North Bay, ON
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North Bay is a city in
Northeastern Ontario Northeastern Ontario is a secondary region of Northern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario, which lies north of Lake Huron and east of Lake Superior. Northeastern Ontario consists of the districts of Algoma, Sudbury, Cochrane, Timiska ...
, Canada. It is the seat of
Nipissing District Nipissing District is a district in Northeastern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was created in 1858. The district seat is North Bay. In 2016, the population was 83,150. The land area is ; the population density was , making it o ...
, and takes its name from its position on the shore of
Lake Nipissing Lake Nipissing (; french: lac Nipissing, oj, Gichi-nibiinsing-zaaga’igan) is a lake in the Canadian province Within the geographical areas of Canada, the ten provinces and three territories are sub-national administrative divisions under ...
. North Bay developed as a railroad centre, and its airport was an important military location during the
Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
.


History

The site of North Bay is part of a historic canoe route where
Samuel de Champlain Samuel de Champlain (; Fichier OrigineFor a detailed analysis of his baptismal record, see RitchThe baptism act does not contain information about the age of Samuel, neither his birth date nor his place of birth. – 25 December 1635) was a Fre ...
took a party up the
Ottawa River The Ottawa River (french: Rivière des Outaouais, Algonquin: ''Kichi-Sìbì/Kitchissippi'') is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. It is named after the Algonquin word 'to trade', as it was the major trade route of Eastern ...
, through present-day Mattawa, on to Trout Lake and via the La Vase Creek to Lake Nipissing. Apart from Indigenous people, voyageurs and surveyors, there was little activity in the Lake Nipissing area until the arrival of the
Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadi ...
(CPR) in 1882. That was the point where the
Canada Central Railway The Brockville and Ottawa Railway (B&O) was an early railway in Upper Canada, today's Ontario. It ran north from the town of Brockville on the Saint Lawrence River to Sand Point on the Ottawa River. It was built primarily to serve the timber tr ...
(CCR) extension ended. The CCR was owned by
Duncan McIntyre Duncan MacIntyre or Duncan McIntyre may refer to: * Duncan Ban MacIntyre (1724–1812), Scottish Gaelic poet * Duncan MacIntyre (New Zealand politician) (1915–2001), New Zealand politician * Duncan McIntyre (businessman) (1834–1894), Canadian b ...
who amalgamated it with the CPR and became one of the handful of officers of the newly formed CPR. The CCR started in
Brockville Brockville, formerly Elizabethtown, is a city in Eastern Ontario, Canada, in the Thousand Islands region. Although it is the seat of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, it is politically Independent city, independent of the county. It i ...
and extended to Pembroke. It then followed a westward route along the
Ottawa River The Ottawa River (french: Rivière des Outaouais, Algonquin: ''Kichi-Sìbì/Kitchissippi'') is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. It is named after the Algonquin word 'to trade', as it was the major trade route of Eastern ...
passing through places like Cobden, Deux-Rivières, and eventually to Mattawa at the confluence of the Mattawa and Ottawa Rivers. It then proceeded cross-country towards its final destination, Bonfield. Duncan McIntyre and his contractor James Worthington piloted the CCR expansion. Worthington continued on as the construction superintendent for the CPR past Bonfield. He remained with the CPR for about a year until he left the company. McIntyre was uncle to John Ferguson, who staked out future North Bay after getting assurance from his uncle and Worthington that it would be the divisional headquarters and a location of some importance. In 1882, John Ferguson decided that the north bay of
Lake Nipissing Lake Nipissing (; french: lac Nipissing, oj, Gichi-nibiinsing-zaaga’igan) is a lake in the Canadian province Within the geographical areas of Canada, the ten provinces and three territories are sub-national administrative divisions under ...
was a promising spot for settlement. North Bay was incorporated as a town in 1891. The first mayor was John Bourke. More importantly, Bourke developed the western portion of North Bay after purchasing the interest of the Murray Brothers from Pembroke, who were large landholders in the new community. The land west of Klock Avenue (Algonquin Avenue) was known as the Murray block. Bourke Street is named after John Bourke. Murray Street is named after the Murrays. North Bay was selected as the southern terminus of the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway (T&NO) in 1902, when the
Ross Ross or ROSS may refer to: People * Clan Ross, a Highland Scottish clan * Ross (name), including a list of people with the surname or given name Ross, as well as the meaning * Earl of Ross, a peerage of Scotland Places * RoSS, the Republic of Sou ...
government took the bold move to establish a development road to serve the Haileybury settlement. During construction of the T&NO,
silver Silver is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag (from the Latin ', derived from the Proto-Indo-European wikt:Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₂erǵ-, ''h₂erǵ'': "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, whi ...
was discovered at
Cobalt Cobalt is a chemical element with the symbol Co and atomic number 27. As with nickel, cobalt is found in the Earth's crust only in a chemically combined form, save for small deposits found in alloys of natural meteoric iron. The free element, pr ...
and started a mining frenzy in the northern part of the province that continued for many years. The Canadian Northern Railway was subsequently built to North Bay in 1913. In July 1894, an Act to Charter the Montreal, Ottawa and Georgian Bay Canal passed without a ripple of concern in North Bay. The Georgian Bay Canal was a mammoth transportation system that proposed to connect the Great Lakes with the
Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
. The entire passageway from the Ottawa River to Lake Nipissing and down the French River to
Georgian Bay Georgian Bay (french: Baie Georgienne) is a large bay of Lake Huron, in the Laurentia bioregion. It is located entirely within the borders of Ontario, Canada. The main body of the bay lies east of the Bruce Peninsula and Manitoulin Island. To ...
was surveyed in the first decade of the 20th century. Financing was a large obstacle and, as time passed, transportation patterns changed and interfered with the earlier practicality of the giant venture. Despite this, there were groups who still hoped it would happen as late as 1930. North Bay grew through a strong
lumber Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, wi ...
ing sector,
mining Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the Earth, usually from an ore body, lode, vein, seam, reef, or placer deposit. The exploitation of these deposits for raw material is based on the economic via ...
and the three railways in the early days. The town benefited from strong community leadership and people like Richardson, Milne, McNamara, Englands, Browning, McDougal, Carruthers, McGaughey, George W. Lee, Senator Gordon, T. J. Patton, Charlie Harrison and many others are responsible for its development. In 1919, John Ferguson was elected mayor of North Bay and continued to serve as mayor until 1922. North Bay was incorporated as a city in August 1925. The
Dionne Quintuplets The Dionne quintuplets (; born May 28, 1934) are the first quintuplets known to have survived their infancy. The identical girls were born just outside Callander, Ontario, near the village of Corbeil. All five survived to adulthood. The Dionn ...
were born in Corbeil, Ontario, on the southern outskirts of North Bay in 1934. Their births had a tremendous impact on tourism in the area. For a province struggling against economic strangulation they were as valuable a resource as gold,
nickel Nickel is a chemical element with symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel is a hard and ductile transition metal. Pure nickel is chemically reactive but large pieces are slow to ...
, pulpwood or hydro power. They saved an entire region from bankruptcy. They launched Northern Ontario's flourishing tourist industry. At their peak they represented a $500 million asset. North Bay and the surrounding area lived off this legacy well into the 1960s. Many visitors to the area discovered lakes and summer retreats that were easily accessible, and the businesses thrived on the tourist dollars. In January 1968, the City of North Bay amalgamated with West Ferris and Widdifield townships. In 1951, as a result of rising tensions in the
Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
, the Royal Canadian Air Force established an air base at North Bay, part of an expanding national air defence network to counter the threat of nuclear attack against North America by Soviet bombers. Construction of RCAF Station North Bay (in 1966 retitled "Canadian Forces Base North Bay" and in 1993 as "22 Wing/Canadian Forces Base North Bay") took three years, during which it became the largest industry in the community: a status it held for more than four decades. In October 1963, the North American Air Defence Command (NORAD) opened its Canadian operations centre at the base. Manned by American as well as Canadian military personnel, the centre, situated 60 storeys underground to withstand a nuclear strike, monitored Canada's northern, east-central and Atlantic airspace, identifying and tracking all air traffic in this airspace, and responding to airborne emergencies, crime, and suspicious, unknown and potentially hostile aircraft. In 1983 this responsibility was expanded to all of Canada, and in October 2006 the base's NORAD operations (as of 1981, called
North American Aerospace Defence Command North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD ), known until March 1981 as the North American Air Defense Command, is a combined organization of the United States and Canada that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and protection ...
) moved into a new, state-of-the-art facility above ground, where it continues to provide surveillance, identification and tracking of aircraft, and warning and response to emergencies, attacks and other crises, for the air sovereignty of Canada and North America. In summer of 2013, the base commenced surveillance of space via SAPPHIRE, Canada's first military satellite, that was launched into orbit from India in February.22 Wing/Canadian Forces Base North Bay historical archives and active files Beginning in the 1990s, the base weathered a series of massive cuts by the federal government, and at one point was earmarked to close. Subsequently, a large portion of its infrastructure, including all of its airfield assets, such as hangars, fuel depot and control tower, were sold or demolished. By the 21st century, the base was no longer the city's top industry. One by-product of the air base's creation in 1951 was the extension of the existing airport's runways to handle the largest military aircraft. The long runways at North Bay have been maintained as an alternate landing site for Toronto's Pearson International Airport and were used during the September 11 crisis as an emergency landing site for several international aircraft. It was also a designated emergency field for NASA's Space Transportation System, better known as the Space Shuttle. On March 17, 2007, North Bay was announced as the winner of 2007 Kraft Hockeyville contest. North Bay received $50,000 to upgrade their local arena, Memorial Gardens, and also hosted an NHL pre-season game between the
New York Islanders The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ( ...
and the
Atlanta Thrashers The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League (NHL) on June 25, 1997, and became the League's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 seaso ...
.


Geography

North Bay is located approximately north of
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, and differs in geography from Southern Ontario in that North Bay is situated on the
Canadian Shield The Canadian Shield (french: Bouclier canadien ), also called the Laurentian Plateau, is a geologic shield, a large area of exposed Precambrian igneous and high-grade metamorphic rocks. It forms the North American Craton (or Laurentia), the anc ...
. This gives rise to a different and more rugged landscape. North Bay is geographically unique in that it straddles both the
Ottawa River The Ottawa River (french: Rivière des Outaouais, Algonquin: ''Kichi-Sìbì/Kitchissippi'') is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. It is named after the Algonquin word 'to trade', as it was the major trade route of Eastern ...
watershed to the east and the Great Lakes Basin to the west. The city's urban core is located between Lake Nipissing and the smaller Trout Lake. North Bay, critically situated at the junctions of Highway 11 and
Highway 17 Route 17, or Highway 17 can refer to the following roads: For the roads named "A17", see list of A17 roads. International * European route E17 * European route E017 Australia * Brisbane Valley Highway, Queensland * D'Aguilar Highway, Queenslan ...
, remains a major transportation centre for
Northern Ontario Northern Ontario is a primary geographic and quasi-administrative region of the Canadian province of Ontario, the other primary region being Southern Ontario. Most of the core geographic region is located on part of the Superior Geological Provi ...
. It is the southern terminus of the
Ontario Northland Railway The Ontario Northland Railway is a Canadian railway operated by the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission, a provincial Crown agency of the government of Ontario. Originally built to develop the Lake Timiskaming and Lake Nipissing area ...
, and is served by the
Jack Garland Airport North Bay Airport or North Bay/Jack Garland Airport in North Bay, Ontario, Canada is located at Hornell Heights, north-northeast of the city. It is located adjacent to Canadian Forces Base North Bay, operational since 1951 (as RCAF Station Nor ...
. The area of North Bay contains a number of ancient volcanic pipes, including the Manitou Islands and
Callander Bay Callander Bay (french: baie Callander) is a bay at the extreme east of Lake Nipissing in the municipality of Callander, Parry Sound District, Ontario, Canada. It is approximately in diameter. The community of Callander is located on its eas ...
and many exposed dykes and five named
batholith A batholith () is a large mass of intrusive igneous rock (also called plutonic rock), larger than in area, that forms from cooled magma deep in Earth's crust. Batholiths are almost always made mostly of felsic or intermediate rock types, such ...
s ( Timber Lake, Mulock, West Arm, Powassan and Bonfield).


Climate

The climate in North Bay is common to most places in
Northern Ontario Northern Ontario is a primary geographic and quasi-administrative region of the Canadian province of Ontario, the other primary region being Southern Ontario. Most of the core geographic region is located on part of the Superior Geological Provi ...
. North Bay tends to be a less humid climate than that found in Southern Ontario due somewhat to the distance from the
Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lakes ...
and less warm than some other locations in Northern Ontario due to cooling from
Lake Nipissing Lake Nipissing (; french: lac Nipissing, oj, Gichi-nibiinsing-zaaga’igan) is a lake in the Canadian province Within the geographical areas of Canada, the ten provinces and three territories are sub-national administrative divisions under ...
. On May 31, 2002, a tornado caused minor damage near the city. Two more tornadoes touched down on Lake Nipissing on August 20, 2009. This storm was a part of a chain of tornadoes that caused large amounts of damage in other parts of Ontario. The weather box below shows climate normals for the airport, at an elevation of 358 m, but the majority of the city, including the downtown core, sits at an elevation of 201 m. The highest temperature ever recorded in North Bay was on 1 July 1931. The coldest temperature ever recorded was on 26 January 1892.


Economy

North Bay is more economically diverse than many other
Northern Ontario Northern Ontario is a primary geographic and quasi-administrative region of the Canadian province of Ontario, the other primary region being Southern Ontario. Most of the core geographic region is located on part of the Superior Geological Provi ...
communities, although a large percentage of the city's jobs are public sector in nature with health, education and government dominating the list of the city's top employers. North Bay is the home of
Nipissing University , mottoeng = Spirit of Integrity , established = , former_names = Northeastern University (1960-1967), Nipissing College (1967-1992) , type = Public University , academic_affiliation = COU, CVU, Universities Canada , endowment ...
, founded in 1992 (previous name North Bay Normal School 1909–1953, North Bay Teachers College 1953–1973, Nipissing University affiliated to Laurentian University 1973–1992, independent public university separated from Laurentian University in 1992), and of
Canadore College Canadore College is a college of applied arts and technology located in North Bay, Ontario, Canada. It was founded in 1967 as a campus of Sudbury's Cambrian College, and became an independent institution in 1972. Canadore College has three campu ...
, founded in 1967. Approximately 10,000 full-time students (and thousands more part-time students) are enrolled at the two post-secondary institutions, which share a campus in the west end of the city. Between the early 1950s and 1990s 22 Wing/Canadian Forces Base North Bay was the community's leading industry. The cuts to the base by the federal government mentioned above, plus dramatic reductions in the number of its personnel—at one time 2,200 military members and civilian employees; in 2013 about 750—has resulted in a loss of tens of millions of dollars to the community, an impact felt by all North Bay's business sectors. North Bay is also home to
The Algonquin Regiment (Northern Pioneers) The Algonquin Regiment (Northern Pioneers) is a primary reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Army comprising two companies. A Company is located in North Bay, Ontario, and B Company is located in Timmins, Ontario. The regiment fall ...
, A Coy, a Canadian Force Army Reserve unit. B Coy of The Algonquin Regiment (Northern Pioneers) is located in Timmins. The service industry, tourism, and transportation also play a significant role in the city's economy, as well as primary industry companies. It is estimated that North Bay has more than 65 companies that offer mining supplies and services, employing almost 3,000 residents. In recent years the city's cultural scene has expanded due to its community of artists, musicians, actors and writers. In 2004, the
TVOntario TVO Media Education Group (often abbreviated as TVO and stylized on-air as tvo) is a publicly funded English-language educational television network and media organization serving the Canadian province of Ontario. It is operated by the Ontario ...
program '' Studio 2'' named North Bay as one of the top three most artistically talented communities in the province.


Film and television

The city has hosted film productions. In 1942 '' Captains of the Clouds'' was filmed in North Bay at the height of the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. The film starred
James Cagney James Francis Cagney Jr. (; July 17, 1899March 30, 1986) was an American actor, dancer and film director. On stage and in film, Cagney was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He ...
as a
Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
bush pilot Bush flying refers to aircraft operations carried out in the bush. Bush flying involves operations in rough terrain where there are often no prepared landing strips or runways, frequently necessitating that bush planes be equipped with abnormally ...
and also featured an appearance of famed fighter pilot
Billy Bishop Air Marshal William Avery Bishop, (8 February 1894 – 11 September 1956) was a Canadian flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial com ...
. The city has continued to host film productions, including the 2013
horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, apoca ...
'' The Colony'' starring Laurence Fishburne and Bill Paxton, and the drama '' Still Mine'', featuring
James Cromwell James Oliver Cromwell (born January 27, 1940) is an American actor and activist. Some of his best-known films include ''Babe'' (1995), '' Star Trek: First Contact'' (1996), ''L.A. Confidential'' (1997), '' The Green Mile'' (1999), ''The Queen'' ...
in an award-winning role. Another film production that occurred in North Bay was the 2014
thriller film Thriller film, also known as suspense film or suspense thriller, is a broad film genre that evokes excitement and suspense in the audience. The suspense element found in most films' plots is particularly exploited by the filmmaker in this genre ...
'' Backcountry''. In August 2009, the comedy troupe
The Kids in the Hall The Kids in the Hall is a Canadian sketch comedy troupe formed in 1984, consisting of comedians Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney and Scott Thompson. Their eponymous television show ran from 1989 to 1995, on CBC, in C ...
began filming their mini-series ''
Death Comes to Town ''The Kids in the Hall: Death Comes to Town'' (or simply ''Death Comes to Town'') is an eight-episode Canadian mini-series that aired on CBC Television on Tuesdays between January 12 and March 16, 2010. The show takes place in a fictional Ontario ...
'' on location in North Bay. More recently, the city hosted production of the third season of '' Hard Rock Medical''. John Doyle
"Hard Rock Medical is us: True North and fun"
''
The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...
'', January 6, 2017.
The city is fictionalised as "Algonquin Bay" in the mystery novels of North Bay native
Giles Blunt Giles Blunt (born 1952) is a Canadian novelist, poet, and screenwriter. His first novel, ''Cold Eye'', was a psychological thriller set in the New York art world, which was made into the French movie ''Les Couleurs du diable'' (Allain Jessua, 199 ...
, beginning with ''
Forty Words for Sorrow ''Forty Words for Sorrow'' is a 2000 crime novel from Canadian novelist Giles Blunt, and the first to feature his protagonists John Cardinal and Lise Delorme. Blunt had previous published one other novel, ''Cold Eye'', but this was his first crim ...
''. The television series adaptation ''
Cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...
'' was filmed in both North Bay and Sudbury in 2016."CTV and Super Écran Partner on New Serialized Drama"
. ''Broadcaster'', February 11, 2016.
In 2017, the crime drama series ''
Carter Carter(s), or Carter's, Tha Carter, or The Carter(s), may refer to: Geography United States * Carter, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Carter, Mississippi, an unincorporated community * Carter, Montana, a census-designated place * Carter, ...
'' was filmed in the city. In 2021, the reality series ''
Call Me Mother ''Call Me Mother'' is a Canadian reality television series, which premiered on OutTV in 2021. Hosted by ''Entertainment Tonight Canada'' reporter Dallas Dixon, the series is a drag competition which will see up-and-coming drag performers join o ...
'' was filmed in North Bay. In 2022, North Star Studios announced the acquisition of a building in the West Ferris Industrial Park, which will provide 68,000 square feet of film and television studio space.


Education

North Bay has educational programs ranging from pre-school to university.


Post-secondary schools

*
Nipissing University , mottoeng = Spirit of Integrity , established = , former_names = Northeastern University (1960-1967), Nipissing College (1967-1992) , type = Public University , academic_affiliation = COU, CVU, Universities Canada , endowment ...
*
Canadore College Canadore College is a college of applied arts and technology located in North Bay, Ontario, Canada. It was founded in 1967 as a campus of Sudbury's Cambrian College, and became an independent institution in 1972. Canadore College has three campu ...
*Modern College *Canadian Career College


School boards

*
Near North District School Board The Near North District School Board (NNDSB; known as English-language Public District School Board No. 4 prior to 1999) administers public education in an area of Ontario that is includes all of Parry Sound District, plus a northerly portion of ...
*
Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board The Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board (known as English-language Separate District School Board No. 30B prior to 1999) administers separate school Catholic education for an area of in central Ontario, Canada. Its headquarters ...
*
Conseil scolaire de district catholique Franco-Nord Conseil scolaire de district catholique Franco-Nord is the Roman Catholic separate, French language school board for Ontario District of Nipissing. It is headquartered in North Bay, and serves the communities of Mattawa, Bonfield, Astorville ...
*
Conseil scolaire de district du Nord-Est de l'Ontario The Conseil scolaire public du Nord-Est de l'Ontario (CSPNE, formerly the Conseil scolaire de district du Nord-Est de l'Ontario or CSDNE), also known as Ontario District School Board #56, manages the French-language schools in the north-east regi ...


Neighbourhoods

The city includes the neighbourhoods of Birchaven, Camp Champlain, Champlain Park, Cooks Mills, Eastview, Feronia, Gateway, Graniteville, Hornell Heights, La Fuente (Lobby Bar), Lounsbury, Kenwood Hills, Marshall Park, P.J. Clowe Rotary Park, Nipissing Junction, Pinewood, Sage, Ski Club, St. John's Village, Sunset Park, Thibeault Terrace, Thorncliff, Trout Mills, Tweedsmuir, Wallace Heights, West Ferris and Widdifield.


Waterfront development

The city has big plans for the waterfront. In the 1980s a mile-long waterfront park/promenade was developed along the
Lake Nipissing Lake Nipissing (; french: lac Nipissing, oj, Gichi-nibiinsing-zaaga’igan) is a lake in the Canadian province Within the geographical areas of Canada, the ten provinces and three territories are sub-national administrative divisions under ...
shoreline adjacent to the downtown core. Eventually, such attractions as a mini-train ride and two antique carousels (largely crafted by local artisans) were installed and quickly became very popular with tourists and locals alike. Now, work is beginning on a large new multi-faceted community park that will be developed on the former
Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadi ...
yards that separated the downtown core from the existing waterfront park. In August 2009, a new pedestrian underpass opened connecting the downtown core to the waterfront for the first time since the CPR laid down tracks. In 2019 the city constructed a multi-phase community space centering on a Splash Pad behind the CPR museum.


Media

The city's sole local television station is
CKNY-DT CKNY-DT (channel 10) is a television station in North Bay, Ontario, Canada, part of the CTV Television Network. Owned and operated by network parent Bell Media, the station maintains a transmitter adjacent to Ski Hill Road (southwest of Highway ...
, an owned-and-operated station of CTV. Part of the CTV Northern Ontario subsystem, CKNY functions largely as a rebroadcaster of CICI-TV in
Greater Sudbury Sudbury, officially the City of Greater Sudbury is the largest city in Northern Ontario by population, with a population of 166,004 at the 2021 Canadian Census. By land area, it is the largest in Ontario and the List of the largest cities and to ...
, although news reporters in North Bay provide content to CTV Northern Ontario's newscasts. In 2020, the staff was reduced to two reporters and a cameraman/editor, all of whom will work from home. The city also receives Global and
CHCH Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon River ...
through rebroadcast transmitters of stations in the
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
market. In radio, North Bay effectively acts as a single market with the nearby town of
Sturgeon Falls West Nipissing is a municipality in Northeastern Ontario, Canada, on Lake Nipissing in the Nipissing District. It was formed on January 1, 1999, with the amalgamation of seventeen and a half former town, villages, townships and unorganized communi ...
, with virtually all stations in both communities serving the whole region. The local newspaper is the ''
North Bay Nugget The ''North Bay Nugget'' is a newspaper published in North Bay, Ontario, Canada. The paper is currently owned by Postmedia. The paper was launched in 1907 as the ''Cobalt Nugget'', during the silver boom at Cobalt, Ontario. It was acquired by bus ...
'', which is published in print form from Tuesday through Saturday.


Sports


Local teams

: Canadore College Panthers (Men's & Women's Volleyball/OCAA) : Canadore College Panthers (Men's Basketball/OCAA) : Nipissing University Lakers ( Ringette/CUR) : Nipissing University Lakers (Men's & Woman's Hockey/OUA) : Nipissing University Lakers (Men's & Women's Volleyball/OUA) : Nipissing University Lakers (Men's & Women's Crosscountry Running/OUA) : Nipissing University Lakers (Men's Lacrosse/CUFLA) : Nipissing University Lakers (Men's & Women's Basketball/OUA : Nipissing University Lakers (Dance team) :Nipissing University Lakers (cheerleading team) : North Bay Bulldogs (Football/ Northern Football Conference) : North Bay Trappers Junior "A" (Hockey/Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League) : North Bay Trappers Midget "AAA" (Hockey/Great North Midget AAA League) : North Bay United (U-17 Men's Soccer) : North Bay Stingers Midget Baseball (3 time provincial champions) : Warriors of Hope Competitive Dragon Boat Team : Nipissing Wild (Ontario Football Conference Varsity League) : North Bay Battalion (OHL) : North Bay Junior Varsity Bulldogs (Ontario Varsity Football league)


Kraft Hockeyville 2007

North Bay was crowned the winner of the Kraft
Hockeyville ''Kraft Hockeyville'' is an annual competition sponsored by Kraft Heinz, the National Hockey League and the NHL Players' Association in which communities compete to demonstrate their commitment to the sport of ice hockey. The winning community ...
competition in 2007. The New York Islanders and Atlanta Thrashers played an exhibition game at Memorial Gardens to a near-capacity crowd.


North Bay Battalion

The North Bay Battalion is a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League based in North Bay, Ontario, Canada. The franchise was founded as the Brampton Battalion on December 3, 1996, and began play in 1998. Due to consistently poor attendance, the team relocated to North Bay before the 2013–14 OHL season.


Nipissing Lakers Hockey

The
Nipissing Lakers The Nipissing Lakers are the athletic teams that represent Nipissing University in North Bay, Ontario, Canada that compete in U Sports. The Lakers varsity programs compete in men's and women's basketball, ice hockey, volleyball, soccer, cross c ...
are North Bay's newest hockey team. The Lakers are the 19th member of the Ontario University Athletics' Men's Hockey League (founded in 2009 in a partnership with Nipissing University and private investors). The Lakers play in historic Memorial Gardens (circa 1955) and share the building with the North Bay Trappers. Like their Northern Ontario counterparts in Thunder Bay (the Lakehead Thunderwolves), the Lakers attract an impressive number of local hockey supporters for their games in the OUA.


North Bay Trappers Junior "A"

The North Bay Trappers (formerly the North Bay Skyhawks) were relocated from Sturgeon Falls in 2002 (following the departure of the OHL's North Bay Centennials to
Saginaw, Michigan Saginaw () is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw and Saginaw County are both in the area known as Mid-Michigan. Saginaw is adjacent to Saginaw Charter Township and considered part of Greater ...
). The Trappers are members of the 8 team NOJHL Junior "A" circuit ( Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League). The Skyhawks/Trappers franchise has won 3 NOJHL championship titles (2002–03, 2003–04 & 2004–05). In April 2014 the Trappers were sold to become the Mattawa Blackhawks


North Bay Bulldogs

The North Bay Bulldogs compete in the nine-team, Ontario-based NFC ( Northern Football Conference). The Bulldogs were relocated from Brampton in 1991 to the Gateway City. The North Bay Bulldogs were welcomed into the Ontario Varsity Football League while losing all eight games (0–8) in their 2013 inaugural season.


Recreation

North Bay has many areas available for recreation and leisure, including over 72 sports fields and parks, a marina on Lake Nipissing that holds 270 boats, a plethora of trails and 42 beach access points on both Lake Nipissing and Trout Lake.


Recreation and leisure services

*Kate Pace Way *Kinsmen Trail *Nordic Ski Club *Laurentian Ski Hill *North Bay Memorial Gardens Sports Arena *Pete Palangio Arena *West Ferris Community Centre


Transportation

North Bay is located at the easternmost junction of Highway 11 and
Highway 17 Route 17, or Highway 17 can refer to the following roads: For the roads named "A17", see list of A17 roads. International * European route E17 * European route E017 Australia * Brisbane Valley Highway, Queensland * D'Aguilar Highway, Queenslan ...
, which are both segments of the
Trans-Canada Highway The Trans-Canada Highway ( French: ; abbreviated as the TCH or T-Can) is a transcontinental federal–provincial highway system that travels through all ten provinces of Canada, from the Pacific Ocean on the west coast to the Atlantic Ocean o ...
. The two highways share a single route through the city core, between Algonquin Avenue and an interchange at Twin Lakes, along an urban
limited-access road A limited-access road, known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway, expressway, limited access freeway, and partial controlled access highway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which ...
with reduced but not fully controlled access. Major arterial streets intersect directly with the highway, while minor streets end at a network of service roads connecting them to the arterials. At Algonquin Avenue, Highway 17 continues westward to
Sturgeon Falls West Nipissing is a municipality in Northeastern Ontario, Canada, on Lake Nipissing in the Nipissing District. It was formed on January 1, 1999, with the amalgamation of seventeen and a half former town, villages, townships and unorganized communi ...
and
Sudbury Sudbury may refer to: Places Australia * Sudbury Reef, Queensland Canada * Greater Sudbury, Ontario (official name; the city continues to be known simply as Sudbury for most purposes) ** Sudbury (electoral district), one of the city's federal e ...
, while Highway 11 heads north toward Temiskaming Shores. At the eastern interchange, Highway 17 heads eastward toward Mattawa, Pembroke and
Ottawa Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
, while Highway 11 widens into a
freeway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms ...
and heads southerly toward
Barrie Barrie is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada, about north of Toronto. The city is within Simcoe County and located along the shores of Kempenfelt Bay, the western arm of Lake Simcoe. Although physically in Simcoe County, Barrie is politically i ...
and
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
. Highway 11 and Highway 17 both formerly had business spur routes through downtown North Bay, Highway 11B (Ontario)#North Bay, Highway 11B and Highway 17B (Ontario)#North Bay, Highway 17B, although both have been decommissioned by the province and are now designated only as city streets. North Bay is also served by Highway 63 (Ontario), Highway 63, a route which extends northeasterly from the city toward Thorne, Ontario, Thorne, where it crosses the
Ottawa River The Ottawa River (french: Rivière des Outaouais, Algonquin: ''Kichi-Sìbì/Kitchissippi'') is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. It is named after the Algonquin word 'to trade', as it was the major trade route of Eastern ...
and becomes Quebec Route 101. Due to the steep incline of Algonquin Avenue/Highway 11 as it enters North Bay from the north on Thibeault Hill, the southbound lanes are equipped with the only runaway truck ramp on Ontario's provincial highway system. North Bay is served by the North Bay/Jack Garland Airport, which also receives and services military flights on behalf of the adjacent CFB North Bay, is home to Canadore College Aviation Campus, and site of numerous aviation companies, including Voyageur Airways and the Bombardier Aerospace CL-415 water bomber final assembly and flight testing facility. Intercity bus service in the city operates from the North Bay railway station on Station Road. The city operates a public transit system, North Bay Transit.


Police Service

The North Bay Police Service was founded in 1882, and is overseen by the North Bay City Council's Police Services Board. In 2018, it had a budge of Canadian dollar, C$18.6 Million.


Demographics

In the 2021 Canadian census, 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, North Bay had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021. North Bay census agglomeration population was 70,378 as of 2016. It had a land area of . ;Mother tongue demographics *Total 105 (100.0%) *English 103 (81.0%) *French 2 (13.0%) *Non-official language 0 (4.2%) *English and French 23 (1.4%) *English and non-official language 140 (0.3%) *French and non-official language 10 (0.0%) *English, French and non-official language 20 (0.0%)


Notable people

* Sam Jacks, inventor of Ringette and Floor hockey *
Giles Blunt Giles Blunt (born 1952) is a Canadian novelist, poet, and screenwriter. His first novel, ''Cold Eye'', was a psychological thriller set in the New York art world, which was made into the French movie ''Les Couleurs du diable'' (Allain Jessua, 199 ...
, author *Mike Bolan, former Liberal MP, Superior Court judge * Kirsten Bos, researcher of ancient DNA * Gerald Bull, aerospace engineer, expert in ballistics, assassinated * Amanda Burk, artist * Chuck Cadman, politician and member of Parliament * Jessica Cameron, actress * Harvey Charters, silver medalist at 1936 Summer Olympics, 1936 Olympics in canoeing * Mike Conroy (ice hockey), Mike Conroy, World Hockey Association, WHA hockey player * Billy Coutu, National Hockey League, NHL hockey player * Ab DeMarco Sr, former NHL hockey player * Nick Denis, former mixed martial arts fighter and biochemist * Kevin Frankish,
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
-area media personality. He co-hosts Breakfast Television on City (TV network), City. * Bobby Gimby, orchestra leader, singer/songwriter who wrote the Canada (1967 song), Canadian Centennial song * Mike Harris, former Premier of Ontario * Alison Herst, Olympian (Kayak: 1992 Barcelona; 1996 Atlanta) * High Holy Days (band), High Holy Days, rock music group * Bill Houlder, former NHL player * Troy Hurtubise, inventor * Byron M. Jones, Christian movie producer and managing partner of Pure Flix Entertainment * Gordon Kannegiesser, former NHL player * Sheldon Kannegiesser, former NHL player * Larry Keenan, former NHL player * Sean Kelly (Canadian musician), Sean Kelly, glam-rock guitarist and vocalist * Pierre LeBrun, hockey journalist * Cory Marks, country rock singer * Steve McLaren, former NHL/AHL player * Lise Meloche, Olympian (Biathlon: 1992 Albertville; 1994 Lillehammer) * Gerry Mendicino, actor * Keke Mortson, WHA hockey player, North Bay Sports Hall of Fame inductee * Claude Noël, former NHL head coach for the Winnipeg Jets * Bryan Lee O'Malley, cartoonist, creator and author of the Scott Pilgrim series of graphic novels * Mike O'Shea (Canadian football), Mike O'Shea, Canadian Football League, CFL head coach for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and former CFL linebacker * Barbara Olmsted, Olympian (Canoeing: 1984 Los Angeles (Bronze); 1988 Seoul) * Nancy Olmsted, Olympian (Canoeing: 1984 Los Angeles; 1988 Seoul) * Steve Omischl, world champion, freestyle skiing aerials * Kate Pace, world downhill alpine ski champion * Pete Palangio, former NHL player * Tony Poeta, former NHL player * Denis Rancourt, scientist, educational reform activist, former physics professor at the University of Ottawa * Julia Rivard, Olympic athlete (canoe/kayak), business leader * Craig Rivet, former NHL player * Anthony Rota, MP and Speaker of the House of Commons (Canada), Speaker of the House of Commons * Steve Shields (ice hockey), Steve Shields, former NHL goalie * Colin Simpson (electronics professor), Colin Simpson, author *Katherine E. Stange, mathematician * Lance Storm, professional wrestler * Scott Thompson (comedian), Scott Thompson, comedic actor * Kenneth Thomson, 2nd Baron Thomson of Fleet * Darren Turcotte, former NHL player * Jim Watson (actor), Jim Watson, actor * Mike Yeo, former St. Louis Blues Head Coach


Sister cities

* Moncton, New Brunswick


See also

*List of francophone communities in ontario, List of francophone communities in Ontario


Notes


References


External links

*
Police service
{{Authority control North Bay, Ontario, Cities in Ontario Single-tier municipalities in Ontario Lake Nipissing