Bradford, Ontario
Bradford is the main urban area in the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury, Ontario, Canada. It sits near the Holland Marsh farming area and on the Holland River, which flows into Lake Simcoe.
A short history
- The first settlers arrived in 1819.
- The village was named Bradford in 1840, after Bradford, England.
- It became a village in 1857, a town in 1960, and joined Bradford West Gwillimbury in 1991.
- Early industry came from mills along the Holland River; in 1923 the Holland Marsh was drained and turned into farmland.
Today’s Bradford
- Area: about 16.1 square kilometers (6.22 square miles).
- Population (2021): 38,128; population density about 2,368 people per square kilometer.
- The downtown core sits at the historic crossroads of Highway 11 and Highway 88 (now County Roads 4 and 88). The Village Inn Hotel is a well-known landmark.
Transportation and access
- GO Transit serves Bradford, with trains to Toronto and Barrie (service to Barrie resumed in 2007).
- Local transit is provided by BWG Transit with two bus routes; GO connects Bradford to Barrie and Newmarket.
- The town is connected to Highway 400 via County Roads 4 and 88, making travel to the city and cottage country easy.
Education and community
- Bradford has 12 schools, including two high schools.
- There are two junior hockey teams: the Bradford Bulls and the Bradford Rattlers.
- The community is diverse, with many residents tracing European ancestry.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 10:38 (CET).