Thunder Bay - Wikipedia Thunder Bay For other uses, see Thunder Bay ( disambiguation ). City ( single - tier ) in Ontario, Canada Thunder Bay City ( single - tier ) City of Thunder Bay From top left : View from Mount McKay, Lakehead University, Magnus Theatre, City Hall, Tourist Pagoda Flag Coat of arms Logo Nickname ( s ) : `` Canada 's Gateway to the West '', `` T - Bay '', `` Lakehead '' or `` The Lakehead '' Motto ( s ) : Superior by Nature / The Gateway to the West Thunder Bay Location of Thunder Bay in Ontario Coordinates : 48 ° 22 ′ 56 '' N 89 ° 14 ′ 46 '' W ﻿ / ﻿ 48.38222 ° N 89.24611 ° W ﻿ / 48.38222 ; - 89.24611 Coordinates : 48 ° 22 ′ 56 '' N 89 ° 14 ′ 46 '' W ﻿ / ﻿ 48.38222 ° N 89.24611 ° W ﻿ / 48.38222 ; - 89.24611 Country Canada Province Ontario District Thunder Bay District CMA Thunder Bay Settled 1683 as Fort Caministigoyan Amalgamation 1 January 1970 Electoral Districts Federal Thunder Bay -- Superior North / Thunder Bay -- Rainy River Provincial Thunder Bay -- Superior North / Thunder Bay -- Atikokan Government Type Municipal Government Mayor Keith Hobbs Bill Mauro ( elect ) City manager Norm Gale Governing Body Thunder Bay City Council MPs Patty Hajdu ( Liberal ) Don Rusnak ( Liberal ) MPPs Michael Gravelle ( OLP ) Judith Monteith - Farrell ( ONDP ) Area City ( single - tier ) 447.5 km ( 172.8 sq mi ) Land 328.24 km ( 126.73 sq mi ) Water 119.0 km ( 45.9 sq mi ) 26.6 % Urban 179.38 km ( 69.26 sq mi ) Metro 2,556.37 km ( 987.02 sq mi ) Elevation 199 m ( 653 ft ) Population ( 2016 ) City ( single - tier ) 107,909 ( 50th ) Density 330.1 / km ( 855 / sq mi ) Urban 93,952 ( 33rd ) Urban density 569.9 / km ( 1,476 / sq mi ) Metro 121,621 ( 33rd ) Metro density 47.6 / km ( 123 / sq mi ) Demonym ( s ) Thunder Bayer Time zone UTC − 5 ( EST ) Summer ( DST ) UTC − 4 ( EDT ) Forward sortation area P7A to P7G, P7J to P7K Area code ( s ) 807 NTS Map 052A06 GNBC Code FCWFX Website www.thunderbay.ca Thunder Bay is a city in, and the seat of, Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canada. It is the most populous municipality in Northwestern Ontario with a population of 107,909 as of the Canada 2016 Census, and the second most populous in Northern Ontario after Greater Sudbury. Located on Lake Superior, the census metropolitan area of Thunder Bay has a population of 121,621, and consists of the city of Thunder Bay, the municipalities of Oliver Paipoonge and Neebing, the townships of Shuniah, Conmee, O'Connor, and Gillies, and the Fort William First Nation. European settlement in the region began in the late 17th century with a French fur trading outpost on the banks of the Kaministiquia River. It grew into an important transportation hub with its port forming an important link in the shipping of grain and other products from western Canada, through the Great Lakes and the Saint Lawrence Seaway, to the east coast. Forestry and manufacturing played important roles in the city 's economy. They have declined in recent years, but have been replaced by a `` knowledge economy '' based on medical research and education. Thunder Bay is the site of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute. The city takes its name from the immense Thunder Bay at the head of Lake Superior, known on 18th - century French maps as Baie du Tonnerre ( Bay of Thunder ). The city is often referred to as the `` Lakehead '', or `` Canadian Lakehead '', because of its location at the end of Great Lakes navigation on the Canadian side of the border. Contents 1 History 1.1 Before 1900 1.2 20th century 1.3 Amalgamation 1.4 Today 2 Geography 2.1 Climate 3 Crime 4 Neighbourhoods 5 Government and politics 5.1 City symbols 5.2 Sister cities 6 Economy 7 Infrastructure 7.1 Transportation 7.2 Medical centres and hospitals 8 Demographics 9 Visitor attractions 10 Education 11 Culture 11.1 The arts 11.2 Museums and galleries 11.3 Places of worship 12 Sports and recreation 12.1 Recreational facilities 12.2 Sports teams 12.3 Sport events 13 Media 13.1 Print 13.2 Television 13.3 Radio 14 Notable people 15 See also 16 Notes and references 16.1 Notes 17 External links History Main articles : Port Arthur, Ontario and Fort William, Ontario Before 1900 European settlement at Thunder Bay began with two French fur trading posts ( 1683, 1717 ) which were subsequently abandoned ( see Fort William, Ontario ). In 1803, the Montreal - based North West Company established Fort William as its mid-continent entrepôt. The fort thrived until 1821 when the North West Company merged with the Hudson 's Bay Company, and Fort William was no longer needed. Fort William in 1865 By the 1850s, the Province of Canada began to take an interest in its western extremity. Discovery of copper in the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan had prompted a national demand for mining locations on the Canadian shores of Lake Superior. In 1849, French - speaking Jesuits established the Mission de l'Immaculée - Conception ( Mission of the Immaculate Conception ) on the Kaministiquia to evangelize the Ojibwe. The Province of Canada negotiated the Robinson Treaty in 1850 with the Ojibwa of Lake Superior. As a result, an Indian reserve was set aside for them south of the Kaministiquia River. In 1859 -- 60, the Department of Crown Lands surveyed two townships ( Neebing and Paipoonge ) and the Town Plot of Fort William for European - Canadian settlement. Another settlement developed a few miles to the north of Fort William after construction by the federal Department of Public Works of a road connecting Lake Superior with the Red River Colony. The work was directed by Simon James Dawson ( see Port Arthur, Ontario ). This public works depot or construction headquarters acquired its first name in May 1870 when Colonel Garnet Wolseley named it Prince Arthur 's Landing. It was renamed Port Arthur by the Canadian Pacific Railway ( CPR ) in May 1883. The arrival of the CPR in 1875 sparked a long rivalry between the towns, which did not end until the amalgamation of 1970. Until the 1880s, Port Arthur was a much larger and dynamic community. The CPR, in collaboration with the Hudson 's Bay Company, preferred east Fort William, located on the lower Kaministiquia River where the fur trade posts were. Provoked by a prolonged tax dispute with Port Arthur and its seizure of a locomotive in 1889, the CPR relocated all its employees and facilities to Fort William. The collapse of silver mining after 1890 undermined the economy of Port Arthur. It had an economic depression, while Fort William thrived. 20th century CN Railway Station In the era of Sir Wilfried Laurier, Thunder Bay began a period of extraordinary growth, based on improved access to markets via the transcontinental railway and development of the western wheat boom. The CPR double - tracked its Winnipeg -- Thunder Bay line. The Canadian Northern Railway established facilities at Port Arthur. The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway began construction of its facilities at the Fort William Mission in 1905, and the federal government began construction of the National Transcontinental Railway. Grain elevator construction boomed as the volume of grain shipped to Europe increased. Both cities incurred debt to grant bonuses to manufacturing industries. By 1914, the twin cities had modern infrastructures ( sewers, safe water supply, street lighting, electric light, etc. ) Both Fort William and Port Arthur were proponents of municipal ownership. As early as 1892, Port Arthur built Canada 's first municipally - owned electric street railway. Both cities spurned Bell Telephone Company of Canada to establish their own municipally - owned telephone systems in 1902. The boom came to an end in 1913 -- 1914, aggravated by the outbreak of the First World War. A war - time economy emerged with the making of munitions and shipbuilding. Men from the cities joined the 52nd, 94th, and 141st Battalions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. Railway employment was hurt when the federal government took over the National Transcontinental Railway and Lake Superior Division from the Grand Trunk in 1915, and the Canadian Northern Railway in 1918. These were amalgamated with other government - owned railways in 1923 to form the Canadian National Railways. The CNR closed many of the Canadian Northern Railway facilities in Port Arthur. It opened the Neebing yards in Neebing Township in 1922. By 1929, the population of the two cities had recovered to pre-war levels. The forest products industry has played an important role in the Thunder Bay economy from the 1870s. Logs and lumber were shipped primarily to the United States. In 1917, the first pulp and paper mill was established in Port Arthur. It was followed by a mill at Fort William, in 1920. Eventually there were four mills operating. Manufacturing resumed in 1937 when the Canada Car and Foundry Company plant ( opened during late World War I to produce naval ships and railcars ) re-opened to build aircraft for the British. Now run by Bombardier Transportation, the plant has remained a mainstay of the post-war economy. It has produced forestry equipment and transportation equipment for urban transit systems, such as the Toronto Transit Commission and GO Transit. Amalgamation On 1 January 1970, the City of Thunder Bay was formed through the merger of the cities of Fort William, Port Arthur, and the geographic townships of Neebing and McIntyre. Its name was the result of a referendum held previously on 23 June 1969, to determine the new name of the amalgamated Fort William and Port Arthur. Officials debated over the names to be put on the ballot, taking suggestions from residents including `` Lakehead '' and `` The Lakehead ''. Predictably, the vote split between the two, and `` Thunder Bay '' was the victor. The final tally was `` Thunder Bay '' with 15,870, `` Lakehead '' with 15,302, and `` The Lakehead '' with 8,377. There was more controversy over the selection of a name for the amalgamated city than over whether to amalgamate. A vocal minority of the population preferred `` The Lakehead ''. There was much discussion about other cities in the world that use the word `` The '' in their names. The area was often referred to as `` The Lakehead '' before and after amalgamation based on its geographic location. It was seen as the `` head '' of shipping on the Great Lakes and the `` rail head ''. The expansion of highways, beginning with the Trans - Canada Highway, and culminating with the opening of Highway 17 ( linking Sault Ste Marie to Thunder Bay in 1960 ), has significantly diminished railway and shipping activity since the 1970s and 80s. Shipping on the Saint Lawrence Seaway was superseded by trucking on highways. Grain shipping on the Great Lakes to the East has declined substantially in favour of transport to Pacific Coast ports. As a result, many grain elevators have been closed and demolished. The Kaministiquia River was abandoned by industry and shipping. Today Thunder Bay has become the regional services centre for Northwestern Ontario with most provincial departments represented. Lakehead University, established through the lobbying of local businessmen and professionals, has proven to be a major asset. Another upper level institution is Confederation College. The same businessmen and professionals who helped attract the university and college were the driving force ( s ) behind the political amalgamation of Fort William and Port Arthur in 1970. Geography Fort William as seen from the International Space Station, December 2008 The city has an area of 328.48 square kilometres, which includes the former cities of Fort William and Port Arthur, as well as the ( former ) townships of Neebing and McIntyre. The city reflects the settlement patterns of the 19th century and sprawls. Anchoring the west end of the city, the Fort William Town Plot, surveyed in 1859 -- 60, was named West Fort William ( or Westfort ) in 1888 by the CPR. The land adjoining the lower Kaministiquia River became the residential and central business district of the town and city of Fort William. A large uninhabited area adjoining the Neebing and McIntyre rivers, which became known as Intercity, separated Fort William from the residential and central business district of Port Arthur. At the extreme east of the city, a part of McIntyre Township was annexed to the town of Port Arthur in 1892, forming what later became known as the Current River area. The former Port Arthur section is more typical of the Canadian Shield, with gently sloping hills and very thin soil lying on top of bedrock with many bare outcrops. Thunder Bay, which gives the city its name, is about 22.5 kilometres ( 14.0 mi ) from the Port Arthur downtown to Thunder Cape at the tip of the Sleeping Giant. The former Fort William section occupies flat alluvial land along the Kaministiquia River. In the river delta are two large islands : Mission Island and McKellar Island. Since 1970, the central business districts of Fort William and Port Arthur have suffered a serious decline. Business and government relocated to new developments in the Intercity area. There has also been substantial residential growth in adjacent areas of the former Neebing and McIntyre townships. Climate The Thunder Bay area experiences a humid continental climate ( Köppen climate classification Dfb ) that is influenced by Lake Superior, with especially noticeable effects in the city 's north end. This results in cooler summer temperatures and warmer winter temperatures for an area extending inland as far as 16 km. The average daily temperatures range from 17.7 ° C ( 63.9 ° F ) in July to − 14.3 ° C ( 6.3 ° F ) in January. The average daily high in July is 24.3 ° C ( 75.7 ° F ) and the average daily high in January is − 8.0 ° C ( 17.6 ° F ). On 10 January 1982, the local temperature in Thunder Bay dropped to − 36.3 ° C ( − 33.3 ° F ), with a wind speed of 54 km ( 34 mi ) per hour for a wind chill temperature that dipped to − 58 ° C ( − 72.4 ° F ). As a result, it holds Ontario 's record for coldest day with wind chill. The highest temperature ever recorded in Thunder Bay was 40.3 ° C ( 104.5 ° F ) on 7 August 1983. The coldest temperature ever recorded was − 43.2 ° C ( − 45.8 ° F ) on 31 January 1996. The city is quite sunny, with an average of 2121 hours of bright sunshine each year, ranging from 268.1 hours in July to 86.2 hours in November, sunnier than any city in Canada located to the east of it. Winters are comparatively dry with the snowfall being very limited and temperatures much colder than in Houghton, Michigan on the U.S. side of the lake, where the climate is marked by heavy lake - effect snow. Thunder Bay has more of a continental climate in comparison. show Climate data for Thunder Bay Airport, 1981 − 2010 normals, extremes 1877 − present Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Record high humidex 9.2 15.4 22.9 29.7 38.7 43.1 46.2 45.4 41.2 32.3 21.7 11.8 46.2 Record high ° C ( ° F ) 8.3 ( 46.9 ) 15.5 ( 59.9 ) 23.8 ( 74.8 ) 28.3 ( 82.9 ) 35.2 ( 95.4 ) 39.0 ( 102.2 ) 40.0 ( 104 ) 40.3 ( 104.5 ) 34.1 ( 93.4 ) 28.3 ( 82.9 ) 21.7 ( 71.1 ) 12.2 ( 54 ) 40.3 ( 104.5 ) Average high ° C ( ° F ) − 8 ( 18 ) − 5 ( 23 ) 0.6 ( 33.1 ) 9.2 ( 48.6 ) 16.2 ( 61.2 ) 20.6 ( 69.1 ) 24.3 ( 75.7 ) 23.3 ( 73.9 ) 17.7 ( 63.9 ) 9.9 ( 49.8 ) 1.4 ( 34.5 ) − 5.5 ( 22.1 ) 8.7 ( 47.7 ) Daily mean ° C ( ° F ) − 14.3 ( 6.3 ) − 11.3 ( 11.7 ) − 5.1 ( 22.8 ) 3.0 ( 37.4 ) 9.2 ( 48.6 ) 13.9 ( 57 ) 17.7 ( 63.9 ) 16.9 ( 62.4 ) 11.7 ( 53.1 ) 4.5 ( 40.1 ) − 3.2 ( 26.2 ) − 10.8 ( 12.6 ) 2.7 ( 36.9 ) Average low ° C ( ° F ) − 20.6 ( − 5.1 ) − 17.7 ( 0.1 ) − 10.7 ( 12.7 ) − 3.2 ( 26.2 ) ( 36 ) 7.1 ( 44.8 ) 11.1 ( 52 ) 10.4 ( 50.7 ) 5.5 ( 41.9 ) − 0.9 ( 30.4 ) − 7.7 ( 18.1 ) − 16 ( 3 ) − 3.4 ( 25.9 ) Record low ° C ( ° F ) − 43.2 ( − 45.8 ) − 40.6 ( − 41.1 ) − 36.7 ( − 34.1 ) − 23.3 ( − 9.9 ) − 8.9 ( 16 ) − 3.9 ( 25 ) 0.0 ( 32 ) − 1.1 ( 30 ) − 8.3 ( 17.1 ) − 15.6 ( 3.9 ) − 30.6 ( − 23.1 ) − 39.6 ( − 39.3 ) − 43.2 ( − 45.8 ) Record low wind chill − 58.2 − 54.0 − 42.7 − 32.0 − 16.2 − 5.8 0.0 − 4.0 − 10.8 − 20.6 − 40.0 − 51.0 − 58.2 Average precipitation mm ( inches ) 26.3 ( 1.035 ) 20.5 ( 0.807 ) 31.3 ( 1.232 ) 52.9 ( 2.083 ) 67.0 ( 2.638 ) 83.5 ( 3.287 ) 87.0 ( 3.425 ) 89.5 ( 3.524 ) 73.1 ( 2.878 ) 64.3 ( 2.531 ) 53.1 ( 2.091 ) 35.2 ( 1.386 ) 683.7 ( 26.917 ) Average rainfall mm ( inches ) 0.39 ( 0.0154 ) 2.9 ( 0.114 ) 16.1 ( 0.634 ) 36.6 ( 1.441 ) 66.3 ( 2.61 ) 83.5 ( 3.287 ) 87.0 ( 3.425 ) 89.5 ( 3.524 ) 72.0 ( 2.835 ) 55.3 ( 2.177 ) 30.7 ( 1.209 ) 6.2 ( 0.244 ) 546.5 ( 21.516 ) Average snowfall cm ( inches ) 36.5 ( 14.37 ) 21.2 ( 8.35 ) 18.2 ( 7.17 ) 10.3 ( 4.06 ) 1.0 ( 0.39 ) 0.0 ( 0 ) 0.0 ( 0 ) 0.0 ( 0 ) 1.1 ( 0.43 ) 9.4 ( 3.7 ) 26.5 ( 10.43 ) 38.9 ( 15.31 ) 162.9 ( 64.13 ) Average precipitation days ( ≥ 0.2 mm ) 12.0 9.5 10.3 9.5 11.5 13.8 12.9 12.3 13.7 12.9 12.1 12.4 142.9 Average rainy days ( ≥ 0.2 mm ) 0.57 1.1 3.4 7.1 11.0 13.8 12.9 12.3 13.5 11.0 4.7 1.2 90.7 Average snowy days ( ≥ 0.2 cm ) 12.9 9.6 8.4 4.0 0.50 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.27 3.4 9.7 13.9 62.5 Mean monthly sunshine hours 109.6 126.7 159.8 213.0 259.0 262.0 268.1 255.9 163.8 125.4 86.2 91.2 2,120.5 Percent possible sunshine 40.1 44.2 43.4 52.0 55.0 54.5 55.2 57.6 43.2 37.2 31.0 35.0 45.7 Source # 1 : Environment Canada Extremes 1877 -- 1941 Source # 2 : CBC Crime In 2012, Thunder Bay was the city with the highest per - capita rate of homicides in Canada. Winnipeg had previously held the distinction of having the highest rate from the years 2007 to 2011. In 2014, the per - capita rate of homicides in Thunder Bay was more than double the 2012 rate, and was over 2.5 times higher than the city with the next highest rate. However, between 2014 and 2015, the crime rate decreased by 6 %. This was the second highest decrease in any major Canadian city, behind only Moncton, New Brunswick. Neighbourhoods The Port of Thunder Bay, as seen from Hillcrest Park in June 2006. Thunder Bay is composed of two formerly separate cities, Port Arthur and Fort William. Both still retain much of their distinct civic identities, reinforced by the buffering effect of the Intercity area between them. Port Arthur and Fort William each has its own central business districts and suburban areas. Some of the more well - known neighbourhoods include : the Bay and Algoma area, which has a large northern European population centred around the Finnish Labour Temple and the Italian Cultural Centre ; Simpson - Ogden and the East End, two of the oldest neighbourhoods in Fort William located north of Downtown Fort William ; Intercity, a large business district located between Fort William and Port Arthur ; Current River, the northernmost neighbourhood of Port Arthur ; and Westfort, the oldest settlement in Thunder Bay. Within city limits are some small rural communities, such as Vickers Heights and North McIntyre, which were located in the former townships of Neebing and McIntyre, respectively. Government and politics See also : Thunder Bay City Council Map of Thunder Bay 's seven municipal wards The city is governed by a mayor and twelve councillors. The mayor and five of the councillors are elected at large by the whole city. Seven councillors are elected for the seven wards : Current River Ward, McIntyre Ward, McKellar Ward, Neebing Ward, Northwood Ward, Red River Ward, and Westfort Ward. Thunder Bay is represented in the Canadian Parliament by Don Rusnak, and Patty Hajdu, both members of the Liberal Party of Canada, and in the Ontario Legislature by Michael Gravelle of the Ontario Liberal Party and Judith Monteith - Farrell on the Ontario New Democratic Party. City Symbols Sleeping Giant A large formation of mesas on the Sibley Peninsula in Lake Superior which resembles a reclining giant has become a symbol of the city. Sibley peninsula partially encloses the waters of Thunder Bay, and dominates the view of the lake from the northern section of the city ( formerly Port Arthur ). The Sleeping Giant also figures on the city 's coat of arms and the city flag. Coat of arms The Coat of Arms of the City of Thunder Bay, which incorporates features from the coats of arms of Port Arthur and Fort William. The Coat of arms of Thunder Bay, Ontario is a combination of the coats of arms of both Port Arthur and Fort William, with a unifying symbol -- the Sleeping Giant -- at the base of the arms. Corporate logo The city logo depicts a stylized thunderbird, called Animikii, a statue of which is located on the city 's Kaministiquia River Heritage Park. The slogan, Superior by Nature, is a double play on words reflecting the city 's natural setting on Lake Superior. City flag Thunder Bay 's flag was created in 1972, when mayor Saul Laskin wanted to promote the city by having a distinctive flag. The city held a contest, which was won by Cliff Redden. The flag has a 1 : 2 ratio, and depicts a golden sky from the rising sun behind the Sleeping Giant, which sits in the blue waters of Lake Superior. The sun is represented by a red maple leaf, a symbol of Canada. Green and gold are Thunder Bay 's city colours. Sister cities Thunder Bay has five sister cities on three continents, which are selected based on economic, cultural and political criteria. Seinäjoki, Finland since 1974 Little Canada, Minnesota, United States since 1977 Duluth, Minnesota, United States since 1980 Gifu, Japan since 2007 Jiaozuo, China, since 2017 Economy Labour force Rate Thunder Bay Ontario Canada Employment 56.0 % 59.9 % 60.2 % Unemployment 7.7 % 7.4 % 7.7 % Participation 60.7 % 64.7 % 65.2 % As of : Census 2016 As the largest city in Northwestern Ontario, Thunder Bay is the region 's commercial, administrative and medical centre. Many of the city 's largest single employers are in the public sector. The City of Thunder Bay, the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, the Lakehead District School Board and the Government of Ontario each employ over 1,500 people. Resolute Forest Products is the largest private employer, employing over 1,500 people. Bombardier Transportation operates a 553,000 square feet ( 51,400 m ) plant in Thunder Bay which manufactures mass transit vehicles and equipment, employing approximately 800 people. The plant was built by Canadian Car and Foundry to build railway box cars in 1912, began building passenger railcar and transit cars from 1963 onwards Bombardier acquired the facility from UTDC in 1992, which had acquired it from Cancar in 1984. Employment by Occupation, 2016 Occupation Thunder Bay Ontario Management 8.1 % 11.3 % Business, Finance and Administration 14.4 % 16.1 % Natural and Applied Sciences 6.2 % 7.4 % Health 10.0 % 6.4 % Education, Law, and Government 14.5 % 11.9 % Art, Culture, Recreation, and Sport 2.3 % 3.2 % Sales and Services 30.7 % 23.4 % Trades, Transport and Equipment Operators 15.0 % 13.3 % Natural Resources and Agriculture 1.9 % 1.6 % Manufacturing and Utilities 2.5 % 5.2 % Lack of innovation by traditional industries, such as forest products, combined with high labour costs have reduced the industrial base of Thunder Bay by close to 60 %. The grain trade has declined because of the loss of grain transportation subsidies and the loss of European markets. The gradual transition from shipping by train and boat to shipping by truck, and the Canada -- United States Free Trade Agreement have ended Thunder Bay 's privileged position as a linchpin in Canadian east -- west freight - handling trade. As a result, the city has lost its traditional raison d'être as a break - bulk point. However, in recent years shipments through the port of Thunder Bay have stabilized, and remains an important part of the Saint Lawrence Seaway. In an effort to rejuvenate its economy, the city has been actively working to attract quaternary or `` knowledge - based '' industries, primarily in the fields of molecular medicine and genomics. The city is home to the western campus of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, the first medical school to open in Canada in a generation. The city also has a law school. Infrastructure Transportation Main article : Transportation in Thunder Bay, Ontario Thunder Bay receives air, rail and shipping traffic due to its prime location along major continental transportation routes. Greyhound Canada provides coach service to both regional and national destinations, with the municipally owned Thunder Bay Transit providing 17 routes across the city 's urban area. The city is served by the Thunder Bay International Airport, the fourth busiest airport in Ontario by aircraft movements. The main highway through the city is Highway 11 / 17, a four - lane highway designated as the Thunder Bay Expressway. The city is an important railway hub, served by both the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Railway. Passenger rail service to Thunder Bay ended on 15 January 1990, with the cancellation of Via Rail 's southern transcontinental service. Harbour Thunder Bay has been a port since the days of the North West Company which maintained a schooner on Lake Superior. The Port of Thunder Bay is the largest outbound port on the St. Lawrence Seaway System, and the sixth largest port in Canada. The Thunder Bay Port Authority manages Keefer Terminal, built on a 320,000 square metre site on Lake Superior. Medical centres and hospitals Thunder Bay has one major hospital, the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. Other health care services include the St. Joseph 's Care Group, which operates long term care centres such as the Lakehead Psychiatric Hospital, St. Joseph 's Hospital, and Hogarth Riverview Manor. The Northern Ontario School of Medicine has a campus at Lakehead University. The city is also home to a variety of smaller medical and dental clinics. Demographics show Population history Year Pop. ± % 1881 1,965 -- 1891 4,874 + 148.0 % 1901 7,211 + 47.9 % 1911 27,719 + 284.4 % 1921 35,427 + 27.8 % 1931 46,095 + 30.1 % 1941 55,011 + 19.3 % 1951 66,108 + 20.2 % 1956 77,600 + 17.4 % 1961 92,490 + 19.2 % 1966 104,539 + 13.0 % 1971 108,411 + 3.7 % 1976 111,476 + 2.8 % 1981 112,486 + 0.9 % 1986 112,272 − 0.2 % 1991 113,946 + 1.5 % 113,662 − 0.2 % 109,016 − 4.1 % 2006 109,140 + 0.1 % 2011 108,359 − 0.7 % 2016 107,909 − 0.4 % Sources : Selected Ethnic Origins, 2016 Ethnic origin Population English 32,825 Canadian 27,850 Scottish 25,425 Irish 22,115 French 19,405 Italian 16,610 Ukrainian 16,085 Aboriginal 15,670 Finnish 13,565 German 13,015 Polish 8,395 Swedish 5,360 Visible minorities 4,790 multiple responses included According to the 2016 Census, there were 107,909 people residing in Thunder Bay on 10 May 2016, of whom 48.8 % were male and 51.2 % were female. Residents 19 years of age or younger accounted for approximately 19.9 % of the population. People aged by 20 and 39 years accounted for 25.0 %, while those between 40 and 64 made up 35.1 % of the population. The average age of a Thunder Bayer in May 2016 was 43.3, compared to the average of 41.0 for Canada as a whole. Between the censuses of 2011 and 2016, Thunder Bay 's population decreased by 0.1 %, compared to an increase of 4.6 % for Ontario and 5.0 % for Canada. The population density of the city of Thunder Bay averaged 328.6 people per square kilometre, compared with an average of 14.8 for Ontario. The total population has been stagnant or declining since amalgamation in 1970. A further 13,712 people lived in Thunder Bay 's Census Metropolitan Area, which apart from Thunder Bay includes the municipalities of Neebing and Oliver Paipoonge, the townships of Conmee, Gillies, O'Connor and Shuniah, and the aboriginal community of Fort William First Nation. Ethnicity According to the census, Thunder Bay was home to 13,565 people of Finnish descent, the highest concentration of people of Finnish origin per capita in Canada. Thunder Bay has a large Aboriginal population representing 13.2 % of the population, while visible minorities represent 4 % of the population. Mother tongue language ( 2016 ) Language Population Pct ( % ) English 90,135 86.1 % Italian 2,815 2.7 % French 2,405 2.3 % Finnish 1,635 1.6 % Ojibwe 920 0.9 % Polish 830 0.8 % Oji - Cree 660 0.7 % Religion The 2001 census states that 82.0 per cent of Thunder Bay residents belonged to a Christian denomination : 39.8 % of the total population was Roman Catholic, 39.5 % were Protestant, and 2.6 % followed other Christian denominations, mostly Eastern Orthodox. Those who followed other religions made up less than 1 % of the population, while the remaining 17.0 % were non-religious or did not respond. Visitor attractions Thunder Bay 's main tourist attraction is Fort William Historical Park, a reconstruction of the North West Company 's Fort William fur trade post as it was in 1815, which attracts 100,000 visitors annually. The marina in downtown Port Arthur, an area known as The Heart of the Harbour, draws visitors for its panoramic view of the Sleeping Giant and the presence of various water craft. The marina also includes a lake walk, playground, harbour cruises, a children 's museum, and a Chinese / Canadian restaurant. There are several small surface amethyst mines in the area, some of which allow visitors to search for their own crystals. A 2.74 m ( 9 ft ) statue of Terry Fox is situated at the Terry Fox Memorial and Lookout on the outskirts of the city near the place where he was forced to abandon his run. Other tourists attractions are listed below. Bluffs Scenic Lookout Boulevard Lake Park Canada Games Complex Canadian Lakehead Exhibition Cascades Conservation Area Centennial Conservatory Centennial Park Chapples Park Chippewa Park Connaught Square Finnish Labour Temple Fort William Gardens Fort William Stadium Hillcrest Park The Hoito Intercity Shopping Centre Kakabeka Falls Magnus Theatre Mission Island Marsh Mount McKay Lookout MV Miseford Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame Ouimet Canyon Prince Arthur 's Landing waterfront district Port Arthur Stadium Silver Falls Thunder Bay Art Gallery Thunder Bay Community Auditorium Thunder Bay Historical Museum Thunder Bay Marina Thunder Bay Restaurant International Friendship Gardens Trowbridge Falls Victoriaville Waverley Park Whitewater Golf Club Hillcrest Park, looking south to Fort William. Education Main article : Education in Thunder Bay, Ontario Thunder Bay has 38 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, 8 secondary schools, 2 private schools, and an adult education facility. The city also has several other private for - profit colleges and tutoring programmes. Post secondary institutions in Thunder Bay include Confederation College and Lakehead University. The Lakehead District School Board is the largest school board in the city, with 22 elementary schools, 4 secondary schools and a centre for adult studies. The Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board is the second largest with 16 elementary schools, 3 middle schools and 2 high schools. Conseil scolaire de district catholique des Aurores boréales operates one elementary and one high school in Thunder Bay, and an additional six schools throughout the Thunder Bay District. Culture A Persian, local to Thunder Bay The city of Thunder Bay was declared a `` Cultural Capital of Canada '' in 2003. Throughout the city are cultural centres representing the diverse population, such as the Finnish Labour Temple, Scandinavia House, the Italian Cultural Centre, the Polish Legion, and a wide variety of others. Shags, a combination shower and stag held to celebrate the engagement of a couple, and Persians, a cinnamon bun pastry with pink icing, originated in the city. Thunder Bay is served by the Thunder Bay Public Library, which has four branches. Events in the city include Thunder Pride, an LGBT pride parade held since 2010, and the annual Canadian Lakehead Exhibition. The arts Thunder Bay Historical Museum Thunder Bay is home to a variety of music and performance arts venues. The largest professional theatre is Magnus Theatre. Founded in 1971, it offers six stage plays each season and is located in the renovated Port Arthur Public School on Red River Road. The Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, which seats 1500, is the primary venue for various types of entertainment. It is the home of the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, which has 30 full - time and up to 20 extra musicians presenting a full range of classical music. New Music North is vital to the contemporary classical music scene in the city by offering intriguing and novel contemporary chamber music concerts. The Bay Street Film Festival, established in 2005, is an independent film festival that features local, national, and international films with the theme of `` Films for the People. '' The festival is held in early October at 314 Bay Street in the historic Finnish Labour Temple. Thunder Bay is also home to the North of Superior Film Association ( NOSFA ). Established in 1992, the NOSFA features monthly screenings of international and Canadian films at the Cumberland Cinema Centre, with a spring film festival that attracts several thousand patrons. The Northwestern Ontario Writers Workshop ( NOWW ), founded in 1997, is the largest of several writing groups based in Thunder Bay. Its mission is `` to encourage and promote the development of the writers and literature of Northwestern Ontario. '' NOWW does this through a number of activities including regular workshops, monthly readings ( summer excepted ), an eWriter in Residence program, and other events designed to help and inspire writers in the region. NOWW also hosts an annual LitFest in May which includes an awards presentation to the winners of its international annual writing contest. Past contest judges include a Who 's Who of Canadian writers such as Heather O'Neill, Michael Christie, Jane Urquhart, and Liz Howard. Museums and galleries The Thunder Bay Art Gallery, which was founded in 1976, specializes in the works of First Nations artists, having a collection of national significance. The Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society, founded in 1908, presents local and traveling exhibitions and houses an impressive collection of artifacts, photographs, paintings, documents and maps in its archives. The City of Thunder bay also houses the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, and the Thunder Bay Military Museum ( housed within the O'Kelley Armoury on Park Street ). Thunder Bay has two recognized Federal Heritage buildings on the Register of the Government of Canada Heritage Buildings : Ordnance Store Recognized -- 1997 Park Street Armoury Recognized -- 1994 Both are part of HMCS Griffin. Places of worship St. Andrews Presbyterian Church Thunder Bay has many places of worship supported by people of a variety of faiths, reflecting the cultural diversity of the population. A sample : Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church -- Ukrainian Orthodox. The original wooden church, built by Ukrainian Orthodox families in 1911 / 1912, was almost destroyed by fire in 1936. The current church was built on the same site and opened in 1937. It has decorative gold domes that are characteristic of Ukrainian churches of the Bukovina area, with Orthodox crosses atop the domes. Calvary Lutheran Church was established in 1958 as a mission congregation of the Minnesota North District ( USA ). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - day Saints ( LDS Church ). The church has a family history library open to anyone to research their genealogy. Elim Community Christian Centre. Pentecostal Church located in Current River area of the city which is now named Refreshing Waters Community Church. Evangel Church. Contemporary Pentecostal church with a strong emphasis on children, youth and ( with their convenient location next to Lakehead University ) young adults. First - Wesley United Church. The current Wesley United Church was preceded by a much smaller structure, Grace Methodist Church, which was built in 1891 and had a capacity of 100 people. The current Gothic 1,025 seat sanctuary was constructed in 1910. Hilldale Lutheran Church. Offers services in both English and Finnish. The church has an intimate atmosphere and wonderful acoustics, and is frequently used for musical performances. Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church. Founded in 1918, the church moved to its present building in 1991. The church is active in providing non-profit housing for needy families. Hope Christian Reformed Church. Services are recorded so that anyone with an internet connection may listen. Kitchitwa Kateri Anamewgamik. Roman Catholic communal church geared to Native culture and teachings. A drop - in centre provides coffee and serves soup & bannock. Lakehead Unitarian Fellowship. This Unitarian Universalist community includes Christians, Buddhists, Pagans, Theists, Non-theists, Humanist - agnostics, and Atheists. They welcome and celebrate the presence and participation of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons. Redwood Park Church Contemporary member of the Christian Missionary Alliance. Runs an outreach at the old building on Edward street with a food bank and a clothing store. Saalem Church. Offers services in both English and Finnish. Shaarey Shomayim Congregation -- Jewish Synagogue. This egalitarian community has the only mikvah between Winnipeg and Toronto. Shepherd of Israel Congregation -- Messianic Jewish. Affiliated with Evangelical movement. St. Agnes Church. Roman Catholic Church. Founded in 1885, the new St. Agnes Church and Hall was dedicated on 6 June 1982. St. Vincent de Paul Society operates a food bank out of this church. St Stephen the Martyr Anglican Church. Provides a food cupboard for the Current River area. St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church. Founded in 1872, the current building was erected in 1884. St. Patrick 's Cathedral -- Roman Catholic. The old St. Patrick 's Church was built in 1893. In 1963 it was replaced by the current cathedral on the same site. St Paul 's Anglican Church. Historic, stately parish built in the English Gothic style. St. Anthony 's Parish - Roman Catholic. Located in The John - Jumbo area of Port Arthur. Thunder Bay Masjid - Muslim Mosque Sports and recreation Thunder Bay 's proximity to the wilderness of the Boreal Forest and the rolling hills and mountains of the Canadian Shield allow its residents to enjoy very active lifestyles. The city has hosted several large sporting events including the Summer Canada Games in 1981, the Nordic World Ski Championships in 1995, the Continental Cup of Curling in 2003, and the World Junior Baseball Championship in 2010 & 2017. Recreational facilities Thunder Bay enjoys many recreational facilities. The city operates fifteen neighbourhood community centres, which offer various sporting and fitness facilities as well as seasonal activities such as dances. The city also operates six indoor ice rinks and 84 seasonal outdoor rinks, two indoor community pools and three seasonal outdoor pools as well as a portable pool and two maintained public beaches, several curling sheets, and three golf courses, among others. Listed below are some of the city 's major facilities. Multi-use facilities The Canada Games Complex The Fort William Gardens Port Arthur Stadium Royal Canadian Legion Sports Complex Municipal ice rinks and indoor pools Current River Arena Delaney Arena Grandview Arena Neebing Arena Port Arthur Arena Thunder Bay Tournament Centre ( 2 ice surfaces ) Sir Winston Churchill Community Pool Volunteer Community Pool Golf courses Centennial Golf Course ( 9 holes ) Chapples Memorial Golf Course ( 18 Holes ) ( Municipal ) Dragon Hills Golf Course ( 9 holes ) Emerald Greens Golf Course ( 9 holes ) Fort William Country Club ( 18 Holes ) Municipal Golf Course ( 9 holes ) ( Municipal ) ( closed ) Northern Lights Golf Complex ( 9 holes par 3 / 9 holes regulation ) Strathcona Golf Course ( 18 holes ) ( Municipal ) Thunder Bay Country Club ( 9 holes ) Whitewater Golf Club ( 18 holes ) Ski hills Loch Lomond Ski Resort Mount Baldy Ski Resort Cross-Country Skiing Facilities Lappe Nordic Ski Centre Kamview Nordic Centre Sports teams Club Sport League Venue Thunder Bay North Stars ice hockey Superior International Junior Hockey League Fort William Gardens Lakehead Thunderwolves Basketball Ontario University Athletics C.J. Sanders Fieldhouse Lakehead Thunderwolves Baseball National Club Baseball Association Div 2 ( USA ) Baseball Central Lakehead Thunderwolves Ice Hockey Ontario University Athletics Fort William Gardens Lakehead Thunderwolves Volleyball Ontario University Athletics C.J. Sanders Fieldhouse Thunder Bay Border Cats Baseball Northwoods League Port Arthur Stadium Thunder Bay Chill Soccer Premier Development League Fort William Stadium Thunder Bay Kings Ice Hockey NAPHL Fort William Gardens Thunder Bay is also home to the National Development Centre -- Thunder Bay, an elite cross-country ski team that attracts many of Canada 's best Junior and U-23 skiers. Sport events Thunder Bay 10 mile road race 2010 World Junior Baseball Championship 2017 18U Baseball World Cup Media Main article : Media in Thunder Bay Print Thunder Bay has one daily newspaper, The Chronicle - Journal, which has a circulation of approximately 28,000 and has coverage of all of Northwestern Ontario. The Chronicle Journal publishes a free weekly called Spot every Thursday, focusing on entertainment. There are two weekly newspapers : Thunder Bay 's Source, a weekly newspaper operated by Dougall Media, and Canadan Sanomat, a Finnish - language weekly newspaper. Lakehead University has a student newspaper called The Argus, which is published weekly during the school year. The city publishes a bi-monthly newsletter to citizens titled yourCity, which is also available online in a PDF format, by electronic subscription and RSS feed. Television Three English - language stations supply Thunder Bay with free digital over-the - air television. Programming from the Global and CTV networks is provided by a locally owned twinstick operation branded as Thunder Bay Television, and the city receives TVOntario on channel 9. CBC Television and Ici Radio - Canada Télé are available only on cable and satellite in the area. The cable provider in Thunder Bay is Shaw ; although locally owned TBayTel has been granted a license by the Canadian Radio - television and Telecommunications Commission ( CRTC ) to compete in the cable TV market. The community channel on Shaw Cable is branded as Shaw TV, and airs on cable channel 10. WBKP TV channel 5, the CW affiliate in Calumet, Michigan, can be received in Thunder Bay with an outdoor roof antenna and a digital - capable television or receiver. Radio Thunder Bay is home to 12 radio stations, all of which broadcast on the FM band. There are four commercial radio stations based in the city -- Rock 94 and 91.5 CKPR, owned by Dougall Media, the parent company of Thunder Bay Television and Thunder Bay 's Source, and Magic 99.9 and Country 105, owned by Acadia Broadcasting. One additional station, Energy 103 / 104, targets the Thunder Bay market from transmitters in Kaministiquia and Shuniah. The city receives CBC Radio One as CBQT - FM and CBC Radio 2 as CBQ - FM, at 88.3 FM and 101.7 FM respectively. The French Première Chaîne is available as a repeater of Sudbury - based CBON - FM on 89.3 FM. Lakehead University operates a campus radio station, CILU - FM, at 102.7 FM, and CJOA - FM 95.1 broadcasts Christian - oriented programming and is run by a local non-profit group. Thunder Bay Information Radio CKSI - FM is broadcast 24 / 7 on 90.5 and is also the city 's emergency radio station. Notable people Main article : List of people from Thunder Bay See also Thunder Bay Hydro Notes and references Thorold J. Tronrud and A. Ernest Epp ( 1995 ) Thunder Bay : From Rivalry to Unity, Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society, ISBN 0 - 920119 - 20 - 4 Jump up ^ `` Port of Thunder Bay ''. Jump up ^ Smith, Jamie. `` Norm Gale appointed city manager at city council meeting Monday, '' TB News Watch ( 11 January 2016 ). Retrieved 10 January 2016. Jump up ^ City Hall, Thunder Bay City Council. Retrieved 2 June 2007. Jump up ^ Municipal Code, by - law 218 - 2003. Retrieved 2 June 2007. ^ Jump up to : `` Thunder Bay, Ontario ( Code 3558004 ) census profile ''. 2011 Census of Population. Statistics Canada. Retrieved 2013 - 04 - 25. ^ Jump up to : `` Thunder Bay ( census metropolitan area ) ( Code 595 ) census profile ''. 2011 Census of Population. Statistics Canada. Retrieved 2013 - 04 - 25. ^ Jump up to : `` Thunder Bay ( population centre ) ( Code 0935 ) census profile ''. 2011 Census of Population. Statistics Canada. Retrieved 2013 - 04 - 25. Jump up ^ The Port of Thunder Bay, The Transportation Sector. City of Thunder Bay. Retrieved 30 November 2007. Jump up ^ `` Canadian Climate Normals 1971 -- 2000 ''. Thunder Bay A, Ontario : Environment Canada. Retrieved 12 April 2012. ^ Jump up to : Brief History of Thunder Bay, City of Thunder Bay. Retrieved 5 June 2007. Jump up ^ Tronrud, Thorold J ; Epp, Ernest A. ; and others. ( 1995 ). `` Introduction '' Archived 7 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine., Thunder Bay : From Rivalry to Unity, p. vii, Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society ISBN 0 - 920119 - 22 - 0 Jump up ^ F.B. Scollie, `` Falling into Line : How Prince Arthur 's Landing Became Port Arthur, '' Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society Papers and Records, XIII ( 1985 ) 8 -- 19. Jump up ^ About Thunder Bay, pp. 2. Retrieved 2 September 2007. Jump up ^ `` Archived copy '' ( PDF ). Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 5 May 2013. CS1 maint : Archived copy as title ( link ) Jump up ^ http://people.eng.unimelb.edu.au/mpeel/Koppen/World_Koppen_Map.png ^ Jump up to : `` Thunder Bay A ''. Canadian Climate Normals 1981 -- 2010. Environment Canada. Retrieved 29 September 2013. Jump up ^ `` Thunder Bay Airport Hourly Data Report for January 10, 1982 ''. Environment Canada. Archived from the original on 6 June 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2014. ^ Jump up to : `` Fact Sheet − Winter Weather Warnings ''. Environment Canada. Archived from the original on 24 May 2008. Retrieved 3 June 2014. Jump up ^ `` August 1983 ''. Retrieved 15 April 2016. Jump up ^ `` January 1996 ''. Retrieved 15 April 2016. Jump up ^ `` Environment Canada Monthly Summary ''. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 22 November 2014. Jump up ^ `` June 1995 ''. Retrieved 15 April 2016. Jump up ^ `` February 1996 ''. Retrieved 15 April 2016. Jump up ^ `` February 2000 ''. Retrieved 15 April 2016. Jump up ^ `` September 2005 ''. Retrieved 15 April 2016. Jump up ^ `` March 2010 ''. Retrieved 15 April 2016. Jump up ^ `` Port Arthur ''. Retrieved 15 April 2016. Jump up ^ `` Thunder Bay shatters cold weather records ''. Retrieved 22 November 2014. Jump up ^ `` Manitoba murder capital of Canada for fifth year in a row ''. CTV. 24 July 2012. Jump up ^ `` Manitoba 's homicide rate highest among provinces ''. Winnipeg Free Press. 19 December 2013. Jump up ^ `` Statistics Canada report shows city has one of Canada 's highest crime rates ''. TBNewswatch. 22 July 2015. Jump up ^ http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/160720/dq160720a-eng.pdf Jump up ^ Guide to City Services, Municipal Government, Wards. Retrieved 4 June 2007 ^ Jump up to : Thunder Bay City Symbols. Retrieved 4 June 2007. Jump up ^ Thunder Bay Sister Cities Archived 28 February 2018 at the Wayback Machine... Retrieved 1 August 2014 Jump up ^ staff, Heather Peden, CJ. `` Thunder Bay gains 5th sister city ''. The Chronicle - Journal. Retrieved 2018 - 10 - 19. ^ Jump up to : Statistics Canada Community Profile 2016 City of Thunder Bay, Labour. Retrieved 24 March 2018 Jump up ^ Major Employer List -- Thunder Bay, 2006 45kb. Retrieved 2 September 2007. ^ Jump up to : Thunder Bay Top Private Sector Employers, Northern Ontario Business ( May 2006 ). Retrieved 4 September 2007. Jump up ^ http://www.bombardier.com/content/dam/Websites/bombardiercom/Sites/supporting-documents/Bombardier-Transportation-SiteFactSheet-ThunderBay-Canada-en.pdf Jump up ^ HistoricPlaces.ca - HistoricPlaces.ca Jump up ^ 56 - Year Cargo Statistics, Port of Thunder Bay. Retrieved 20 December 2009. Jump up ^ New Molecular Medicine Research Centre to be Headquartered in Thunder Bay Archived 28 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine., TBRHSC.com ( 6 September 2006 ). Retrieved 4 September 2007 Jump up ^ Genesis Genomics. Retrieved 2 September 2007. ^ Jump up to : Thunder Bay Blends Old, New Industries, Site Selection ( November 2005 ). Retrieved 4 September 2007 Jump up ^ Lakehead University Faculty of Law, Site Selection. Retrieved 27 February 2014 Jump up ^ TP 1496 Preliminary aircraft statistics 2006. Transport Canada. Retrieved 2 September 2007. Jump up ^ Canada Transportation Act, 1990. Order Varying Certain National Transportation Agency Orders Respecting Railway Companies, SOR / 89 - 488 S III 1. ( 2 ) ( c ). Retrieved 5 June 2007 Jump up ^ Port of Thunder Bay, official website. Retrieved 2 September 2007. Jump up ^ The People of Thunder Bay Archived 27 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine... Retrieved 1 September 2007. For 1911 : Tronrud, Thorold J ; Epp, Ernest A. ; and others. ( 1995 ). Thunder Bay : From Rivalry to Unity Archived 7 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine... Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society, pp. 59. ISBN 0 - 920119 - 22 - 0. Jump up ^ `` Planting the Municipal Ownership Idea in Port Arthur, 1875 -- 1914. '' Urban History Review, Vol. XXVI, no. 1. October, 1997. ^ Jump up to : Profile of Ethnic Origin for Thunder Bay Census Metropolitan Area, 2016 Census. Statistics Canada. Retrieved 24 March 2016. Jump up ^ City of Thunder Bay, 2016 Community Profile. Statistics Canada. Retrieved 24 March 2017. Jump up ^ Focus on Geography Series, Thunder Bay CMA. Statistics Canada. Retrieved 24 March 2018. Jump up ^ Statistics Canada : 2016 census Jump up ^ Fort William Historical Park, Planning Your Visit -- Beginnings. Retrieved 4 June 2007 Jump up ^ Ontario Amethyst : Mining Ontario 's Amethyst Archived 8 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine. Ontario Ministry of Northern Development and Mines. Retrieved 4 August 2007. Jump up ^ Cultural Capitals of Canada 2003. Retrieved 4 June 2007. Jump up ^ Seven Wonders of Thunder Bay Archived 6 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine., Shags. Thunder Bay Source. Retrieved 11 June 2007. Jump up ^ Thunder Bay Food. Retrieved 11 June 2007. Jump up ^ The Universal Cynic ( 26 June 2006 ) Lexicon of Yore. Retrieved 11 June 2007. Jump up ^ Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra. Retrieved 2 September 2007. Jump up ^ New Music North Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine... Retrieved 2 August 2008. Jump up ^ Bay Street Film Festival Archived 16 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine... Retrieved 2 September 2007. Jump up ^ NOSFA Website. Retrieved 2 September 2007. Jump up ^ NOWW Website. Retrieved 24 September 2018. Jump up ^ NOWW Website. Retrieved 24 September 2018. Jump up ^ Register of the Government of Canada Heritage Buildings. Jump up ^ `` Thunder Bay Community Information Database : Churches '' Archived 6 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Thunder Bay Community Information & Referral Center. Retrieved 3 January 2009 Jump up ^ `` Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary '' Archived 29 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine., City of Thunder Bay. Retrieved 3 January 2009 Jump up ^ `` Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra Brochure '' TBSO. Retrieved 3 January 2009 Jump up ^ City of Thunder Bay Archived 13 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine. -- Outdoor Rinks. Retrieved January 2008 Jump up ^ Thunder Bay Telephone ( 2007 ) TBayTel 2007 -- 2008 Directory, Pages 56 to 58. Jump up ^ Golf Thunder Bay and Golflink -- Thunder Bay Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine... Retrieved 2 September 2007. Jump up ^ Sudbury Star and Sault Star Part of Media Buyout. Netnewsledger, 1 June 2007. Retrieved 8 June 2007. Jump up ^ The Argus Archived 7 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine... Retrieved 8 June 2007 Jump up ^ Your City, Thunder Bay. Retrieved 2 September 2007. Jump up ^ CRTC Decision 2008 - 289 -- CRTC. Retrieved 3 March 2009 Notes Jump up ^ Climate data was recorded at Port Arthur from July 1877 to July 1941, and at Thunder Bay Airport from August 1941 to present. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Thunder Bay, Ontario. Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Thunder Bay. Ontario portal City of Thunder Bay Places adjacent to Thunder Bay Unorganized Thunder Bay ( Lappe ) Shuniah Oliver Paipoonge Thunder Bay Thunder Bay ( Lake Superior ) Neebing, Fort William 52 Thunder Bay District, Ontario Cities Thunder Bay Towns Greenstone Marathon Townships Conmee Dorion Gillies Manitouwadge Neebing Nipigon O'Connor Oliver Paipoonge Red Rock Schreiber Shuniah Terrace Bay First Nations Animbiigoo Zaagi'igan Anishinaabek Aroland Biinjitiwabik Zaaging Anishnabek ( Rocky Bay ) Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek ( Sand Point ) Fort William Ginoogaming Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek ( Gull Bay ) Lac des Mille Lacs Long Lake 58 Mishkeegogamang Namaygoosisagagun Ojibways of Saugeen Pays Plat Pic River Pic Mobert Red Rock ( Lake Helen ) Whitesand First Nations reserves Fort William 52 Ginoogaming ( Long Lac 77 ) Gull River 55 Lac des Mille Lacs 22A1 Lac des Mille Lacs 22A2 Lake Helen 53A Lake Nipigon Long Lake 58 Ojibway Nation of Saugeen ( Savant Lake ) Osnaburgh 63A Pays Plat 51 Pic Mobert North Pic Mobert South Pic River 50 Red Rock 53 Rocky Bay 1 Sand Point First Nation Whitesand First Nations settlements Armstrong Aroland Collins Lake Unorganized areas Unorganized Thunder Bay Local services boards Armstrong East Gorham Hurkett Kaministiquia Lappe Nolalu Rossport Shebandowan Upsala Unincorporated communities Amethyst Harbour Ancliff Auden Baird Beardmore Bowker Burchell Lake Caramat Carters Corners Cloud Bay English River Finmark Flindt Landing Flint Fort William Geraldton Gorham Harstone Harvey Hemlo Hillside Hume Hymers Jackfish Jacques Jarvis River Jellicoe Kakabeka Falls Kashabowie Lee Leeblain Leeper Longlac Loon Macdiarmid Mackenzie McCluskeys Corners Melgund Millar Mokomon Moose Hill Murillo Nakina Navilus Nolalu Ombabika Orient Bay Pass Lake Pays Plat Pearl Port Arthur Postans Raith Rosslyn Savanne Savant Lake Scoble West Sellers Shabaqua Shabaqua Corners Silver Harbour Silver Islet Silver Mountain Slate River Valley South Gillies Stanley Staunton Sorrell Lake Suomi Twin City Wamsley Wild Goose See also Communities in Thunder Bay District Census divisions of Ontario Census metropolitan areas ( CMAs ) in Canada by size Toronto, ON Montreal, QC Vancouver, BC Calgary, AB Ottawa - Gatineau, ON / QC Edmonton, AB Quebec City, QC Winnipeg, MB Hamilton, ON Kitchener - Cambridge - Waterloo, ON London, ON St. Catharines - Niagara, ON Halifax, NS Oshawa, ON Victoria, BC Windsor, ON Saskatoon, SK Regina, SK Sherbrooke, QC St. John 's, NL Barrie, ON Kelowna, BC Abbotsford, BC Greater Sudbury, ON Kingston, ON Saguenay, QC Trois - Rivières, QC Guelph, ON Moncton, NB Brantford, ON Thunder Bay, ON Saint John, NB Peterborough, ON Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thunder_Bay&oldid=865575256 '' Categories : 1679 establishments in the French colonial empire Populated places established in 1679 Populated places on the Great Lakes Port settlements in Ontario Single - tier municipalities in Ontario Thunder Bay Hidden categories : Webarchive template wayback links CS1 maint : Archived copy as title All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from June 2018 Articles with permanently dead external links Use Canadian English from December 2014 All Wikipedia articles written in Canadian English Use dmy dates from January 2013 Articles with short description Coordinates on Wikidata Talk Contents About Wikipedia Wikivoyage Afrikaans تۆرکجه Беларуская ( тарашкевіца ) ‎ Български Cebuano Čeština Deutsch Eesti Español Esperanto فارسی Français Gaeilge 한국어 Ido Ирон Italiano עברית Kiswahili Lietuvių മലയാളം Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Norsk nynorsk پنجابی Polski Português Русский Shqip Simple English Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska Tagalog Türkçe Українська اردو Volapük Winaray 中文 34 more Edit links This page was last edited on 24 October 2018, at 19 : 25 ( UTC ). 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Question: where does thunder bay get its name from
Answer: Thunder Bay at the head of Lake Superior