The Township of Wainfleet is a rural township located on the northern shore of Lake Erie, in southern Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada.
The Township is approximately 217.31 square kilometers in size and is bounded by Lake Erie to the south and the meandering course of the Welland River to the north. To the west lies Haldimand County and to the east are the cities of Welland and Port Colborne.
Best known for its agricultural productivity and lake shore areas, Wainfleet is also the home of the Marshville Heritage Village: a living history museum recreating life in Ontario circa 1850-1910.
Located within Ontario's Greater Golden Horseshoe, Wainfleet is strategically situated within a one-day drive of over 130 million people. Within its borders, the Township is served by Highway 3 and a number of regional and local roads providing fast and easy east-west and north-south access across the Region, the Province and into the United States.
Average Temperatures and Precipitation
In this chart, the “mean daily maximum” (solid red line) shows the maximum temperature of an average day for every month in Wainfleet. Likewise, “mean daily minimum” (solid blue line) shows the average minimum temperature. Hot days and cold nights (dashed red and blue lines) show the average of the hottest day and the coldest night of each month for the last 30 years. For vacation planning, you can expect the mean temperatures, and be prepared for the hotter and colder days.
The precipitation chart is useful to plan for seasonal effects. Monthly precipitations above 150mm would be considered to be mostly wet, below 30 mm as mostly dry.

Cloudy, Sunny and Precipitation Days
The chart shows the monthly number of sunny, partly cloudy, overcast and precipitation days. Days with less than 20% cloud cover are considered as sunny, with 20-80% cloud cover as partly cloudy and with more than 80% as overcast.

Maximum Temperatures
The maximum temperature diagram for Wainfleet displays how many days per month reach certain temperatures.

Precipitation Amounts
The precipitation diagram for Wainfleet shows on how many days per month certain precipitation amounts are reached.

Wind Speed
The diagram for Wainfleet shows the days per month during which the wind reaches a certain speed.

Wind Direction
The wind rose chart for Wainfleet shows how many hours per year the wind blows from the indicated direction in the Township. For example, the diagram above shows that the wind in Wainfleet blows predominantly from the south-west. The diagram is called a wind rose because the shape of the diagram resembles a rose.

Population Size and Growth
Between 2011 and 2016, data from Statistics Canada indicated that the Township of Wainfleet grew from 6,356 to 6,372 persons, which is approximately a 0.3% growth rate over the 5 year period. This compares to the Province of Ontario which grew from 12,851,821 to 13,448,494 persons, or approximately 4.6%.
Population
2001 | 2006 | 2011 | 2016 | 2021 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wainfleet | 6,258 | 6,601 | 6,356 | 6,372 | 6,887 |
Ontario | 11,410,046 | 12,160,282 | 12,851,821 | 13,448,494 |
Source: Statistics Canada
Median Age
The 2016 Canadian Census identified the median age in our community to be 46.9 years, compared to 41.3 years in the Province of Ontario. In 2011, our median age was 45.1 years versus a provincial median age of 40.4 years.
Median Age
2001 | 2006 | 2011 | 2016 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Wainfleet | 39.4 | 42.5 | 45.1 | 46.9 |
Ontario | 37.2 | 39.0 | 40.4 | 41.3 |
Source: Statistics Canada
Total Private Dwellings
In 2016, the Township was home to 2,977 private dwellings, up from 2,937 private dwellings in 2011. In comparison, the Province of Ontario saw the total number of private dwellings increase from 5,308,785 in 2011 to 5,598,391 in 2016. This includes private dwellings occupied by usual residents permanently residing in the dwelling units as well as other dwelling units that may not have residents permanently residing there (including seasonal residences, cottages, etc.).
Total Private Dwellings
2001 | 2006 | 2011 | 2016 | 2021 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wainfleet | 2,436 | 2,916 | 2,937 | 2,977 | 3,116 |
Ontario | 4,556,240 | 4,972,869 | 5,308,785 | 5,598,391 |
Source: Statistics Canada
Median Household Total Income
In 2016, Wainfleet had a measurably higher (by approx. 8%) median household total income than the Province of Ontario.
Median Household Total Income
2001 | 2006 | 2011 | 2016 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Wainfleet | 51,949 | 61,986 | 69,574 | 80,205 |
Ontario | 53,626 | 60,455 | 66,358 | 74,287 |
Source: Statistics Canada
Population Density
The population density of Wainfleet has remained constant from 2011 through 2016 at 29.3 persons per square kilometre. The population density of Ontario has shown steady increases through the years and now rests at 14.8 persons per square kilometre (the relatively low number is primarily the result of the vast open spaces occurring in northern Ontario).
Population Density per square kilometre
2001 | 2006 | 2011 | 2016 | 2021 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wainfleet | 28.80 | 30.40 | 29.30 | 29.30 | 31.7 |
Ontario | 12.60 | 13.40 | 14.10 | 14.80 |
Source: Statistics Canada
The Niagara Workforce Planning Board (NWPB) is one of 26 regional planning boards in Ontario that is funded through Employment Ontario to provide regional labour market planning services to Niagara region and its municipalities. NWPB is a not-for-profit, non-government organization that supplies research, data and analysis on labour market, economic and broad demographic trends.
The NWPB also works to bring community stakeholders together to identify labour force issues and develop possible solutions. Among other things, the NWPB produces regular Labour Market Planning Reports as well as more focused supplements to the reports in the form of annual municipal snapshots of population and employment patterns in all of Niagara's 12 municipalities.
- Highway 3
- Regional Roads
- Airport
- Rail
A variety of government and not-for-profit programs and agencies are available to assist with business and community support and development. These agencies specialize in knowledge translation, job creation and capital and business development.
Federal Departments and Agencies
- Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)
- Canada Business - Business Start-up Assistant
- Export Development Canada
- Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario)
- Federation of Canadian Municipalities
- Futurpreneur Canada
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Provincial Departments and Agencies
- Economic Development Council of Ontario
- Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade
- Ontario Centers of Excellence
- Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
- Service Ontario
Regional/Local and Other Agencies
Wainfleet…Niagara's cottage country. The Region's second largest township, Wainfleet rests between the shore of Lake Erie and the Welland River. With miles and miles of beach, it has become a hotbed for fishing and boating enthusiasts. Home to 6,372 residents, Wainfleet is a quiet and relaxed township with distinctive hamlets, quaint shops and cultural and historic sites.
Wainfleet is home to Marshville Heritage Village, a re-creation of life in Wainfleet in the 1800s that welcomes thousands to its annual Marshville Heritage Festival.
Visitors are also attracted to our many campsites, golf courses and hiking trails. Wainfleet is also home to no less than four conservation areas operated by the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority including: