SIMCOE, LAKE

lake, southeastern Ontario, Canada. It lies between Lake Huron's Georgian Bay and Lake Ontario, 40 miles (65 km) north of Toronto. Fed by numerous small streams and joined by the Trent Canal, the lake, 287 square miles (743 square km) in area, drains northward through Couchiching Lake and the Severn River, also parts of the canal system, into the southeastern end of Georgian Bay. The lake is 30 miles (48 km) long and contains several islands, the largest, Georgina, being an Indian reserve. Encountered by Samuel de Champlain in 1650, it was originally known as Lac aux Claies before Governor John Simcoe renamed it for his father. Now a popular summer resort serving metropolitan Toronto, Lake Simcoe is situated in a rich farming region. Riparian settlements include Barrie and Orillia.