The Town of New Tecumseth was created in January 1991 and encompasses the former municipalities of the Town of Alliston, Villages of Beeton and Tottenham, and Tecumseth Township. The area is well known for its lush, natural open space, clear rivers and expansive trail system. Highlighting the perfect blend of rural and urban life, Alliston offers its 15,000 residents a beautiful natural playground and that small town feel that has everyone waving hello. The town of Alliston grew as a commercial centre for the area farmers and was best known as a potato-growing area. It is still a major industry in the town and is celebrated by the annual Alliston Potato Festival. Honda of Canada Manufacturing operates a large auto manufacturing facility southeast of Alliston, currently consisting of three major factories. In the 2016 census, the town of Alliston grew by 25% since 2011 to 19,243 residents making it one of the top 10 fastest growing communities in Canada. This is over 5 times greater than the average growth recorded in Ontario during the same period.