police village

A police village is a form of municipal government used in Ontario, beginning in the early 19th century. It was used in cases where the finances or population of the area did not permit the creation of a village.

A police village was created by a bylaw of the governing district or county which defined the political boundaries of the police village. A police village had its own elected governing body of trustees, who could establish fire and safety regulations, erect streetlights and build sidewalks. In 1965, the Ontario Municipal Act was amended to prevent the creation of new police villages. Most remaining police villages have been amalgamated into other municipalities since that time.

Many communities in Ontario were police villages at one time, including:

• Ancaster (1852)
• Embrun (1856)
• Hamilton (1833)
• Maple (1928)
• Metcalfe (1898)
• Russell (1898)
• Stittsville (1956)
• Rockcliffe Park (1908)
• Sunderland (1900)
• Thornhill (1931)
• Unionville (1907)

References

• Place names of Ontario, Alan Rayburn (1997) ISBN 0-8020-7207-0

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