Burin ( ) is a town on the

Burin Peninsula The Burin Peninsula ( ) is a peninsula located on the south coast of the island of Newfoundland (island), Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Marystown is the largest population centre on the peninsula.Statistics Canada. 201 ...

Placentia Bay Placentia Bay () is a body of water on the southeast coast of Newfoundland, Canada. It is formed by Burin Peninsula on the west and Avalon Peninsula on the east. Fishing grounds in the bay were used by native people long before the first Europ ...

Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the populatio ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. The Burin Peninsula is often affectionately nicknamed "The Boot" due to its resemblance to the footwear when seen on a map, with the town of Burin located near the "heel". Burin is approximately 318 km from the capital of St. John's. Settlement in Burin dates to the early 18th century, although documentary evidence indicates that French fishermen had been fishing and exploring the area even earlier.

History

Burin was settled as a fishing community, with the earliest known evidence of settlement being in 1718. The town was incorporated in 1950, and included Burin North, Ship Cove and Burin Bay. In 1970, the town limits were expanded and now include Collin's Cove, Path End, Bull's Cove, Black Duck Cove, Long Cove, Green Hill, Little Salmonier, Hollett's Farm, Burin Bay Arm, and Salt Pond.

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by

Statistics Canada Statistics Canada (StatCan; ), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. It is headquartered in ...

, Burin 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.

Economy

Until the early 1990s, the local economy was largely still dependent on the fishing industry. The federally imposed cod moratorium (which was instituted in 1992) had a heavy impact on the fishing industry as a whole. One of the main employers on the Burin peninsula was Fishery Products International (FPI), with

fish processing plant A fish factory, also known as a fish plant or fish processing facility, is a facility in which fish processing is performed. They are commonly located near bodies of water but can be located inland and on fishing vessels. The availability and va ...

s located in Fortune,

Marystown Marystown is a town in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, with a population of around 5,000. Situated 306 km from the province's capital, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John's, it is on the Burin Peninsula. Until ...

, and the largest in Burin. The processing plant in Burin was converted to a cannabis production facility in 2021. The tourism sector has grown in the absence of the fishing industry. Museums such as the Heritage House and Old Colony Trust remind people of what life was like in early Burin. The Burin Heritage Days occur in August at the Heritage Museum site, with many locals dressing in period clothing, a plethora of local musicians and dancers who entertain, and a fireworks show to the end the event.

Education

The school systems in Newfoundland underwent a change from denominational to a fully integrated system in the mid-1990s. Originally, there were two school systems under the denominational set-up — the Roman Catholic (R.C.) School Board and the Integrated School Board. Schools in the R.C. system included St. Patrick's elementary school (K-6) and Father Berney Memorial High School (7-12). The Integrated Schools included Sheen's Hill Elementary, Harfitt Primary, Donald C. Jameson Academy (4-8), and Pearce Regional High School (9-12). The schools of both systems served students from Burin as well as the neighbouring communities of Epworth, Corbin, Mortier, Fox Cove, Frenchman's Cove, and Garnish and Marystown; although Marystown did have two of its own R.C. schools, Sacred Heart Elementary (K-6) and Marystown Central High School (7-12), as well as a Pentecostal School. With the removal of the denominational school system, each of the schools were combined into one system to provide education for the area. Marystown Central High School, Sacred Heart Elementary, Pearce Junior High and Donald C. Jamieson Academy now remain, with Fr. Berney Memorial housing the school board offices. Post secondary institutions include three public trade colleges, College of the North Atlantic, Keyin College and Centrac College.

Sports/Recreation

Burin athletes compete in a number of disciplines, including softball, soccer, track and field, and tennis. Hockey players and figure skaters can travel to nearby Marystown to compete at the local arena. Recreational facilities include: * Softball diamond * Soccer pitch (home to the 2-time Provincial Challenge Cup Champions "Burin Eagles") * Several scenic walking trails * Tennis courts * Outdoor basketball facilities * Golden sands beach resort * A number of freshwater lakes and ponds frequently used for swimming *Scenic boardwalk located on the Atlantic Ocean Burin is also popular with those interested in gaming, camping and with offroad enthusiasts.

Notable people

* Albert Anstey, darts player * Kathy Dunderdale, 10th Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador

References

External links

Town of Burin
{{DEFAULTSORT:Burin, Newfoundland And Labrador Towns in Newfoundland and Labrador 1718 establishments in the British Empire