Starting in 1858, districts were created in Northern Ontario for the delivery of judicial and provincial government services to the local population. As populations grew new districts were created and boundaries changed.

Northern districts contain incorporated improvement districts, villages, towns, cities, and townships, but they are not incorporated themselves, unlike the counties in southern Ontario. This means that they have no council. Also, the northern districts should not be confused with the pre-1850 districts in Southern Ontario.

Click on the dates below to see maps showing the northern districts at various points in time between 1869 (when the first change to the 1858 districts occurred) and 1927.

The table below lists the names of the northern districts, the year they were created, and the districts from which they were created.