Claremont, Ontario, is an unincorporated community nestled in the northern part of Pickering, Southern Ontario, Canada. This quaint village is a blend of suburban housing and historic buildings, making it a unique destination in the Greater Toronto Area.
Claremont is conveniently located 20 km northwest of Oshawa and about 55 km northeast of Downtown Toronto. The village is easily accessible, with traffic through Claremont increasing greatly since the completion of the eastern extension of Highway 407 in 2001. The Havelock Subdivision of the Canadian Pacific Railway also runs through Claremont, primarily used for freight traffic. However, there have been proposals for the return of passenger service as part of a GO Transit expansion to Peterborough.
Claremont is situated just below the Oak Ridges Moraine, in the Greenbelt. This location offers a picturesque countryside, with around 50 to 70% of the land area around Claremont being forested. The remaining land around the village is a beautiful mix of wooded farmland and streams.
Historically, Claremont was part of Pickering Township, Ontario County, Ontario until 1974 when Ontario County was amalgamated into the Regional Municipality of Durham. The municipal offices of the former Township of Pickering were located in Claremont until the establishment of regional government in 1974.
In 1972, the Government of Canada expropriated 7,530 ha of land just west of Claremont for a possible future airport. By the late-1990s, the Greater Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA) initiated plans to build an international Airport in Pickering to relieve congestion at Pearson International Airport. However, these plans have been delayed due to various factors.
The Claremont General Store, built in 1847, was one of the longest operating General Stores in Canada until it was destroyed by fire in July 2009.
According to the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Claremont had a population of 1,215 living in 402 of its 413 total private dwellings. This was a change of 1.1% from its 2016 population of 1,202. With a land area of 2.12 km2 (0.82 sq mi), it had a population density of 573.1/km2 (1,484.4/sq mi) in 2021.
Claremont boasts a fire station and community hall, two churches, a Royal Canadian Legion hall (Branch 483), a cafe (Old Brock Cafe), a community co-op (which also serves as a Liquor Control Board of Ontario and Beer Store outlet), and an elementary school (Claremont Public School). Claremont was also the hometown of legendary Canadian painter Tom Thomson, who was born in Claremont on August 5, 1877.
Claremont is well known for its annual "Yard Sale Day", an event where all residents host simultaneous garage/yard sales. This event, typically held on the second or third Saturday of June, draws over 1000 visitors and bargain hunters to the small hamlet.
Claremont remains a vibrant and active community even in winter with its annual Winter Carnival. This week-long event in January or February includes a winter parade, a teen dance at the local community centre, karaoke at the Legion, and the highly anticipated Trapper's Ball, along with traditional winter activities like snowshoeing, tobogganing, and a neighbourhood snow sculpture contest.
