Leamington, Ontario

Leamington is a town in Essex County, Ontario, Canada. As of the Canada 2021 Census, it is home to 29,680 people, making it the second largest town in Windsor-Essex County after Windsor, Ontario.

One of its most famous features is Point Pelee National Park, the southernmost point of mainland Canada. Leamington is also well known for its tomato industry and is called the "Tomato Capital of Canada". A big tomato processing plant there was started in 1908 by a company called Highbury-Canco, and later owned by the H. J. Heinz Company until 2014. Because it is so far south, Leamington uses the motto "Sun Parlour of Canada". The Heinz factory closed its doors in 2014 after operating for over 100 years.

Communities

Besides the town of Leamington, the area includes many smaller villages and places such as Albuna, Blytheswood, Cherry Lane Estates, Elmdale, Goldsmith, Marentette Beach, Mount Carmel, Oakland, Seacliffe, Wigle, Windfall, Chalmers, Erie Curve, Hillman, Point Pelee, and Sturgeon Woods.

History

Leamington became a village in 1874, but even earlier in 1869, it had around 350 people. It was named after a place called Royal Leamington Spa in England. Before that, it had other names linked to a local mill owner.

Originally, Leamington was known for its lumber and fishing, especially from Lake Erie, where fish like sturgeon were easy to catch.

On January 1, 1999, Leamington joined with the nearby Township of Mersea to become a larger town.

In the early morning of June 6, 2010, a small tornado moved through southern Essex County, passing through Leamington and causing damage to some important places in town, but no one was hurt.

Climate

Leamington is found on the 42nd Parallel, sharing the same latitude as cities like Chicago, Boston, the northern edge of California, Rome, and Zaragoza. The city sits along the north shore of Lake Erie, and the lake helps control the area's weather patterns.

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population by Statistics Canada, Leamington had a population of 29,680 people. They lived in 10,547 of the 11,219 homes available. The town covers 261.24 km² (100.87 sq mi), with a population density of 113.6 people per km² (294.3 per sq mi) in 2021.

Language

Most people in Leamington speak English. From the 2016 census, 24,070 people speak only English, while 1,655 speak both English and French, and 1,330 speak neither.

Age

The average age of people in Leamington is 41.3 years. Men average 39.7 years, and women average 42.9 years.

Immigration

A 2006 survey found 7,485 immigrants, with 19,365 being native to Canada. Many immigrants come from Mexico and Jamaica and work seasonally on farms through the Temporary foreign worker program in Canada. Leamington has the highest percentage of Latin Americans in Canada, at 4.9%.

Transportation

The city has a bus system called Leamington Transit to help people get around. There is also a small private airport a little way east of the town. Leamington is linked to bigger roads by Highway 3 which goes to Windsor, and Highway 77 which connects to Highway 401.

An old rail line built by Heinz for its plant is now a nice bike path from the center of town to the Marina. Two ferries, named MV Jiiman and MV Pelee Islander II, run regularly in the summer from Leamington to Pelee Island and then on to Sandusky, Ohio. These are operated by the Owen Sound Transportation Company.

Economy

The H. J. Heinz company started a factory in Leamington in 1908. It made ketchup and baby food, sending many products to the United States. In 2013, Heinz said it would close the factory in 2014, which would affect many workers.

Local business people worked hard to keep the factory open. They started a campaign on Facebook to get support and money. Because of a special rule in Canada, they made a new plan. A company called Highbury Canco took over the factory in 2014 and now makes tomato juice and other foods for Heinz. Today, about 250 workers still help make food at this very old factory.

Leamington is famous for its many greenhouses, more than anywhere else in North America. These greenhouses grow tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, roses, and other flowers. Many greenhouses use a special way of growing called hydroponic farming. In the past, tobacco was also a big crop, but it is rarely grown there now.

Each year, workers from Mexico and the Caribbean come to help in the greenhouses and farms. There are also shops and a consulate for people from Mexico and Jamaica.

Leamington also became a place where Aphria grew plants for medical and recreational use. In 2020, Aphria merged with a company from Nanaimo, British Columbia called Tilray. This led to the closing of Tilray’s older site in Leamington. Now, all of that work happens at the Aphria site, which is now called Tilray.

Healthcare

Erie Shores Healthcare helps people in Leamington, Essex, and Chatham Kent stay healthy. It started in 1950 as Leamington District Memorial Hospital, replacing older hospitals from earlier times. In late 2016, the hospital changed its name to Erie Shores Healthcare. For other health needs, people can visit nearby Windsor, Ontario.

Education

Leamington has schools for children from kindergarten to high school. The public schools are run by the Greater Essex County District School Board, and the Catholic schools are run by the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board. There are also French-language schools managed by the Conseil scolaire Viamonde and the Conseil scolaire catholique Providence.

Leamington has five public elementary schools, including Mount Carmel - Blytheswood Public School, and two Catholic elementary schools. There is also a private elementary school called South Shore Christian School. For high school, Leamington has three schools: Leamington District Secondary School (public), Cardinal Carter Catholic High School, and U.M.E.I. (United Mennonite Education Institute).

Parks

Leamington has several parks including Seacliff Park, the Marina Park, Mersea Park, Garrison Gardens, Henry Park, and Chestnut Park.

One special park is Point Pelee National Park, which is the southernmost point on mainland Canada. Many visitors come here each year. It is a place where many migrating birds stop, and it is also one of the best places to see the large yearly migration of monarch butterflies.

Tourism

Tourism helps the local economy, and Leamington has many places to visit. Visitors can enjoy cycle paths along the lake and explore Point Pelee National Park. This park is a special spot for birds, especially in the fall, and many birdwatchers come from Canada, the United States, and other places around the world. The area is also famous for monarch butterflies that gather at Point Pelee before flying across Lake Erie to their winter home in Mexico. Another natural area nearby is Hillman Marsh, a wetland located about six kilometres east of the town.

Leamington has a large marina where people enjoy sailing and other water activities. The marina has a promenade that stretches to the Historical Leamington Dock, where ferries like the Jiiman and Pelee Islander II travel to Pelee Island.

Annual events and festivals

• Festival of Birds – Each May, over 40,000 visitors come to Point Pelee National Park for the Festival of Birds. More than 300 kinds of birds pass through the park each year, offering rare sightings.
• Leamington Fair – For over 170 years, the Leamington District Agricultural Society has held this fair in mid-June. It includes a Midway with rides and games, a Demolition Derby, and contests for arts, crafts, animals, and food.
• Music Onthe42 Summer Concert Series – From late June to August, free concerts happen every Saturday evening at Seacliff Park Amphitheatre, featuring many different kinds of music.
• Arts @ The Marina – In late June, the South Essex Arts Association/Leamington Arts Centre holds an outdoor arts and crafts show at the Leamington Municipal Marina.
• Hogs For Hospice – Every August, a motorcycle rally takes place at Seacliff Park with concerts, crafts, and vendor shows. Money raised supports the Leamington Hospice.

The town's water tower looks like a giant tomato, and there used to be a tourist information booth also shaped like a large tomato.

Sports

Leamington has many fun sports teams for kids! The Leamington Flyers play hockey in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League at the Highbury Canco Arena. Other hockey teams include the Wheatley Sharks and the Southpoint Capitals.

There are also baseball, soccer, and lacrosse teams for children. The Sun County Crows play lacrosse at Highbury Canco Arena, and many kids enjoy playing volleyball, baseball, and soccer in local leagues.

Media

Print

Leamington has a weekly newspaper called the Southpoint Sun-Journal. Another newspaper, called the Leamington Post, stopped publishing in 2012 after being around for 138 years.

Radio

Leamington has two local commercial radio stations.

The town is also served by Weatheradio Canada station VAZ533, which broadcasts at 162.475 MHz on the weather band.

Television

Notable people

Leamington has been home to many interesting people. Margaret Birch was the first woman to serve in Ontario’s government. Kirk Bowman and several others grew up to play hockey in the NHL. Bob Hooper and Danny Klassen both played baseball in the MLB. Stephen Eustáquio is a professional soccer player, and Nino Ricci and Bill Sherk are well-known authors. Lana Gay works as a radio personality, and Rosalie Trombley was a famous music director for a popular radio station.

In popular culture

The book Splat! by Eric Walters is set in Leamington during its tomato festival.