Kawartha Lakes - History

History

The city's name comes from the name of the Kawartha lakes. The term Kawartha is an anglicization of the word Ka-wa-tha (from Ka-wa-tae-gum-maug or Gaa-waategamaag, meaning), a word coined in 1895 by aboriginal Martha Whetung of the Curve Lake First Nations. The word meant "land of reflections" in the Anishinaabe language, according to Whetung. The word was subsequently changed by tourism promoters to Kawartha, meaning "bright waters and happy lands."

Prior to its restructuring as a city, the area was known as Victoria County. The city was created in 2001, during the ruling provincial Progressive Conservative party's "Common Sense Revolution". Through provincial legislation, the former Victoria County and its constituent municipalities were amalgamated into one entity named the City of Kawartha Lakes.

This act was implemented by The Victoria County Restructuring Commission, led by commissioner Harry Kitchen. Despite a general opposition from residents of the area, the provincial government pushed forward with the amalgamation, which officially came into effect on January 1, 2001.

By a narrow margin (51% for, 49% against), the citizens of Kawartha Lakes voted to de-amalgamate in a November 2003 local plebiscite, but the provincial and municipal governments have not taken any steps since the vote to initiate de-amalgamation.