Witless Bay

Witless Bay
Witless Bay
Town
	Witless Bay Location of Witless Bay in Newfoundland
	Coordinates: 47°17′N 52°50′W / 47.28°N 52.83°W
Country	Canada
Province	Newfoundland and Labrador
Government
• Mayor	Trevor Croft
Area
• Land	17.49 km2 (6.75 sq mi)
Population (2021)
• Total	1,640
• Density	92.6/km2 (240/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-3:30 (Newfoundland Time)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-2:30 (Newfoundland Daylight)
Area code	709
Highways	Route 10; Route 13
Website	www.townofwitlessbay.com

Witless Bay is a town on the Avalon Peninsula in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Located on the Irish Loop, 35 km south of the provincial capital, St. John's, Witless Bay is a small, scenic, traditional Newfoundland outport community. The town had a population of 1640 in the Canada 2021 Census.^[2] It is connected to the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve.

Witless Bay is the setting for Howard Norman's novel, The Bird Artist.

Etymology

One of the original European inhabitants of the area was Captain Whittle, who had brought his family from Dorset, England, to Newfoundland. The area was named after them: Whittle's Bay. When Captain Whittle died, his widow and her children returned to England. Whittle's Bay (which was from then on "Whittles-less) eventually became Witless Bay.

History

1675, the population of Witless Bay is 34.

1700s, Irish fishing servants begin arriving in the area and quickly start to outnumber the English.

1755, as Roman Catholicism is still outlawed in Newfoundland, priests disguised as fishermen, minister to the spiritual needs of the community.

1836, the first official census of Newfoundland puts the population at 542, of which 540 were Roman Catholic.

1845, Roman Catholic Church opens.

1860, the Presentation Sisters open a convent and a school for girls.

1871, population reaches 928.

1960s, people are re-settled from Gallows Cove at the southern headland of Witless Bay to the community of Witless Bay.

1986, Witless Bay is incorporated,

1986 - The first town Manager of the Town of Witless Bay is Joan Marie Yard (1943-1999)

2016, population reaches 1619, population grows by 38.7% from 2011,^[1] making it the fastest growing town in the province.

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Witless Bay had a population of 1,640 living in 611 of its 656 total private dwellings, a change of 1.3% from its 2016 population of 1,619. With a land area of 17.61 km² (6.80 sq mi), it had a population density of 93.1/km² (241.2/sq mi) in 2021.^[2]

Economy

Witless Bay is a fishing community, first established because of its closeness to the rich fishing grounds on the Grand Banks. Tourism is an important part of the community as well, since the community is home to the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve, which contains North America's largest Atlantic Puffin colony and the world's second-largest colony of Leach's Storm-petrels. The presence of these bird colonies has given birth to the Witless Bay Puffin and Petrel Patrol, a volunteer organization aiming to save stranded chick and return them safely to the ocean. Bed-and-breakfast establishments, coffee shops, a whale and puffin tour operator, several craftspeople, and the Witless Bay and Area Puffin and Petrel Patrol attract visitors from all over the world.

St. Bernard's Elementary School, part of the Eastern School District, is located in Witless Bay. The town is also home to one of the three surviving crab processing plants of the Irish Loop.

Government

The Witless Bay Town Council is made up of a mayor, deputy mayor, and five councillors. The current mayor of the town is Trevor Croft. The deputy mayor is Lorna Yard. Councillors are Ralph Carey, Gerard Dunne, Jacob Hayden, and Alan Richards.^[3]

Joan Marie Yard was the first town manager of the town of Witless Bay (from incorporation in 1986 until her death at the age of 55 in 1999). She was very active in bringing many new initiatives to the town including the Girl Guides of Canada, The Witless Bay Volunteer Fire Department, and was instrumental in the creation of the Witless Bay Santa Claus Parade. As well she was the organist for the local church and an advocate of preserving natural assets.

The current chief administrative officer is Jennifer Aspell.

References

^ ^a ^b "Census Profile". 2016 Census. Statistics Canada.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Newfoundland and Labrador". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
^ "Council". Town of Witless Bay. Retrieved 13 October 2023.

External links

[census2016-1] "Census Profile". 2016 Census. Statistics Canada.

[2021census-2] "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Newfoundland and Labrador". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved March 15, 2022.

[3] "Council". Town of Witless Bay. Retrieved 13 October 2023.

[1]

[2]

[3]

v t e Municipalities of St. John's metropolitan area
Population over 100,000	St. John's
Population over 20,000	Conception Bay South Mount Pearl Paradise
Population under 20,000	Portugal Cove–St. Philip's Torbay Logy Bay–Middle Cove–Outer Cove Pouch Cove Flatrock Bay Bulls Witless Bay Petty Harbour–Maddox Cove Bauline
Category

v t e Division No. 1, Newfoundland and Labrador (Avalon Peninsula)
Cities	Mount Pearl St. John's
Towns	Admirals Beach Aquaforte Arnold's Cove Avondale Bauline Bay Bulls Bay de Verde Bay Roberts Bishop's Cove Branch Brigus Brigus South Bryant's Cove Cape Broyle Carbonear Chance Cove Chapel Arm Clarke's Beach Colinet Colliers Come By Chance Conception Bay South Conception Harbour Cupids Fermeuse Ferryland Flatrock Fox Harbour Gaskiers–Point La Haye Hant's Harbour Harbour Grace Harbour Main–Chapel's Cove–Lakeview Heart's Content Heart's Delight–Islington Heart's Desire Holyrood Logy Bay–Middle Cove–Outer Cove Long Harbour–Mount Arlington Heights Mount Carmel–Mitchells Brook–St. Catherines New Perlican Norman's Cove–Long Cove North River Old Perlican Paradise Petty Harbour–Maddox Cove Placentia Point Lance Port Kirwan Portugal Cove–St. Philip's Portugal Cove South Pouch Cove Renews–Cappahayden Riverhead St. Bride's St. Joseph's St. Mary's St. Shott's St. Vincent's–St. Stephen's–Peter's River Salmon Cove Small Point–Adam's Cove–Blackhead–Broad Cove South River Southern Harbour Spaniard's Bay Sunnyside Torbay Trepassey Upper Island Cove Victoria Wabana Whitbourne Whiteway Winterton Witless Bay
Unorganized subdivisions	Subdivision A Subdivision B Subdivision C Subdivision D Subdivision E Subdivision F Subdivision G Subdivision H Subdivision I Subdivision J Subdivision K Subdivision L Subdivision M Subdivision N Subdivision O Subdivision R Subdivision U Subdivision V Subdivision W Subdivision X Subdivision Y
Designated places	Bellevue Bellevue Beach Blaketown Brigus Junction Brigus South Burnt Cove, St. Michael's, Bauline South Burnt Point-Gull Island-Northern Bay Calvert Cavendish Dildo Fairhaven Forest Field-New Bridge Freshwater, Conception Bay Georgetown Goulds Grates Cove Green's Harbour Hopeall Lance Cove, Bell Island Little Harbour (East), Placentia Bay Makinsons Markland Marysvale Mobile New Chelsea-New Melbourne-Brownsdale-Sibley's Cove-Lead Cove New Harbour, Trinity Bay North Harbour, St. Mary's Bay O'Donnells Old Shop Patrick's Cove-Angels Cove Roaches Line South Dildo Thornlea Tors Cove
Unincorporated communities	Admiral's Cove Arnold's Cove Station Baccalieu Island Bareneed Black Duck Pond Blow Me Down Bradley's Cove Bristol's Hope Caplin Cove Cuslett Daniel's Cove The Dock Flatrock Goobies Gooseberry Cove Gould's Road Great Barasway Gull Island Hibb's Cove Iona Job's Cove Kingston Little Barasway Little Placentia Sound Lower Island Cove Low Point Mahers Northern Bay Ochre Pit Cove Perry's Cove Point Verde Port de Grave Rantem Red Head Cove Rose au Rue St. Michaels Ship Harbour Swells Cove Trinny Cove Turks Cove Western Bay
See also: Municipalities of St. John's Metropolitan Area Census divisions of Newfoundland and Labrador

v t e Subdivisions of Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland Labrador Nunatsiavut Other islands
Subdivisions and statistical units	Regions Census divisions Census agglomerations Municipalities Population centres
Communities	Cities Towns Inuit community governments Indian reserves Local service districts Designated places Ghost towns
Cities	Corner Brook Mount Pearl St. John's
Towns	Admirals Beach Anchor Point Appleton Aquaforte Arnold's Cove Avondale Badger Baie Verte Baine Harbour Bauline Bay Bulls Bay de Verde Bay L'Argent Bay Roberts Baytona Beachside Bellburns Belleoram Birchy Bay Bird Cove Bishop's Cove Bishop's Falls Bonavista Botwood Branch Brent's Cove Brighton Brigus Bryant's Cove Buchans Burgeo Burin Burlington Burnt Islands Campbellton Cape Broyle Cape St. George Carbonear Carmanville Cartwright Centreville-Wareham-Trinity Chance Cove Change Islands Channel-Port aux Basques Chapel Arm Charlottetown Clarenville Clarke's Beach Coachman's Cove Colinet Colliers Come By Chance Comfort Cove-Newstead Conception Bay South Conception Harbour Conche Cook's Harbour Cormack Cottlesville Cow Head Cox's Cove Crow Head Cupids Daniel's Harbour Deer Lake Dover Duntara Eastport Elliston Embree Englee English Harbour East Fermeuse Ferryland Flatrock Fleur de Lys Flower's Cove Fogo Island Forteau Fortune Fox Cove-Mortier Fox Harbour Frenchman's Cove Gallants Gambo Gander Garnish Gaskiers-Point La Haye Gaultois Gillams Glenburnie-Birchy Head-Shoal Brook Glenwood Glovertown Goose Cove East Grand Bank Grand Falls-Windsor Grand le Pierre Greenspond Hampden Hant's Harbour Happy Adventure Happy Valley-Goose Bay Harbour Breton Harbour Grace Harbour Main-Chapel's Cove-Lakeview Hare Bay Hawke's Bay Heart's Content Heart's Delight-Islington Heart's Desire Hermitage-Sandyville Holyrood Howley Hughes Brook Humber Arm South Indian Bay Irishtown-Summerside Isle aux Morts Jackson's Arm Keels King's Cove King's Point Kippens Labrador City Lamaline L'Anse-au-Clair L'Anse-au-Loup Lark Harbour LaScie Lawn Leading Tickles Lewin's Cove Lewisporte Little Bay East Little Bay Islands Little Bay Little Burnt Bay Logy Bay-Middle Cove-Outer Cove Long Harbour-Mount Arlington Heights Lord's Cove Lourdes Lumsden Lushes Bight-Beaumont-Beaumont North Main Brook Mary's Harbour Marystown Massey Drive McIvers Meadows Middle Arm Miles Cove Millertown Milltown-Head of Bay d'Espoir Ming's Bight Morrisville Mount Carmel-Mitchells Brook-St. Catherines Mount Moriah Musgrave Harbour Musgravetown New Perlican New-Wes-Valley Nipper's Harbour Norman's Cove-Long Cove Norris Arm Norris Point North River North West River Northern Arm Old Perlican Pacquet Paradise Parkers Cove Parson's Pond Pasadena Peterview Petty Harbour–Maddox Cove Pilley's Island Pinware Placentia Point au Gaul Point Lance Point Leamington Point May Point of Bay Pool's Cove Port Anson Port au Choix Port au Port East Port au Port West-Aguathuna-Felix Cove Port Blandford Port Hope Simpson Port Kirwan Port Rexton Port Saunders Portugal Cove South Portugal Cove–St. Philip's Pouch Cove Raleigh Ramea Red Bay Red Harbour Reidville Rencontre East Renews-Cappahayden River of Ponds Riverhead Roberts Arm Rocky Harbour Roddickton-Bide Arm Rose Blanche-Harbour le Cou Rushoon Sally's Cove Salmon Cove Salvage Sandringham Sandy Cove Seal Cove (Fortune Bay) Seal Cove (White Bay) Small Point-Adam's Cove-Blackhead-Broad Cove South Brook South River Southern Harbour Spaniard's Bay Springdale St. Alban's St. Anthony St. Bernard's-Jacques Fontaine St. Brendan's St. Bride's St. George's St. Jacques-Coomb's Cove St. Joseph's St. Lawrence St. Lewis St. Lunaire-Griquet St. Mary's St. Pauls St. Shott's St. Vincent's-St. Stephen's-Peter's River Steady Brook Stephenville Crossing Stephenville Summerford Sunnyside Terra Nova Terrenceville Tilt Cove Torbay Traytown Trepassey Trinity Bay North Trinity Triton Trout River Twillingate Upper Island Cove Victoria Wabana Wabush West St. Modeste Westport Whitbourne Whiteway Winterland Winterton Witless Bay Woodstock Woody Point York Harbour
Inuit community governments	Hopedale Makkovik Nain Postville Rigolet
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