Business View Magazine | December 2019

356 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2019 , Ontario C hatham-Kent is a progressive, single-tier municipality in Southwestern Ontario with a rich cultural heritage. Mostly rural, its population of 105,000 is centered in the charming, diverse communities of Chatham, Wallaceburg, Tilbury, Blenheim, Ridgetown, Wheatley, and Dresden. During the 19th century, the area was a significant part of the Underground Railroad, and Chatham-Kent is now part of the African-Canadian Heritage Tour. Buxton National Historic Site & Museum was part of the Elgin Settlement founded by Rev. William King and Uncle Tom’s Cabin Historic Site is a museum of the Dawn Settlement, established in 1841 by Josiah Henson, near Dresden, these together with Chatham which was known as “Black Mecca”, offered refuge to many slaves who escaped to Canada from the U.S. In 1998, the County of Kent and the City of Chatham were amalgamated to form the Municipality of Chatham–Kent. Today, the economy has a base in the agricultural and AT A GLANCE MUNICIPALITY OF CHATHAM-KENT, ONTARIO WHAT: Single-tier municipality; population approx. 105,000 WHERE: Southwestern Ontario WEBSITE: https://www.chatham-kent.ca/ Classic car capital of Canada