McNab/Braeside is a township in eastern Ontario, Canada, on the south shore of Chats Lake (part of the Ottawa River), straddling the lower Madawaska River in Renfrew County. The township was created on January 1, 1998, when the Village of Braeside amalgamated with McNab Township.

History

McNab township was created in 1825, comprising roughly 80,000 acres of unsettled land, covering the current Town of Arnprior and Township of McNab/Braeside. It was granted by the government ("Family Compact") to Archibald 13th Laird of McNab (1779-1860), who had fled from his debts in Scotland. He promised to settle it with Highland clansmen, and the first group of eighty-four settlers arrived the same year, 1825. McNab ruled with an iron fist over the Scottish settlers. Only after eighteen years of petitions, court battles, and appeals was his grip loosened when the government finally began issuing Crown grants to the settlers. His feudal powers removed, the Laird eventually sold his lands to the government and returned to Europe in 1852, never to return. Braeside was named in 1872 by W.J. McDonald probably for Braeside, Greenock in Inverclyde, Scotland.

Communities

In addition to the main town of Braeside, the township also comprises the communities of Burnstown, Clay Bank, Clay Valley, Dewars, Glasgow Station, Goshen, Lochwinnoch (partially), Lundys Corners, Pine Grove, Sand Point, Stewartville, Rhoddy’s Bay, Waba and White Lake. Burnstown is a picturesque village about 53 miles (85 km) from downtown Ottawa using Highway 417.

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, McNab/Braeside had a population of 7,591 living in 3,036 of its 3,235 total private dwellings, an increase of NaN% from its 2016 population of 7,178. With a land area of 255.28 km2, it had a population density of in 2021.

Local government

List of former mayors: In December 2023, the township's council voted to suspend Mayor Mackenzie's pay for 60 days following a report by the integrity commissioner that found Mackenzie had threatened and intimidated both staff and council colleagues. On April 16, 2024, Mackenzie decided to suspend himself for 60 days, stating he is no longer comfortable being the face of the township.

Notable people