Renfrew County is Ontario’s biggest county; it covers more than 7,000 square kilometres. Spread over that distance are 106,000 people, which is about fourteen people per square kilometre. To fully appreciate how sparse the population is, compare those numbers to the city of Toronto, where over 3 million people live in a space of just 630 square kilometres. That’s 4,750 per square kilometre.
One of Canada’s largest military bases—Garrison Petawawa, with 6,100 members of the military—is located in Renfrew County. Deep River and Chalk River are home to Canadian Nuclear Laboratories. Agriculture and tourism feature prominently in the county’s economy. Like many rural parts of Canada, Renfrew County is conservative; both large and small c style. Conservative party candidates are often successful at the polls. Support for the Freedom Convoy is visible, especially in the countryside. It can be a hard place to be an outspoken woman.
