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Credit River facts for kids

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This page is about River in Ontario. For the river in Minnesota, see Credit River (Minnesota).
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Credit River
Credit River in Port Credit.jpg
The Credit River in Port Credit
Credit River is located in Ontario
Credit River
Location of the mouth of the Credit River in Ontario
Other name(s) Missinnihe
Country Canada
Province Ontario
Physical characteristics
Main source Niagara Escarpment
near Orangeville, Ontario and Caledon East, Ontario
400 m (1,300 ft)
River mouth Lake Ontario
Port Credit
74 m (243 ft)
43°32′52″N 79°34′51″W / 43.54778°N 79.58083°W / 43.54778; -79.58083
Length 90 km (56 mi)
Basin features
Basin size 1,000 km2 (390 sq mi)

The Credit River is a cool river in southern Ontario, Canada. It starts way up high near Orangeville and Caledon East. Then, it flows all the way down to Lake Ontario at Port Credit in Mississauga. The river and all its smaller streams cover an area of about 1,000 square kilometres (390 sq mi). If you add up the length of the main river and all its branches, it's more than 1,500 kilometres (930 mi) long!

Credit River Ontario
The Credit River near Belfountain

Even though many towns and cities have grown up around the lower part of the river, it's still a special place. For example, Chinook salmon and rainbow trout come here to lay their eggs. There's even a special "fish ladder" in Streetsville that helps fish swim upstream past a dam. A lot of the river is still great for canoeing or kayaking. The very top part of the Credit River is home to a natural population of brook trout and also some brown trout that were brought there.

The Credit Valley Conservation group helps take care of the river and its land. They manage several special areas like Belfountain, Island Lake, and Terra Cotta. These are great places to visit and enjoy nature.

Caledon Lake in Peel Region, GTA, Ontario, Canada
Caledon Lake is found near the start of the Credit River.

You can also visit Forks of the Credit Provincial Park. This park is located on the upper part of the river, between Brampton and Orangeville. It's also close to the famous Bruce Trail, a long hiking path.

Many communities are located in the area that the Credit River flows through. These include:

What's in a Name? The Credit River's Story

The Credit River has an interesting history behind its name.

Missinnihe: The Trusting Creek

Long ago, the Mississaugas First Nation called the river Missinnihe. This means "trusting creek" in their Eastern Ojibwa language. The Mississaugas met with white traders at the river every year. They thought of the river as a very important place where their ancestors had spent a lot of time. Because of this, the group of Mississaugas living from Lake Erie to the Rouge River became known as the "Credit River Indians." Their descendants today are called the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation.

Rivière au Crédit: French Fur Traders

The English name "Credit River" comes from the time when French fur traders were active here. In the early 1700s, they would give goods to the native people "on credit." This meant the native people would get supplies now and pay for them later with furs they collected the following spring. The French called it Rivière au Crédit, which means "River of Credit." The main trading post was set up right at the mouth of the river, in what is now Port Credit.

Life Around the Credit River

The area around the Credit River is home to many people and lots of wildlife.

People and Land Use

In 2006, about 750,000 people lived in the Credit River watershed. Most of them (about 87%) lived in the lower part of the river's area. The number of people living here grows by about 3% each year. In 1999, about 21% of the land was developed with buildings and roads. By 2020, it was expected that 40% of the land would be developed.

Plants and Animals of the River

The Credit River is a lively place with many different kinds of plants and animals. Some animals live here all the time, while others visit during certain seasons. Sometimes, rare animals are spotted too!

The river's watershed is home to:

  • 1,330 different kinds of plants
  • 64 types of fish, including bait fish, pike, and brook trout
  • 41 kinds of mammals
  • 5 types of turtles
  • 8 kinds of snakes
  • 17 types of amphibians
  • 244 kinds of birds

Turtles You Might See

There are five kinds of turtles living in the Credit River area:

Snakes You Might See

Eight kinds of snakes live in the watershed:

Amphibians You Might See

Seventeen kinds of amphibians, like frogs and salamanders, call this area home:

Bridges Over the Credit River

Many major roads cross over the Credit River in the Peel Region. Here are some of them:

Most of these bridges are modern. However, the QEW bridges and the Old Derry Road bridge are older and have some historical importance. Also, both CP Rail and CN Rail have their own bridges crossing the Credit River.

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Credit River Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.