Saltford is a small community located in the Township of Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh within Huron County, Ontario, Canada. It is situated on the north bank of the Maitland River, immediately adjacent to the town of Goderich and near the eastern shore of Lake Huron.
Historically, the development of Saltford was closely tied to the discovery of salt in the region during the mid-19th century. Following the 1866 discovery of a massive salt bed in Goderich by Samuel Platt, the salt industry became a primary economic driver for the area. Saltford emerged as a settlement site near these industrial operations and served as a landing point on the river. The name of the community is a portmanteau referencing the local salt deposits and its geographic position near a ford on the Maitland River.
In the contemporary period, Saltford is primarily a residential area. Administratively, it is part of the amalgamated township of Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh, which was established in 2001. Because of its small size and proximity to Goderich, it relies on the neighboring town for many commercial services and infrastructure. Specific population data for Saltford is often included within the aggregate census data for the Township of Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh or the Goderich census agglomeration, rather than being reported as an independent statistical unit.