The municipality, located in the Parry Sound District, had a population of 916 in the Canada 2016 Census.

In 2000, the Municipality of Whitestone was formed out of Unorganized Centre Parry Sound District and incorporated by the Parry Sound District Restructuring Commission.

The new municipality includes the geographic townships of East Burpee, Burton, McKenzie, Ferrie, Hagerman, and part of Croft, as well as the communities of Ardbeg, Dunchurch, Maple Island, and the village of Whitestone.

A popular attraction was once the Ardbeg fire tower, which was one of the last remaining staffed towers in Southern Ontario until the early 1970s when aerial forest fire detection took over.

The municipality comprises the communities of Ardbeg, Boakview, Bolger, Burton, Dunchurch, Fairholme, Lorimer Lake, Maple Island, South Magnetawan, Sunny Slope, Wahwashkesh, and Whitestone.