Peter Robinson (Developer)

Until 1822, Peter Robinson was active in the development of Yonge Street in the Newmarket and Holland Landing area in Upper Canada. He was linked with his brother, John Beverley Robinson, in the Family Compact. Peter Robinson served in the Upper Canadian assembly (1817–24) and on the legislative and executive councils as commissioner of crown lands (1827–36).

Robinson is best remembered as the founder of Peterborough, Ontario, which took its name from him. He supervised two settlements of southern Irish immigrants assisted by the Colonial Office, one based at Shipman's Mills [ Almonte, Ontario] in 1823, the other at Scott's Mills [Peterborough] in 1825. As commissioner of crown lands he employed land agents across the province. From 1829 to 1833, his agents, under the local authority of Sir John Colborne, assisted indigent immigrants to settle in townships in the Peterborough area, in Nottawasaga Bay, and in Adelaide and Warwick townships, west of London, Ontario.