Sarnia, Ontario, a city nestled in Lambton County, Canada, is a gem waiting to be discovered. With a population of 72,047 as of 2021, it stands as the largest city on Lake Huron. Sarnia is strategically located on the eastern bank of the junction between the Upper and Lower Great Lakes, where Lake Huron flows into the St. Clair River. This location forms the Canada–United States border, directly across from Port Huron, Michigan.
The natural harbour of Sarnia first caught the attention of French explorer La Salle. He named the site "The Rapids" on 23 August 1679, marking the first time a vessel other than a canoe or other oar-powered vessel had sailed into Lake Huron. This voyage played a pivotal role in the development of commercial shipping on the Great Lakes.
Today, the Sarnia port remains an important centre for lake freighters and oceangoing ships carrying cargoes of grain and petroleum products. The natural port and the salt caverns in the surrounding areas, along with the oil discovered in nearby Oil Springs in 1858, led to the dramatic growth of the petroleum industry in this area.
The name "Sarnia" is Latin for Guernsey, a British Channel Island. In 1829, Sir John Colborne, a former governor of Guernsey, was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada. During his tenure, he visited two small settlements in 1835 that had been laid out on the shores of Lake Huron. One of these, named "The Rapids," was later renamed Port Sarnia by Colborne. On 4 January 1836, the name was formally adopted by a vote of 26 to 16.
The first European colonizers of what became Sarnia were ethnic French colonists from Detroit, who arrived around 1807–1810. They were fur traders with the Huron and Three Fires Confederacy. Later, the men established farms, attracted other settlers, and stimulated growth in the area.
The township was surveyed in 1829, and in the early 1830s, a wave of Scottish immigrants settled in the area. They became dominant as English speakers and for decades claimed to have founded the city.
Canada Steamship Lines formed in 1913 from many previous companies that plied the waters of the St. Clair River. One of these companies was Northwest Transportation Company of Sarnia, which was founded in 1870. By 20 April 1914, when Parliament passed An Act to Incorporate the City of Sarnia, the population had grown to 10,985 in six wards. Sarnia officially became a city as of 7 May 1914.
Sarnia is located on the eastern shore of Lake Huron at its extreme southern point, where it flows into the St. Clair River. Most of the surrounding area is flat, and the elevation ranges from 169 to 281 m (554 to 922 ft) above sea level. The soil mostly comprises clay. Despite this high percentage of clay, the soil is remarkably rich for cultivation.
Sarnia is home to several neighbourhoods, including Wiltshire Park, Woodland, Oak Acres, Point Edward Wees Beach, Oakwood Corners, Woodrow Shores, and Blackwell, which are part of the North End of Sarnia. Other neighbourhoods south of the highway include Coronation Park, Fourth Line Heritage Park, College Park, Lucasville, Bunyan, Froomfield, The Tree Streets, Mitton Village, and Sherwood Village.
Sarnia has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb). Winters are cold with a few short-lasting Arctic air masses that dip far enough south and bring with them daily high temperatures below −10 °C (14 °F). Summers are warm to hot and usually humid.
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Sarnia had a population of 72,047 living in 32,188 of its 33,902 total private dwellings, a change of 0.6% from its 2016 population of 71,594.
Sarnia is home to the International Symphony Orchestra, which plays at the Imperial Theatre for an annual season lasting from September to April. The city also hosts the South Western International Film Festival and the annual "Celebration of Lights" in Centennial Park.
Sarnia boasts more than 100 parks, the largest being Canatara Park, which covers more than 81 ha (200 acres) along the shore of Lake Huron. The city's sandy fresh water beaches are a popular tourist attraction, while the sheltered harbour houses marinas for recreational sailing.
The Blue Water Bridge links Sarnia and its neighbouring village of Point Edward to the city of Port Huron in the United States. Public transportation within the City of Sarnia, including conventional bus transit, transportation of people with disabilities, transportation support for major events, and charter services, is provided by Sarnia Transit.
