Clearview Township covers a large swath of Simcoe County, stretching from the farmland south of Highway 26 up toward the Niagara Escarpment. The township is home to roughly 15,000 people spread across one main town, several villages, and a handful of small hamlets. Each community has its own character. None of them are self-contained. Understanding how they connect, and what you need to drive elsewhere for, is essential if you are considering a move.
Stayner
Stayner is the commercial and service centre of Clearview Township. With a population of approximately 4,500 to 5,000, it is where most of the practical stuff is: Foodland for groceries, the LCBO, banks, the post office, Stayner Memorial Arena, the main Clearview Public Library branch, and the township municipal office on Gideon Street. Stayner Family Pharmacy handles prescriptions and everyday health needs right in the core.
Main Street runs through the core and anchors a small but functional downtown with independent shops, restaurants, and service businesses. It is not a tourist-oriented main street like Creemore's. It is a working downtown where locals get things done. You can see what is there on our downtown Stayner guide.
The Stayner Memorial Arena and Community Centre at 269 Regina Street is the recreation hub. Stayner Collegiate Institute is the local high school. Most of the township's new residential development is concentrated here, with subdivisions expanding on the edges of town.
If you live anywhere in Clearview, you will end up in Stayner regularly. It is the default destination for errands, services, and youth activities. Stayner.com covers additional community resources, events, and local information.
Creemore
Creemore is the second most well-known community in Clearview, and it has a very different feel from Stayner. The population sits around 1,300. The town is compact, walkable, and deliberately charming. Mill Street is the main commercial strip, where Curiosity House Books draws readers and browsers, Bank Cafe serves coffee and baked goods, and Chez Michel offers a French-inspired dining experience. Heirloom 142 adds another layer with its curated home goods and gifts. Visit our Creemore Mill Street page for a closer look.
Creemore Springs Brewery put this village on the map. Founded in 1987, it remains a major draw for visitors, and the Batch Gastrobrewery next door has expanded the brewery experience with a full food menu. Together they have shaped the town's identity as an artisan, creative community. Artists, writers, and craftspeople have settled here over the decades, giving Creemore a cultural density unusual for a village its size.
Creemore has its own library branch, a public school, a few restaurants, and a general store. What it does not have: a grocery store, a gas station (the closest is in Stayner or on Highway 26), or most medical services. You will drive to Stayner or Collingwood for anything beyond the basics.
Housing in Creemore has become expensive relative to Stayner. The heritage homes along the main streets command a premium, and new builds in the area are limited by the village's tight boundaries and servicing constraints. Expect to pay more here than in Stayner for comparable square footage.
New Lowell
New Lowell sits in the eastern part of Clearview along County Road 10. It is a small, quiet community with a distinctly agricultural character. The population is modest, and the settlement area is compact.
New Lowell has a library branch, an elementary school (New Lowell Central Public School), and a community hall. The annual New Lowell Antique Show and Sale is a well-attended event that draws collectors from across the region. During the growing season, farm stands and markets in the surrounding area sell produce directly from the field. Beyond that, daily services are thin. Groceries, banking, healthcare, and most retail require a drive to Stayner (about 15 minutes) or Barrie (about 25 minutes).
The appeal of New Lowell is rural simplicity and lower land costs. Larger properties with acreage are more available here than in Stayner or Creemore. If you want space and quiet, and you do not mind driving for everything, New Lowell delivers.
Nottawa
Nottawa is a small community west of Stayner, situated near the Pretty River Valley. It is one of the older settlements in Clearview, with roots that predate Confederation. Today, it is a rural residential area with a handful of homes, a church, and not much commercial activity.
What Nottawa does offer is proximity to some of the best outdoor recreation in the township. The Pretty River Valley Provincial Park is accessible from here, providing hiking, cross-country skiing, and nature trails through the Niagara Escarpment. For people who want to live close to that landscape, Nottawa is well positioned.
Services: essentially none. Stayner is a 10-minute drive. Collingwood is about 20 minutes.
Duntroon
Duntroon is a small hamlet near the base of the Niagara Escarpment, northwest of Stayner along County Road 124. It sits at the edge of ski country, with the Osler Bluff Ski Club and other private ski operations nearby. The Escarpment looms above the village, giving it a dramatic setting that the flatter land around Stayner does not have.
Duntroon has a community hall and a small cluster of homes, but no commercial services to speak of. It is an area where rural properties back onto Escarpment forest, and where the snowfall is noticeably heavier than in Stayner due to elevation and lake-effect patterns off Georgian Bay.
If you want to be close to skiing, hiking, and the Escarpment trail system, Duntroon puts you right there. Just understand that "close to skiing" also means "deep in the snowbelt." Winter maintenance demands are higher here.
Avening
Avening is a quiet, agricultural settlement south of Creemore. There is very little here beyond homes, farms, and open country roads. No commercial services, no school, no library. It is about as rural as Clearview gets.
The advantage is space and peace. Property prices tend to be lower than in the named villages. The disadvantage is distance from everything. Creemore is the nearest village, and even that offers only limited services. Most errands require a drive to Stayner or beyond.
Singhampton
Singhampton sits in the southwestern corner of Clearview, near the boundary with Grey County. It is the gateway to Noisy River Provincial Park, a nature reserve known for its old-growth cedar forests and karst landscapes. The Noisy River itself runs through the area, and the surrounding terrain is hilly, wooded, and scenic.
The village is small. A few dozen homes, a community hall, and a volunteer fire station. No stores, no gas, no services. What it has is character and landscape. People live here because they want to be in the bush, close to trails and wildlife, and away from development.
Singhampton to Stayner is about 20 minutes. To Collingwood, roughly the same. Winter driving on the roads through this area can be challenging, as they wind through Escarpment valleys and are among the last to be plowed after a heavy snowfall.
Glen Huron
Glen Huron is a small settlement along the Mad River in the Escarpment country between Creemore and the Duntroon area. It is picturesque, with old stone buildings, a waterfall, and a wooded valley that draws hikers and photographers.
Like most of the smaller Clearview communities, Glen Huron has no commercial services. It is a residential area for people who value the landscape and do not mind the drive. The Mad River through Glen Huron is popular with trout anglers in the spring.
The Smaller Settlements
Clearview includes several other named places that are more geographic markers than functioning communities:
- Batteaux: A small crossroads community between Stayner and Duntroon. A few homes, farms, and the Batteaux Creek. No services.
- Brentwood: A rural settlement in the eastern part of the township. Agricultural land and scattered residential properties.
- Cashtown Corners: An intersection along Highway 26 between Stayner and Collingwood. Commercial properties have popped up here due to the highway location, but it is not a community in any traditional sense.
- Sunnidale: The name references the former Sunnidale Township, which was amalgamated into Clearview in 1994. The Sunnidale area encompasses much of the eastern portion of the current township, characterized by flat agricultural land and rural homesteads.
None of these have their own services. Residents use Stayner, Collingwood, or Barrie for everything.
How It All Connects
The practical reality of Clearview is this: Stayner is the centre of gravity. If you live in Creemore, New Lowell, Nottawa, or any of the smaller communities, you will drive to Stayner for most routine needs. For anything Stayner does not have (a hospital, a big-box store, a wider selection of restaurants), you will continue on to Collingwood or Barrie. Our nearby towns guide covers what each surrounding community offers.
County roads connect the communities, and they are well-maintained by township standards. But winter changes the equation. A 15-minute summer drive to Stayner from Singhampton can become a 30-minute crawl through blowing snow in January. Factor that into your decision about where in Clearview to settle.
Each community offers something different: Stayner has convenience, Creemore has culture, New Lowell has affordability, the Escarpment communities have natural beauty. The best fit depends on what you prioritize and how much driving you are willing to do.
If you are considering a move to the area, our relocation guide covers the practical details. For information on schools across the township, see the schools and education page. And to explore what businesses and services are available, start with our local services directory.