com. Archived from the original on December 17, 2014. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
  92. ^ SandersonCentre. "Home". Sandersoncentre.ca. Archived from the original on October 22, 2013. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
  93. ^ Henderson, Jim (September 22, 1956). "Retire at 60? No, Sir! Dr. J. Howard Crocker Carved a Second Career". Brantford Expositor. Brantford, Ontario. p. 18. Archived from the original on April 18, 2023. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  94. ^ "Brantford Players Lost in Basketball at Hamilton by 39–12". Brantford Expositor. Brantford, Ontario. January 19, 1909. p. 5. Archived from the original on April 26, 2023. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  95. ^ "Notes of Sport". Brantford Expositor. Brantford, Ontario. December 22, 1908. p. 3. Archived from the original on April 20, 2023. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  96. ^ "A Junior League". Brantford Expositor. Brantford, Ontario. April 13, 1909. p. 3. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved May 28, 2023.; "City News". Brantford Expositor. Brantford, Ontario. May 4, 1909. p. 2. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  97. ^ "Rules for Walking Race". Brantford Expositor. Brantford, Ontario. April 16, 1910. p. 5. Archived from the original on April 20, 2023. Retrieved May 28, 2023.; "Ready For Walking Race". Brantford Expositor. Brantford, Ontario. May 21, 1910. p. 11. Archived from the original on December 29, 2022. Retrieved May 28, 2023.; "The Expositor Race for all Walkers". Brantford Expositor. Brantford, Ontario. April 10, 1911. p. 5. Archived from the original on April 21, 2023. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  98. ^ "Athletics". Brantford Expositor. Brantford, Ontario. April 19, 1910. p. 3. Archived from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  99. ^ "Entries For Y.M.C.A. Sports". Brantford Expositor. Brantford, Ontario. September 16, 1910. p. 2. Archived from the original on April 26, 2023. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  100. ^ "2016–2017 > Wayne Gretzky International Hockey Tournament (Brantford Minor Hockey Association)". brantfordminorhockey.com. Archived from the original on November 10, 2016. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  101. ^ Gamble, Susan (June 21, 2015). "Walter Gretzky Street Hockey Tournament: Look for 'big things' for 10th anniversary". Brantford Expositor. Archived from the original on June 2, 2016. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  102. ^ "Brantford Blast 2008 Allan Cup Champions". Allan Cup 2008. Archived from the original on March 15, 2016. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  103. ^ "Pittsburgh Penguins Start With Many Goalies On Team". Observer-Reporter. September 13, 1967. Archived from the original on March 18, 2021. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
  104. ^ Ball, Vincent (May 30, 2009). "City gets a twin". Brantford Expositor. Archived from the original on July 23, 2012. Retrieved February 24, 2012.
  105. ^ "Brantford signs twinning agreement with Ukrainian city". Kitchener. April 4, 2022. Archived from the original on April 27, 2022. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Brantford, Ontario.
Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article "Brantford".
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Brantford.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Brantford&oldid=1255412726"