| Official Name: | City of Belleville |
| Dot Mapsize: | 250px |
| Dot Map Caption: | Location of Belleville, Ontario |
| Dot X: | 213 |
| Dot Y: | 180 |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Canada |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Ontario |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Hastings |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Neil Ellis |
| Established Title: | Settled |
| Established Date: | 1789 |
| Established Title2: | Named |
| Established Date2: | 1816 |
| Area Total Km2: | 246.76 |
| Area Urban Sq Mi: | 740.61 |
| Population As Of: | 2006 |
| Population Footnotes: | [1] |
| Population Total: | 48821 |
| Population Density Km2: | 197.8 |
| Population Metro: | 91518 |
| Population Density Metro Km2: | 123.6 |
| Timezone: | EST |
| Utc Offset: | −5 |
| Timezone Dst: | EDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | −4 |
| Latd: | 44 |
| Latm: | 10 |
| Latns: | N |
| Longd: | 77 |
| Longm: | 23 |
| Longew: | W |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal Code FSA |
| Postal Code: | K8N, K8P |
| Area Code: | 613 |
| Website: | http://www.city.belleville.on.ca/ |
Belleville (French: "Belle ville" meaning "Beautiful city") (2006 population 48,821, metropolitan population 91,518)[2] is a city located at the mouth of the Moira River on the Bay of Quinte in southeastern Ontario, Canada, in the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor. It is the seat of Hastings County. The current mayor of Belleville is Neil Ellis.
Originally the site of a Native settlement known as Asukhknosk, the future location of the city was settled by United Empire Loyalists in 1789, after which it became known as Meyer's Creek after prominent settler and industrialist John Walden Meyers. It was renamed Belleville in honour of Lady Arabella Gore in 1816, after a visit to the settlement by Sir Francis Gore and his wife. Belleville became an important railway junction with the completion of the Grand Trunk Railway in 1855. In 1858 the iron bridge over the Moira at Bridge Street became the first iron bridge in Hastings County. Belleville's strikingly beautiful Gothic city hall was constructed in 1872. The City Hall tower stands some 185 feet above street level.
In 1998, the city was amalgamated with the surrounding Township of Thurlow to form an expanded City of Belleville as part of Ontario-wide municipal restructuring. The city also annexed portions of Quinte West to the west.
Belleville is located at the mouth of the Moira River on the Bay of Quinte in southeastern Ontario between the cities of Quinte West to the west and Napanee to the east. These cities are connected by both Ontario's Highway 2 and the Macdonald-Cartier Freeway (Highway 401); The city is also served by Highway 37, running north-south from Belleville towards Tweed to the east of the Moira River; and Highway 62 (once Highway 14 south of 401), northwards towards Madoc, and southward to Prince Edward County over the Bay Bridge.
Belleville is located in a transitional zone which may be considered part of the Central Ontario or Eastern Ontario regions by different sources. By the official definition of these regions, however, Belleville is more properly considered part of the Central Ontario region as it is located west of the St. Lawrence River's starting point.
Belleville's climate has four distinctive seasons. The summer season has comfortable temperatures and modest rainfall. The winter season is not exceedingly cold and the average snowfall is lower than in many other parts of Canada and north-east United States. The City's traditional continental climate (hot summers, cold winters) is moderated somewhat by its location near the Bay of Quinte and Lake Ontario. The lakes moderates temperature extremes, cooling hot summer days and warming cold days during the fall and winter.
Procter & Gamble, Kellogg's, Lipton, Wilson Sports, Sears and Nortel are among the internationally known companies with industrial operations in Belleville. The central Canadian Forces Post Office (CFPO) is located here. As this post office is the gateway between the civilian and military postal systems of Canada, Belleville serves as the mailing address for Canadian Armed Forces Bases and Ships abroad.
Many other companies in the manufacturing sector formerly operated plants in Belleville, including Mead Johnson, Westwood-Squibb and Union Carbide. Prior to the Nortel downturn there was a large workforce of skilled workers at two of its plants, formerly known as Northern Telecom and prior to that, Northern Electric. Federal Signal remains one of Belleville's largest employers manufacturing Air Raid and Tornado Sirens for the North American and Western European market.
The City of Belleville, with the amalgamation of the Township of Thurlow, and the annexation of a portion of the City of Quinte West, has a population of approximately 46,000 people. Belleville is the largest urban centre in a much larger market area generally known as the Quinte Region. The Quinte Region extends approximately 25 miles in all directions from Belleville's City centre, and has an estimated population of approximately 173,000 people.
Belleville's population is projected to increase by 7,500 people by 2021 to approximately 54,000 inhabitants, a growth rate of roughly .7% per year. However, two trends may result in a growth rate up to twice the above rate. The two trends include:
Belleville offers a number of options at the elementary, secondary, and post-secondary levels.
Loyalist College is the local community college.
There is currently a grassroots effort underway to bring a university to the Quinte region with a view to making the region more attractive to business, and keeping well-educated people in the region.
The Public school system is served by the Hastings & Prince Edward District School Board.
| Public Secondary schools |
|---|
| Bayside Secondary School |
| Centennial Secondary School (Belleville) |
| Moira Secondary School |
| Quinte Secondary School |
| Public Elementary schools |
|---|
| Susanna Moodie Elementary School |
| Parkdale Public Elementary School |
| Queen Elizabeth Elementary School |
| Prince of Wales Elementary School |
| Harry J. Clarke Elementary School |
| Queen Victoria Elementary School |
| Chase Maracle Elementary School |
| Sir John A Macdonald School |
| Sir Mackenzie Bowell School |
| Hillcrest Elementary School |
| Prince Charles Elementary School |
| Foxboro Public Elementary School |
The Separate school board is served by the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board.
| Separate board Secondary schools |
|---|
| Nicholson Catholic College |
| St. Theresa Catholic Secondary School |
| Separate board Elementary schools |
|---|
| Our Lady of Fatima Elementary School |
| St Michael's Elementary School |
| St Joseph's Elementary School |
| Georges Vanier Elementary School |
| Holy Rosary Elementary School |
| Provincial Demonstration schools |
|---|
| Sir James Whitney School for the Deaf |
| Sagonaska School |
| Private schools |
|---|
| Albert College |
| Quinte Ballet School of Canada |
| Quinte Christian High School |
| Belleville Christian School |
Belleville is home to the Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League. They play at the Yardmen Arena, located on Cannifton Road. Belleville was previously home to two senior hockey teams, the Belleville Macs and the Belleville McFarlands. The McFarlands won the Allan Cup in 1958, and the World Championship in 1959.
See also List of radio stations in Ontario.
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