Timmins, a city in northeastern Ontario, Canada, is nestled on the Mattagami River. As the fourth-largest city in the Northeastern Ontario region, it boasts a population of 41,145 as of 2021. The city's economy thrives on natural resource extraction, supported by industries related to lumbering and mining of gold, zinc, copper, nickel, and silver. Timmins serves as a regional service and distribution centre. The city is home to a large Francophone community, with over 50% of the population being bilingual in French and English.
Archaeological research indicates that human settlement in the area dates back at least 6,000 years. The land originally belonged to the Mattagami First Nation peoples until the arrival of colonizers. Treaty Number Nine of 1906 relocated this tribe to the north side of the Mattagami Lake, the site of a Hudson's Bay trading post first established in 1794. In the 1950s, the reserve was relocated to its present-day location on the south side of the lake.
The early 20th Century saw gold discoveries in the Porcupine Camp, attracting investors to the area. Local folklore tells of Harry Preston discovering a large vein of gold, which later became the Dome Mine, on June 9, 1909. On October 9, 1909, Benny Hollinger discovered the gold-bearing quartz dike that later became known as the Hollinger Mines. The same day, Sandy McIntyre discovered the McIntyre Mine near Pearl Lake, four miles away. These mines, known as the "Big Three", played a significant role in the area's development. However, the gold mines declined in the 1950s.
During the "Porcupine Gold Rush", the area, then known as the Tisdale township, became home to dozens of prospectors. Rich ore deposits led to Timmins being founded as a company town to house Hollinger employees. In 1912, the growing mining camp was named Timmins after Noah Timmins, the President of Hollinger Mines. The rail system that began to operate around Timmins in 1911 accelerated the growth of the camps. In 1973, 35 townships, including Porcupine, South Porcupine, Schumacher, and Timmins, were organized into the City of Timmins. By the 1990s, the City of Timmins had become a regional service and distribution centre for Northeastern Ontario.
Timmins experiences a hemiboreal humid continental climate, with very cold winters and temperatures that can rise considerably in late summer and autumn. The highest temperature ever recorded in Timmins was 39.4 °C (103 °F) on 12 July 1936, while the coldest was −45.6 °C (−50 °F) on 1 February 1962.
As per the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Timmins had a population of 41,145 living in 17,886 of its 19,390 total private dwellings. The city covers a land area of 2,955.33 km2 (1,141.06 sq mi), resulting in a population density of 13.9/km2 (36.1/sq mi) in 2021.
According to the 2016 census, 63.7% of the population in Timmins reported English as their first language, 35.6% reported French, and 0.12% reported a non-official language. Notably, 50.8% of the population is bilingual in English and French.
Tourist attractions in Timmins include The Timmins Museum and National Exhibition Centre, Cedar Meadows Wilderness Tours, Mount Jamieson Resort, Porcupine Ski Runners Cross-Country Trails and Chalet, Hollinger Golf Club, Spruce Needles Golf Club, the Sandy Falls Golf Club, the McIntyre Community Building, and the Timmins Snowmobile Club. Hollinger Park, one of the city's main recreational spaces, is also a popular destination.
From the city's foundation, Jewish emigrants, mostly from Russia and Eastern Europe, came to work in the mines industry. The Jewish community was officially established in 1925 and peaked around the 1950s with around 160 families. However, the Timmins synagogue was closed in the early 1970s due to a decrease in the town's Jewish population.
Timmins Victor M. Power Airport serves as the main regional airport for the Timmins area. Regional ground transportation is provided by Ontario Northland Motor Coach Services operating out of the Timmins Transit Terminal. The nearest communities with train service are more than 100 kilometres away. Local transit is provided by Timmins Transit.
