Thunderbay is a district in West Central of Ontario in Canada. It is located on the Lake, at the mouth of the Kaministiquia River. It is also known and called Lakehead. It was first occupied by French people who trade furs as early as 1678.
It became a permanent site of settlement after Port Arthur and Fort William were birthed in the 19th century. Fort William originated when the North West Company built a fur trapping Fort located at the mouth of a river called the Kaministiquia River in 1800.
On the other hand, Port Arthur City also called the Hill City was developed in the 1850s. It was developed as a silver mining settlement a few miles to the north, on the hammock. These two communities strive and prospered throughout the early 1870s.
They strive from silver strikes and also the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway in the 1870s and 1880s added to its prosperity. The city of Fort William and Port Arthur were rivalry cities for a long time and only embraced peace when their harbor facilities were unified in 1906.
The plans to bring the two cities together began in the 50s, this amalgamation gave rise to the existence of Thunder Bay in the 70s. Thunderbay has one of the busiest ports in Canada as it possesses one of the major transportation centers located on the main railway at lake steamer routes.
Thunderbay also possesses one of the world’s largest grain storage as well as depots for shipments. Thunderbay is at the heart of kakabeka falls which is rich in mining gold, copper, silver, and iron ore. They are also involved in fur farming, lumbering, and fishing, using equipment such as hydroelectric plants.
Industries such as shipbuilding and repair, flour, pulp, and paper mile can be found in that area. You can also find Lakehead University in thunder bay, the University was founded in 1965.
Is Thunderbay a good place to live?
Thunderbay has been regarded as no 7 of the best places to live in Canada, especially for new Canadians to move into. Thunderbay is said to score high for its employment rate. It is said that the housing prices are affordable, with easy access to healthcare facilities.
How is the Cost of living in Thunderbay?
Thunderbay has a significantly lower cost of living than many large cities in Canada. In as much as it is considered to have a lower cost of living, it is still imperative to manage your expenses and not live above your means in thunder bay.
Thunderbay as earlier stated is the largest city in Northwestern Ontario. It is known as Ontario’s commercial, administrative and medical center. The city has a very high employment level.
Most of its employers are in public sectors employed into, The city of Thunderbay, thunder bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, etc. The Government of Ontario employs more than 1,500 people.
A firm called Resolute Forest Products has been considered to be the largest private employer of labor currently, as it offers employment opportunities to over 1500 persons.
Also, Bombardier Transportation firm that deals in manufacturing mass transit vehicles as well as equipment are another employer of labor with over 800 employees.
Bombardier firm has a 553,000 square feet plant in Thunderbay, which is approximately 52,000m2. Canadian Car and Foundry built this plant for the sole aim of manufacturing railway box cars in 1912.
Recreational Facilities
The city boasts of so many recreational centers and facilities. There are about fifteen community centers that offer several sporting and fitness services.
Thunder Bay enjoys many recreational facilities. The city also holds seasonal activities like dance competitions and its likes.
Thunderbay and the Media
The chronicle Journal is one common newspaper on Thunderbay. Its circulation in the city is approximately 28,000 and covers the whole of Northwestern Ontario.
This journal has a free page that publishes entertainment weekly, every Thursday. There are also two weekly newspapers in thunder bay which are:
- Thunderbay Source and Canadian Sanomat published in the Finnish language.
- A Lakehead University student also has a newspaper called the Argus also published on a weekly basis during the school year.
The Weather in Thunderbay
Thunderbay usually has a significant annual variation in temperature. During Summer, it’s usually warm or hot and cool in winters. The temperature is being moderated by a Great Lake.
The snow falls for 127 days in a year for at least one centimeter, then during the mid-winters, the snow falls for an average of 29cm deep.
The summertime is usually considered comfortable in Thunderbay, the winters are usually snowy then all year round, it is normally a bit cloudy. The temperature varies from 0°F to 75°F, it goes below this but on rare occasions at -19°F or even a little above 83°F.
In Thunderbay, the rainfall is evident and significant, it falls even in the driest month.
It’s been stated that thunder bay gets to witness about 2538.26 hours of sunshine yearly, which makes it an average of 83.37 hours of sunshine every month.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Thunderbay has been ranked no 7 best places to live in Canada with weather that one can easily adapt to. It has a high employment level, is easily accessible to recreational centers, good healthcare system, and has a very friendly environment.
