Our Timeline

From its early beginnings, when it held its first official meeting in Spencerville, Ontario in 1892, the company developed a loyal customer base with people who wanted to be more than just be a numbered policyholder-a practice that has upheld the test of time. Slow and balanced growth was the management practice during the early 1900s.

In what was then known as the Grenville Patron Mutual Fire Insurance Company, Grenville was an early adapter of new ideas for coverage, and has always been a stalwart community member.

Surviving the early years, including the depression, the company grew to expand its customer base, and eventually own its own building (built in 1925), ending its first decade in business as the 11th largest mutual insurer in the province. By the 1940s, Grenville Mutual's insurance in force had a wider presence in Eastern Ontario and a strong base of customers.

In later years, Grenville tackled head-on the impact of many historic events whose influence further shaped the company. The joint U.S.-Canadian construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway in the 1950s resulted in the relocation or disappearance of entire towns and more than 200 farms, which had significant effect on the company.

Image Courtesy of the Lost Villages Historical Society

That period, too, became history as Grenville witnessed a time of tremendous growth in the 1960s and 1970s when the return of the financial strength of the company was expanded through the first-time introduction of new services, including liability coverage.

This time in history, the company made a move into its new office building just outside the town limits of Spencerville, Ontario.

The Great Ice Storm of 1998 across eastern Ontario--one of the single most devastating weather events in Canadian history--called upon Grenville's team to address a difficult time for many of its customers. This resulted in 10 years' worth of claims over an eight-day period.

Since January 2013, Grenville Mutual has operated from newly constructed and technologically advanced headquarters in Kemptville, Ontario - just minutes from Canada's capital city Ottawa.

Today, Grenville Mutual is the standard for mutual insurance in Canada and is a major player with 36 other mutual companies in the Ontario Mutual Insurance sector. Grenville is a joint owner in its own software development firm (MCCG) and has grown with a strong network of close to 30 independent distribution partners.

Our mission is simple: to drive our unique relationship with our customers, distribution partners, and our service area through a constant focus on innovation, motivation and integrity. While strength in vision has grounded Grenville and given it staying power to overcome much of what history has dealt it, Grenville has been innovating for more than 120 years.

And, we're just getting started.