Thunder Bay (ON)

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        Thunder Bay (ON)

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            Thunder Bay (ON)

              16 Authority record results for Thunder Bay (ON)

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              Canadian Federation of University Women, Thunder Bay Chapter
              Corporate body · 1932-

              The Thunder Bay chapter of the Canadian Federation of University Women formed in 1932 and became an official chapter of the national federation in 1933. The Canadian federation is a member of the larger parent organization, the International Federation of University Women. The local club accepts all women who hold a bachelors degree or higher from an accredited university. The goals of the organization are to promote higher education for women and encourage their research and work. The group seeks to increase the interest of its members in public affairs, and provides the opportunity for social interaction and cooperation for women with university degrees.

              The club has at times been very active in the Thunder Bay community by establishing study groups on particular subjects for its members to participate in, and having regular meetings and events held throughout the year. Some of the more notable activities of the Thunder Bay chapter include the establishment of a scholarship in 1955 to support Lakehead University Students; the creation of a nursery school to assist under-privileged children from 1971-82; hosting the national conference for the Canadian Federation of University Women in 1977; and the creation of a video honouring their founding president Isabel Mackey Kelly in 1988.
              City of Thunder Bay
              Corporate body · 1970-

              The City of Thunder Bay was established in 1970, by the amalgamation of the Cities of Fort William and Port Arthur, the Township of Neebing, and the Township of McIntyre. Suggestions of amalgamation had been made for decades; the process began in the mid 1960s and culminated in a provincial Act.

              The region's settlement by Europeans had begun during the fur trade in the late 17th century, and increased significantly in the 19th century, which also saw the establishment of Municipalities of Fort William and Port Arthur. The name "Thunder Bay" is the longstanding name of the bay on Lake Superior, framed by the Sleeping Giant Peninsula. The name "The Lakehead" also frequently used, refers to the location at the beginning of the Great Lakes shipping route.

              Thunder Bay as a City has been shaped by industry: mining, forestry, and the shipment of grain from Western Canada through the St. Lawrence Seaway have all been key to the local economy.

              Statistics Canada estimates that as of July 1, 2024, there were 133,063 people living in the Thunder Bay Census Metropolitan Area.

              Sources
              Davidson, Moira
              Person

              Moira Davidson worked as a Librarian at Lakehead University, with responsibility for Technical Services. She was also active in the Lakehead University Faculty Association. She retired from Lakehead in 2021.
              Garton, Claude E.
              Person · 1906-1996

              Claude Garton was born in 1907 in Aylmer, Ontario, and graduated from London Normal School in 1926. In 1928, he moved to Port Arthur to work as a teacher at the St. James Street, Pine Street, and Current River schools. Current River School promoted Garten to principal. In 1933, Garton began his work as a botanist, collecting plants. During WWII, from 1942-1946, Garton paused his career to serve in the Canadian forces, and by 1951, he began collecting plants again. In 1967, Garton retired as principal at Current River School, now known as Claude E. Garton School, to work as a botanist full-time. Upon his retirement, Garton also collected specimens for the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa, Ontario.

              Garten donated approximately 14,000 specimens to Lakehead University’s Herbarium, which became the Claude E. Garton Herbarium. Garton was appointed the curator at the Herbarium, and was a frequent informal mentor for students. He taught one botany class at Lakehead University. Garton curated for the Herbarium until his retirement in 1990. In 1996, Garton passed away. As well as at Lakehead, Garton’s specimens can be seen at the National Museum of Canada, the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), and across North America.

              Sources
              Juhtund, Nigel
              Person

              Nigel Juhtund was born in the Baltic region of Europe. He immigrated to Terrace Bay, Ontario, and worked in a lumber mill. Juhtund was a naturalist and active bird watcher. From 1952-1985, Juhtund recorded bird sightings in the Schreiber area. In 1990, The Federation of Ontario Naturalists, in Thunder Bay, granted him an award for his bird observations. Juhtund’s bird observation collections currently reside at Lakehead University’s Library Archives.

              Source
              Lakehead Chamber of Commerce
              Corporate body · 1965-1970

              In 1965, the Lakehead Chamber of Commerce was founded by the merger of the Port Arthur Board of Trade (1885-1965) and the Fort William Chamber of Commerce (1891-1965.) The two entities voluntarily came together under the Board of Trade Act (1964). In 1970, the City of Thunder Bay was founded, amalgamating the City of Fort William and the City of Port Arthur. The Lakehead Chamber of Commerce likewise was renamed as the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber of Commerce is a membership organization, working to build and support a local business community.

              The Fort William Chamber of Commerce was first founded as the Kaministikwia Club in 1879, out of tensions between the early communities of Prince Arthur's Landing and Fort William, particularly regarding rail infrastructure. They renamed as the Fort William Chamber of Commerce in 1930. The Port Arthur Board of Trade was founded in 1885 and was renamed the Port Arthur Board of Trade in 1922.

              Sources
              Lakehead Region Conservation Authority
              Corporate body · 1954-

              The Lakehead Region Conservation Authority (LRCA) was founded in 1954, as the name Neebing Valley Conservation Authority. It became the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority in 1963. Members of the Board of Directors are appointed by municipalities: represented are Thunder Bay, Neebing, Shuniah, Oliver Paipoonge, Conmee, Dorion, Gillies, and O'Connor.

              In 1946, the Ontario government legislated the Conservation Authority Act. The act provided municipalities with the responsibility for managing their watershed resources. The LRCA was founded under the authority of the Conservation Authority Act.

              The LRCA has become an environmental non-profit that aims to conserve and protect the Lakehead area waterways. The LRCA manages the watersheds' risk against flooding and erosion from public and private developments, and monitors the Lakehead region's water through GIS mapping and sampling to provide safe drinking water.

              Sources
              Lakehead Social History Institute
              Corporate body · 1997-

              The Lakehead Social History Institute is a partnership between historical researchers at Lakehead University and members of the Thunder Bay community. Active since 1997, the Institute supports and promotes historical research in the Northwestern Ontario region. The Institute facilitates research, trains new researchers, disseminates information about historical resources, conducts workshops, assists educational and community organizations, supports historical publications, and encourages local groups to preserve archival materials.
              Lakehead Social Planning Council
              Corporate body · 1963-

              The Lakehead Social Planning Council (LSPC) was founded in 1963. The LSPC is a non-profit, non-partisan, charitable organization.

              The LSPC aims to support marginalized groups in Northern Ontario who are facing inequalities. It works within local, provincial and federal networks. The LSPC primarily works to reduce poverty and financial illiteracy. For example, it aims to reduce and find solutions for people at risk of homelessness. In 2008, it founded the “2-1-1 Helpline;” it supports a variety of communities with resources, such as homelessness and emergency services.

              One notable former executive director is Margaret Phillips (1931-2015), whose records are held at Lakehead University Archives.

              Sources
              Mantis, Steve
              Person · 1950-

              Stephen (Steve) Mantis was born in 1950 in Reading, Pennsylvania, and immigrated to Canada in 1972. After settling near Thunder Bay, Ontario, Mantis worked as a carpenter and established his own construction company. A workplace injury in 1978 resulted in the loss of his left arm. Employment in vocational rehabilitation followed, including work as an employment services manager with the Ontario March of Dimes.

              Mantis founded the Thunder Bay Injured Workers Support Group in 1984. Further organizational work led to the establishment of the Ontario Network of Injured Workers Groups and the Canadian Injured Workers Alliance (CIWA), the latter formed following the 1990 National Conference on Re-Employment of Injured Workers. Mantis served as CIWA’s national coordinator from 1996 to 2002, working to build collaboration among provincial groups and trade unions. From 1991 to 1994, Mantis was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Ontario Workers’ Compensation Board.

              Additional public service included membership on local roads boards and representation of rural residents on the Lakehead Planning Board. Later efforts focused on education and social inclusion through the creation of the Speakers School in Thunder Bay, a program designed to support civic engagement among marginalized populations, including people with disabilities, First Nations and Métis individuals, single parents, and those living in poverty.

              Awards recognizing Mantis’s contributions include the Judge George Ferguson Award for advancing disability rights, the Ron Ellis Award for work in workers’ compensation law, the Credit Union Central of Ontario Social Responsibility Award, and the Canada 125th Anniversary Medal for service to the community and country.

              Sources:
              Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame
              Corporate body · 1978-

              The Northwestern Ontario (NWO) Sports Hall of Fame was founded in 1978 in Thunder Bay, Ontario. It is currently housed in the former Fort William Land Registry building, 219 May St. South, Thunder Bay.

              The former Land Registry building was constructed in 1916. It became a home for the Thunder Bay Historical Society in 1972, and was turned over to the City of Thunder Bay in 1977. In 1996, the NWO Sports Hall of Fame took ownership of the building.

              The Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame aims to preserve Northwestern Ontario’s sport heritage. NWO Sports Hall of Fame consists of a museum and archives, and commemorates over 200 athletes, teams, and supporters. Collections and archival documents have been primarily donated by the public. The Sports Hall of Fame holds the memory of various teams across Northwestern Ontario.

              Sources
              Phillips, Margaret
              Person · 1931-2015

              Margaret Phillips was born in 1931, in Ottawa, Ontario, and spent much of her life in Northwestern Ontario. Phillips is known as a feminist and social activist, also credited for her anti-racist activism. Beginning her career in organized recreation, Phillips became the first Canadian woman to work as an arena manager (Iroquois Falls 1957-1960), and then as municipal recreation director (Kenora, 1960-1967). Furthermore, Phillips was the first woman President of the Society of Directors of Municipal Recreation of Ontario.

              Phillips worked with numerous social activist organizations. She served the Lakehead Social Planning Council as Executive Director (1971-1981), participated in founding the Thunder Bay Women's Centre (1973), was a member of the Northern Woman's Journal Collective (1982-1992), served as a board member of the Canadian Council on Social Development and the Ontario Welfare Council, and co-founded (with Anna McColl) the Northern Women's Bookstore (1984). Notably, the Northern Women’s Bookstore supported local Indigenous and Northern women with various women’s literature, writing groups, and social gatherings, such as book clubs and potlucks. Philips advocated for education around violence against women, lesbian issues, and women’s health.

              City of Thunder Bay. Margaret Phillips. https://www.thunderbay.ca/en/city-hall/margaret-phillips.aspx
              Lakehead University Archives. Margaret Phillips fonds. https://archives.lakeheadu.ca/index.php/margaret-phillips-fonds
              The Chronicle Journal. Margaret Alberta Phillips: 1931-2015. https://www.legacy.com/ca/obituaries/chroniclejournal/name/margaret-phillips-obituary?id=42970445
              Suomi Koti of Thunder Bay
              Corporate body · 1984-

              Suomi Koti of Thunder Bay was established in 1984, to provide housing for seniors, especially those from the local Finnish-Canadian community. The building was opened to tenants in 1988.
              Thunder Bay Field Naturalists
              Corporate body · 1933-

              The Thunder Bay Field Naturalists' Club was first established on January 26, 1933 as a chapter of the Federation of Ontario Naturalists. The club originally consisted of 32 members, with Colonel Lionel S. Dear as president. After holding several meetings in 1933 the club dissolved, primarily due to the effects of the Great Depression. The Field Naturalists restarted in 1937 with Claude E. Garton as president. By 1939 there were upwards of 50 active members. The Second World War brought most club activities to a halt, as many members were busy with the war effort. The club was once again revived in 1946 by Dr. Howard Quackenbush and Dr. Albert E. Allen, who was president from 1943-46 and from 1951-53. Since then, the club has gained steadily in membership and continues to be active in the Thunder Bay community.

              The Thunder Bay Field Naturalists originally formed to promote the sharing of knowledge about natural history topics among its members. At first, the club concentrated on the specific interests of individual members on certain plants, birds, fish, rocks, etc, but as time progressed they began to focus more upon larger environmental issues. The current goals of the Field Naturalists are to: acquire, record, and disseminate knowledge of natural history; to promote the wise use of natural resources; to stimulate public interest in nature and its protection; and to promote the preservation of natural areas. Throughout their history the Field Naturalists have engaged in many activities to meet these goals. They have regularly held field trips to various parks in the region. Members have lectured on natural history topics. They have brought in guest speakers at their meetings from the Lakehead University Biology department, the Thunder Bay region, and other individuals from outside the region. The club has also actively supported conservation activities to protect wildlife, including supporting a ban on the harmful chemical DDT. They have participated in discussions on the management of provincial parks, Ontario Hydro projects, and other environmental concerns.
              Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre
              Corporate body · 2004-

              Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) was founded in 2004 in Thunder Bay, Ontario. It acts as the major acute care hospital serving people in Thunder Bay and across Northwestern Ontario.

              The TBRHSC is known for its cancer research and education practices. The hospital works closely with the Northern Ontario School of Medicine University and the Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute. The TBRHSC is listed as one of the “Top 40 Research Hospitals in Canada."

              In 1995, Thunder Bay’s McKellar General Hospital (founded in 1903) and Port Arthur General Hospital (founded in 1909) amalgamated to form the Thunder Bay Regional Hospital. This organization evolved into the TBRHSC with a new building, holding its grand opening in 2004. The new build design received awards, such as being rated sixth on the list of “the world's 30 most architecturally impressive hospitals.”

              Website active as of 2025: https://tbrhsc.net/

              Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. A History of Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. https://tbrhsc.net/tbrhsc/history/
              Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. Research. https://tbrhsc.net/programs-services/regional-cancer-care/information-for-healthcare-providers/research/
              Wikipedia.Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunder_Bay_Regional_Health_Sciences_Centre