Dunnville, Ontario, is an unincorporated community nestled near the mouth of the Grand River in Haldimand County. This charming community, located near the historic Talbot Trail, was once an incorporated town with a population of 12,000. Today, it's a popular destination for history buffs and nature lovers alike.
Dunnville's history traces back to a Cayuga settlement known as Detgahnegaha'gó:wah. The European settlers initially built the community as the entrance to the Welland "feeder" canal. The town was once home to several water-powered mills and a bustling canal port. However, the feeder canal closed in the late 1880s, and the last mill was replaced with a condominium complex about a decade ago.
An impassable dam at Dunnville regulates the level of the Grand River at Port Maitland. In the 19th century, this dam also helped regulate the level of the Welland Canal. Dunnville was incorporated as a village in 1860 and then as a town in 1900. In 1974, the town amalgamated with the townships of Dunn, Canborough, Moulton, and Sherbrooke when the Regional Municipality of Haldimand-Norfolk was formed. In 2001, Dunnville and all other municipalities within the region were dissolved, and the region was divided into two single-tier municipalities with city-status but called counties. Today, the former town of Dunnville consists of Wards 5 and 6 in Haldimand County.
Just a few kilometres from Lake Erie, Dunnville is home to many private vacation properties and offers a plethora of natural attractions and events. Every June, the town hosts the annual Mudcat Festival to celebrate one of the Grand River's most well-known inhabitants. The festival includes a parade, strongman contests, a midway, and fireworks.
The Dunnville Agricultural Fair, held in late August, features horse shows, sheep and goat shows. The town also boasts tennis, golf, and swimming facilities, along with numerous Bed and Breakfasts and camp sites. The local Farmers Market operates on Tuesdays and Saturdays, offering a wide range of local produce.
The former World War II RCAF Training Base, the Dunnville Airport, offers a unique glimpse into history with its massive hangars and runways. Although the airport is now closed due to six large wind-turbine power generators on the airfield, it houses Haldimand County's newest museum, the No. 6 RCAF Dunnville Museum. The airport has also been the home of the Driver Rehabilitation Centre for the reality television program Canada's Worst Driver since 2010.
The Grand River and nearby Lake Erie offer a variety of aquatic activities, including swimming, sailing, windsurfing, canoeing, and prime fishing locations. Nearby are the Byng Island Conservation Area, Rock Point Provincial Park, and Port Maitland's new pier. In the fall, Rock Point hosts thousands of monarch butterflies heading south. Dunnville is also the site of one of the largest expanses of provincially significant wetlands in Ontario, making it a prime location for bird watching and nature photography.
Dunnville is the easternmost city that belongs to the Green Energy Hub of Southern Ontario. The Bick's Pickle Plant, Dunnville's largest factory, provides employment for a small percentage of the town's population, mainly students. In 2001, Bick's head office facility in Scarborough, Ontario was shut down and operations were transferred to the Dunnville location, where it remained until the end of November 2011.
On February 13, 2009, the Grand River flooded when the river ice thawed, causing damage to Cayuga and Dunnville. The next day, the CCGC Griffon proceeded up the river to help clear ice.
As of the 2021 census, there were 5,585 citizens that spoke English only, 140 that spoke both official languages, and 5 that spoke neither. Only those populations which compose more than 1% of the population have been included in the ethnicity data.
