Thunder Bay, Ontario (pop. 108,843; met. area pop. 123,258) is a city on the northwest shore of Lake Superior. Its excellent harbor makes it a shipping center. Thunder Bay was formed in 1970 by the merger of the cities of Fort William and Port Arthur and the townships of McIntyre and Neebing.
Thunder Bay is an international port. It is an important shipping center for the grain produced in western Canada and for potash and coal. Large ships reach Thunder Bay by the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Great Lakes. Thunder Bay has pulp and paper mills, building-board mills, and sawmills. Other industrial activities include railroad car manufacturing, ship repair, and tourism.
Thunder Bay is the home of Lakehead University. The city has public libraries, museums, and art galleries. The Thunder Bay Community Auditorium hosts a variety of entertainment performances. A reconstructed fur trade fort is a major tourist attraction.
In 1679 and 1717, the French built forts at what later became Fort William. After 1805, Fort William served as headquarters for fur traders of the North West Company. Another settlement, Prince Arthur’s Landing, grew up alongside Fort William. Fort William was designated a transcontinental rail point in 1875. Prince Arthur’s Landing developed as a starting point for the road to western Canada. It was also the center of regional silver-mining activity. Prince Arthur’s Landing became the town of Port Arthur in 1882, and Fort William was incorporated as a town in 1884. Both became cities in 1907. The port cities thrived, especially after the St. Lawrence Seaway opened in 1959. Thunder Bay has a council-manager form of government.
