Timmins

This article is about the city in Ontario, Canada. For other uses, see Timmins (disambiguation).
Timmins
City (single-tier)
City of Timmins

Timmins, Ontario, Canada
Motto: The City with a Heart of Gold
Coordinates: 48°28′N 81°20′W / 48.467°N 81.333°W / 48.467; -81.333Coordinates: 48°28′N 81°20′W / 48.467°N 81.333°W / 48.467; -81.333
Country  Canada
Province  Ontario
District Cochrane
Established 1912
Government
  Mayor Steve Black
  Governing Body Timmins City Council
  MPs Charlie Angus (NDP)
  MPPs Gilles Bisson (ONDP)
Area[1]
  Land 2,979.15 km2 (1,150.26 sq mi)
Elevation[2] 294.70 m (966.86 ft)
Population (2011)[1]
  Total 43,165
  Density 14.5/km2 (38/sq mi)
Time zone EST (UTC−5)
  Summer (DST) EDT (UTC−4)
Postal code FSA P4N, P4P, P4R, P0N
Area code(s) 705 and 249
Website www.timmins.ca
Aerial view of Dome Mine "super pit," 2010
Specimen gold, probably from Pamour Mine.

Timmins is a city in northeastern Ontario, Canada on the Mattagami River. At the time of the Canada 2011 Census, its population was 43,165. The city's economy is based on natural resource extraction and is supported by industries related to lumbering and to the mining of gold, zinc, copper, nickel, and silver.

As the fourth-largest city in the Northeastern Ontario region, Timmins also serves as a regional service and distribution centre. The city has a large Francophone community, with more than 50 percent bilingual in French.[3]

History

Timmins was originally a company town.[4] It was founded by Noah Timmins in 1912 following gold discoveries in the Porcupine Camp. By 1912 the Hollinger, MacIntyre, and Big Dome Mines were founded. Starting in 1907, the area became home to dozens of prospectors who explored the areas around Porcupine Lake and the Frederick House River. The City of Timmins owes its birthright to the riches of the Canadian Shield. On June 9, 1909, Harry Preston slipped on a rocky knoll and the heels of his boots stripped the moss to reveal a large vein of gold, which later became the Dome Mine. This vein was several hundred feet in length and was 150 feet wide. Benny Hollinger and his partner Alex Gillies discovered the Hollinger Gold Mine which was founded in 1910.[5]

The rail system which began to operate around Timmins in 1911 accelerated the growth of the Camp. That same year, two days after the first train arrived in the Porcupine, the entire Camp was destroyed in the fire of 1911, although the area was rebuilt within two months. In 1912, Noah Timmins founded the town[6] to house the employees of the Hollinger Mine. The Great Depression did not adversely affect the economy of the area, and jobs were available in mining and lumber. The gold mines declined in the 1950s.[5]

Discovered by Sandy McIntyre (1869-1943),[7] the McIntyre Mine was the last of the most important gold discoveries in the Camp. No other gold mines discovered to date have equaled the importance of the first mines in the Timmins area, called the Big Three. Most of the people who came to the Porcupine area settled around Porcupine Lake and the Dome which is situated one mile from the lake. Four miles down the road, around the McIntyre Mine, the hamlet of Schumacher was established.[5]

Mine operators hired gun thugs during the 1912-1913 strike, who were later ordered out by the provincial government.[4]

In 1973, 35 townships covering 1,260 square mile, including Porcupine, South Porcupine, Schumacher and Timmins were organized into the City of Timmins.[6]:140

In the 1990s, the City of Timmins became a regional service and distribution centre for Northeastern Ontario.[5]

City Hall Engineering Building, formerly the main public library, previously the post office

Climate

Timmins is near the northern periphery of the hemiboreal humid continental climate (Dfb). Timmins has very cold winters, being in northern Ontario, but temperatures in late summer and fall tend to be among the coldest for any major city in any Canadian province, although during the spring and summer it can get very hot. The highest temperature ever recorded in Timmins was 39.4 °C (103 °F) on 12 July 1936.[8] The coldest temperature ever recorded was −45.6 °C (−50 °F) on 1 February 1962.[2]

Climate data for Timmins (Victor Power Airport), 1981−2010 normals, extremes 1922−present[lower-alpha 1]
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 8.0
(46.4)
12.2
(54)
27.5
(81.5)
29.9
(85.8)
34.9
(94.8)
38.8
(101.8)
39.4
(102.9)
36.7
(98.1)
36.1
(97)
28.9
(84)
20.0
(68)
14.2
(57.6)
39.4
(102.9)
Average high °C (°F) −10.6
(12.9)
−7.2
(19)
−0.6
(30.9)
8.0
(46.4)
16.6
(61.9)
21.9
(71.4)
24.2
(75.6)
22.5
(72.5)
17.1
(62.8)
9.0
(48.2)
0.6
(33.1)
−6.9
(19.6)
7.9
(46.2)
Daily mean °C (°F) −16.8
(1.8)
−14.0
(6.8)
−7.4
(18.7)
1.8
(35.2)
9.6
(49.3)
14.9
(58.8)
17.5
(63.5)
16.0
(60.8)
11.1
(52)
4.4
(39.9)
−3.4
(25.9)
−11.9
(10.6)
1.8
(35.2)
Average low °C (°F) −23.0
(−9.4)
−20.7
(−5.3)
−14.2
(6.4)
−4.5
(23.9)
2.5
(36.5)
7.8
(46)
10.7
(51.3)
9.4
(48.9)
5.2
(41.4)
−0.3
(31.5)
−7.4
(18.7)
−17.0
(1.4)
−4.3
(24.3)
Record low °C (°F) −44.2
(−47.6)
−45.6
(−50.1)
−37.8
(−36)
−29.4
(−20.9)
−13.9
(7)
−5.6
(21.9)
−0.5
(31.1)
−3.3
(26.1)
−6.4
(20.5)
−13.0
(8.6)
−33.9
(−29)
−43.9
(−47)
−45.6
(−50.1)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 51.8
(2.039)
41.3
(1.626)
54.5
(2.146)
56.2
(2.213)
67.4
(2.654)
83.4
(3.283)
90.9
(3.579)
81.6
(3.213)
84.7
(3.335)
82.5
(3.248)
75.9
(2.988)
64.5
(2.539)
834.6
(32.858)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 3.2
(0.126)
1.7
(0.067)
14.1
(0.555)
30.1
(1.185)
62.3
(2.453)
83.2
(3.276)
90.9
(3.579)
81.6
(3.213)
83.7
(3.295)
68.1
(2.681)
30.9
(1.217)
8.5
(0.335)
558.3
(21.98)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 57.8
(22.76)
45.9
(18.07)
44.8
(17.64)
27.2
(10.71)
5.0
(1.97)
0.2
(0.08)
0.0
(0)
0.0
(0)
1.0
(0.39)
15.1
(5.94)
49.0
(19.29)
65.2
(25.67)
311.3
(122.56)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) 17.5 14.0 13.5 11.1 12.6 14.7 14.4 14.3 15.8 16.5 19.3 19.8 183.6
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) 1.6 1.1 3.7 6.9 11.7 14.7 14.4 14.3 15.6 13.5 6.9 2.7 107.2
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) 17.7 14.0 11.8 6.6 2.1 0.14 0.0 0.0 0.62 5.9 15.5 19.3 93.5
Source: Environment Canada[2][9][10]

Politics

Hollinger Park grandstands

The city's mayor is Steve Black.[11] He was sworn in on December 1, 2014, succeeding Tom Laughren.

Eight councillors serve with the mayor to complete the municipal government. Those eight councillors are elected to one of five areas of the city through a ward electoral system; rural parts of the city elect one councillor each, while the urban core of the city elects four at-large councillors. Councillors are elected to a four-year term.[12]

Current Timmins city council

Tourism, art and culture

Gillies Lake Board Walk
Chamber of Commerce

Some of the main tourist attractions within the city include: The Timmins Museum and National Exhibition Centre, Cedar Meadows Wilderness Tours, Kamiskotia Snow Resort, Porcupine Ski Runners Cross-Country Trails and Chalet, Hollinger Golf Club, Spruce Needles Golf Club, the Sandy Falls Golf Club, the McIntyre Community Building and the Timmins Snowmobile Club.[21] Snowmobiling impacts the Timmins economy as tourists from all over North America travel to explore area trails.[22]

Hollinger Park is one of the city's main recreational spaces. The park is divided in two sections, the north side being the public park area, with the south side having a regulation sized baseball diamond and two soccer fields for more organized outdoor recreational endeavours. The baseball park has been home to the Timmins Men's Baseball League since 1985. Former Timmins resident Shania Twain played a concert at Hollinger Park on July 1, 1999. An estimated 22,000 people attended the outdoor concert.[23][24]

The Pioneer Museum is located in Northeastern Ontario approximately 30 miles east of the City of Timmins, in Connaught. It is a small community with 400 people, looking to preserve their local heritage. The surrounding areas consist of Barbers Bay, Dugwal, Finn Road, Hoyle, Ice Chest Lake, McIntosh Springs and Nighthawk. Local history in the area dates back over 300 years; back to the days the natives and the Hudson Bay Company frequented the land and navigated the waters.[25]

La Galeruche Art Gallery, located at 32 Mountjoy Street North (Centre Culturel La Ronde), provides local francophone artists with a venue to exhibit and sell their work.[25]

The Porcupine Miner's Memorial tribute is a statue of the miner, head frame and tablets bearing the names of 594 miners killed in mining accidents were unveiled in 2008. The following year, the statues of a mother and two children were unveiled to commemorate those families left behind.[25]

Timmins Murals painted by Ed Spehar, Gary Bostrom and Paulette Brozowski, three of our local and accomplished artists. Much of their work now graces the sides of buildings or is on display inside public buildings. These murals reflect the history of Timmins including the founders of the city. Murals are available for viewing at the McIntyre Community Centre, Hollinger Park, the Northern Tel Building, the Maurice Londry Community Centre, the CM Shields Library, Golden Avenue Public School, the Timmins Public Library, the Victor M. Power Timmins Airport and Theriault Catholic High School.[25]

The Timmins Public Library was constructed in 2005 with locally manufactured products, using wood as the main structural material, making efficient use of our natural resources while reducing construction waste. The eco-friendly design was recognized by the Green Building Initiative and the building achieved a 3 Green Globes rating for its efficient use of resources and sustainable development.[25]

Schools

Postsecondary education

The main postsecondary institution in Timmins is Northern College, a College of Applied Arts and Technology. The city also has a local campus of Collège Boréal and Laurentian University's Université de Hearst.[26] Collège Boréal / Université de Hearst has a new campus between École Secondaire Catholique Thériault and Timmins High and Vocational School on Thériault Boulevard. Algoma University also offers degrees in Social Work and Community Development on the Northern College Campus in South Porcupine.

School boards

Four school boards serve the City of Timmins:[26]

High schools

Media

The Timmins Daily Press Building
Main article: Media in Timmins

In 1952, broadcast pioneer J. Conrad Lavigne launched CFCL, the first French-language radio station in Ontario.

The Timmins Daily Press is the main English publication, publishing six issues per week. Other French-language media include newspapers Le Voyageur and Le Journal L'Express de Timmins.[3]

Notable people

See also: List of mayors of Timmins.

Notable athletes

Demographics

Historical populations
YearPop.±%
1912974    
19213,843+294.6%
193114,200+269.5%
194128,544+101.0%
195127,743−2.8%
196129,270+5.5%
197128,542−2.5%
198146,114+61.6%
199147,461+2.9%
199647,499+0.1%
200143,686−8.0%
200642,997−1.6%
201143,165+0.4%
Canada 2006 Census Population % of Total Population
Visible minority group
Source:[27]
South Asian 10 0
Chinese 125 0.3
Black 140 0.3
Filipino 115 0.3
Latin American 40 0.1
Southeast Asian 50 0.1
Other visible minority 30 0.1
Total visible minority population 510 1.2
Aboriginal group
Source:[27]
First Nations 1,460 3.4
Métis 1,690 3.8
Inuit 25 0.1
Total Aboriginal population 3,275 7.6
White 40,665 91.2
Total population 44,676 100
Canada census – Timmins community profile
2011 2006 2001
Population: 43,165 (0.4% from 2006) 42,997 (-1.6% from 2001) 43,686 (-8.0% from 1996)
Land area: 2,979.15 km2 (1,150.26 sq mi) 2,961.58 km2 (1,143.47 sq mi) 2,961.52 km2 (1,143.45 sq mi)
Population density: 14.5/km2 (38/sq mi) 14.5/km2 (38/sq mi) 14.8/km2 (38/sq mi)
Median age: 39.6 (M: 39.0, F: 40.3) 37.1 (M: 36.7, F: 37.5)
Total private dwellings: 18,806 18,642 18,806
Median household income: $55,623 $45,681
References: 2011[28] 2006[29] 2001[30]

The 2006 census indicated that Timmins was 91.1% White, 7.7% Aboriginal, and 1.2% Visible Minorities.[31] After several years of decline, the city's population has grown again, with an intercensal population estimate of 44,507 in 2008 and a rapid increase in new retail development projects in the city's west end.[32]

Language

In Timmins, according to the 2011 census, 57.7% of the population reported English as their first language (Anglophone), 37.2% reported only French (Francophone) as their first language, and 4.6% reported only non-official, neither English nor French, as their first language (Allophone).[33] 50.8% of the population is bilingual in both English and French.[3]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Timmins census profile". 2011 Census of Population. Statistics Canada. Retrieved 2012-02-17.
  2. 1 2 3 "Timmins Victor Power Airport". Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010. Environment Canada. Retrieved April 12, 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Timmins | Vivre en Ontario". www.immigrationfrancophone-ontario.ca. Province of Ontario.
  4. 1 2 "Company Towns". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "History of Timmins". immigrationtimmins.com. Archived from the original on February 5, 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  6. 1 2 Barnes, Michael (1986). Fortunes in the Ground. Erin, Ontario: The Boston Mills Press. p. 123. ISBN 091978352X.
  7. "Founding Fathers". timmins.ca. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  8. "Daily Data Report for July 1936". Canadian Climate Data. Environment Canada. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  9. "Timmins". Canadian Climate Data. Environment Canada. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  10. "Timmins Climate". Canadian Climate Data. Environment Canada. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  11. "Mayor's Office". 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  12. "Mayor and Council". City of Timmins. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
  13. "Ward 1". 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  14. "Ward 2". 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  15. "Ward 3". 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  16. "Ward 4". 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  17. "Andrew Marks". 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  18. "Michael J.J. Doody". 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  19. "Noella Rinaldo". 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  20. "Rick Dubeau". 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  21. "Timmins Snowmobile Club".
  22. Moore, Sarah (March 6, 2016). "Snowmobiling capital of the world?". Timmins Press. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  23. Autio, Andrew (October 31, 2016). "Huge Timmins festival has taxpayers nervous". BayToday.ca. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
  24. "Branch News" (PDF). Ontario Branch News (9). Summer 2000.
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 "Events & Attractions". tourismtimmins.com. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  26. 1 2 "Education". City of Timmins. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  27. 1 2 "Pickering, Ontario (City) Census Subdivision". Community Profiles, Canada 2006 Census. Statistics Canada.
  28. "2011 Community Profiles". Canada 2011 Census. Statistics Canada. July 5, 2013. Retrieved 2012-02-17.
  29. "2006 Community Profiles". Canada 2006 Census. Statistics Canada. March 30, 2011. Retrieved 2012-02-17.
  30. "2001 Community Profiles". Canada 2001 Census. Statistics Canada. February 17, 2012. Retrieved 2012-02-17.
  31. "2006 community Profiles — Timmins". Statistics Canada.
  32. "Retail projects spark space struggles in Timmins’ West End", Northern Ontario Business, July 4, 2008.
  33. "Census agglomeration of Timmins, Ontario". Statistics Canada. Government of Canada. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
  1. Climate data was recorded at Timmins from April 1922 to December 1957 and at Timmins Airport from April 1955 to present.
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