Severn, Ontario

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Severn is a township in south-central Ontario, Canada. It is part of Simcoe County and sits between Lake Couchiching and the Severn River, both connected to the Trent–Severn Waterway. The township covers a large area and includes communities such as Coldwater, Port Severn, Washago, Sparrow Lake, Severn Bridge, and many smaller settlements.

History
- In 1830, Chief John Aisance and his Ojibwa (Chippewa) people settled along the Coldwater River, calling the place Gissinausebing, meaning “cold water.”
- A grist mill was built in 1833, and a post office opened in 1835. The area was settled by Europeans starting in 1836 and Coldwater became a village in 1908.
- At the mouth of the Severn River, a sawmill led to the creation of Severn Mills, later renamed Port Severn in 1868. The Georgian Bay Lumber Co. formed in 1875 and became a major local employer.
- The lumber boom faded after the mill was struck by lightning in 1896, and timber supplies declined, leading to population decreases.
- When the Trent–Severn Waterway was completed in 1915, the area’s economy shifted from lumber to tourism.
- The modern Township of Severn was created on January 1, 1994, by amalgamating the Village of Coldwater, the townships of Matchedash and Orillia, and portions of Medonte and Tay.

Today
In the 2021 Census, Severn had a population of 14,576 people living in 5,804 of its 7,073 private dwellings, a rise of 8.3% from 2016. The land area is 523.06 square kilometers, giving a population density of 27.9 people per square kilometer.

Practical details
Severn operates in the Eastern Time Zone (EST/EDT). The area codes are 705 and 249. The township’s official website is severn.ca.