White River, Ontario
| White River | |
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| Township | |
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 White River
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| Coordinates: 48°35′N 85°17′W / 48.583°N 85.283°WCoordinates: 48°35′N 85°17′W / 48.583°N 85.283°W | |
| Country |  Canada |
| Province |  Ontario |
| District | Algoma |
| Established | 1885 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Township |
| • Mayor | Angelo Bazzoni |
| • Federal riding | Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing |
| • Prov. riding | Algoma—Manitoulin |
| Area[1] | |
| • Land | 96.94 km2 (37.43 sq mi) |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
| • Total | 607 |
| • Density | 6.3/km2 (16/sq mi) |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| Postal Code | P0M |
| Area code(s) | 807 |
| Website | www.whiteriver.ca |
White River is a township located in Ontario, Canada, on the intersection of Highway 17 and Highway 631. It was originally set up as a rail town on the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1885. In 1961, it was finally made accessible by car via Highway 17 of the Trans-Canada Highway.
The forest industry was the largest employer until 2007, when the Domtar mill shut down.[citation needed]
The township is perhaps best known for being the home of Winnie the Pooh. In August 1914, a trapped black bear cub named Winnie was sold to Captain Harry Colebourn in White River, and Colebourn named it after his hometown of Winnipeg. Over the years, the animal became the basis for the popular literary character. The town celebrates "Winnie's Hometown Festival" every third week in August.
The White River railway station is the western terminus of the Sudbury – White River train.
Climate[edit]
White River advertises itself as "The Coldest Spot in Canada" with recorded temperatures as low as −58 °C (−72 °F). However, this is a myth, as the coldest temperature in Canada has been recorded in Snag, Yukon, at −62.8 °C (−81.0 °F) on 3 February 1947.[2] Even in Ontario, the coldest recorded temperature was in Iroquois Falls at −58.3 °C (−72.9 °F) (23 January 1935), which is the lowest temperature reported in Eastern Canada too.[2] White River's reputation for coldest area is probably based on the fact that for many years its reported temperature was deemed "the coldest in the nation today" from the handful of stations reporting daily temperature extremes in newspapers and on radio, climatological stations data being only available monthly to Environment Canada.[2]
Its official weather station (closed in 1976) was located in a frost hollow, but most residential areas have good air drainage and do not see temperatures much below −40 °C (−40 °F). Gardeners can keep their flowers alive into October and grow non-boreal species such as silver maple.
Popular culture[edit]
White River is referenced by the Canadian singer/songwriter Christine Fellows in her song "Migrations".
Demographics[edit]
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Population:[6]
- Population in 2011: 607
- Population in 2006: 841
- Population in 2001: 993
- Population in 1996: 1022
- Population in 1991: 948
Mother tongue:[4]
- English as first language: 78%
- French as first language: 16%
- English and French as first language: 1%
- Other as first language: 5%
In 2006, the township was 61% White, 26% Metis, and 13% First Nations.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "White River census profile". 2011 Census of Population. Statistics Canada. Retrieved 2012-02-17.
- ^ a b c David Phillips. "Cold Places in Canada". Histor!ca The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
- ^ "2011 Community Profiles". Canada 2011 Census. Statistics Canada. July 5, 2013. Retrieved 2012-02-17.
- ^ a b "2006 Community Profiles". Canada 2006 Census. Statistics Canada. March 30, 2011. Retrieved 2012-02-17.
- ^ "2001 Community Profiles". Canada 2001 Census. Statistics Canada. February 17, 2012. Retrieved 2012-02-17.
- ^ Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006 census
External links[edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to White River, Ontario. |
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