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Kemptville

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The welcome sign for the Municipality of North Grenville near Kemptville.
Photo: P199, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Fast Facts

  • Population: 4,051 (Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population (Kemptville population centre))
  • Distance from Parliament Hill: About 45.6 km south (straight-line distance)

Overview

Kemptville is the largest community in the separate Municipality of North Grenville, about 46 km south of Ottawa on Kemptville Creek, a branch of the Rideau River. It is not part of the City of Ottawa. Founded in the 1820s as Clothier's Mills around a sawmill built by Lyman Clothier, it was later renamed for Sir James Kempt, and its historic main street, Prescott Street, remains the town's commercial core alongside newer retail development along Colonnade Road.

Map

No official boundary exists for this area, so no boundary map is shown here.

History

Kemptville began in the 1820s when Lyman Clothier bought an 81-hectare site and built a sawmill, with the first businesses and homes developing nearby along what is now Clothier Street East, which parallels the Kemptville Creek because the river was the reason the settlement formed. The community was first known as Clothier's Mills before being renamed Kemptville, after Sir James Kempt, a Lieutenant Governor of the era.

Kemptville grew as a service centre for the surrounding agricultural area through the 19th and 20th centuries, developing Prescott Street as its traditional main commercial street.

The Municipality of North Grenville was formed on January 1, 1998, amalgamating Kemptville with the surrounding townships of Oxford-on-Rideau and South Gower. Kemptville is the largest community within North Grenville, home to about 69% of the municipality's population.

North Grenville's population grew 9.4% between 2016 and 2021, reflecting increased interest in smaller, rural communities within commuting distance of Ottawa, and Kemptville has continued to add retail development, including the Colonnade Road commercial area anchored by Walmart.

Claim to Fame

Kemptville's defining feature is its role as the commercial and civic centre of North Grenville, a separate municipality on Kemptville Creek about 46 km south of Ottawa, with a historic main street on Prescott Street and newer retail development along Colonnade Road.

Surrounding Neighbourhoods

Kemptville is a separate community within the Municipality of North Grenville, bordering Ottawa's rural south end (Greely and Metcalfe) to the north and the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville's other communities to the south.

Architecture

Prescott Street retains small-scale 19th- and early-20th-century commercial buildings from Kemptville's history as a mill town and agricultural service centre, while Colonnade Road carries newer big-box retail development, including Walmart and Staples.

Restaurants

  • Namaste Kemptville — Indian

    Indian restaurant at 2727 County Road 43, Unit 6.

    Visit website
  • Hyde Smokehouse & Bar — Barbecue

    Southern-style barbecue restaurant and bar at 15 Clothier Street East.

Grocery Stores

Pedestrian and Cycling

Prescott Street and the historic downtown core are walkable, while Colonnade Road's big-box retail area is oriented toward driving; the Kemptville Creek pathway offers walking routes along the water.

Schools

Amenities

Transit Options

Kemptville is not part of OC Transpo's service area; residents travel primarily by personal vehicle along Highway 43 and Highway 416, which connects north to Ottawa.

Nearby on This Site

No listings yet in this area.

Official Information

Last verified: August 27, 2026