Port Colborne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Port Colborne
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| City of Port Colborne | ||
Former bank building on West Street in Port Colborne
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| Motto(s):
"Gateway to Navigation"
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Location of Port Colborne in the Niagara Region
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 Port Colborne
Location in Southern Ontario
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| Country | Canada | |
| Province | Ontario | |
| Region | Niagara | |
| Settled | 1830s | |
| Incorporated | 1870 (village) | |
| 1966 (city) | ||
| Area | ||
| • Land | 121.96 km2 (47.09 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 175.30 m (575.13 ft) | |
| Population
(2016)
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| • Total | 18,306 | |
| • Density | 150.1/km2 (389/sq mi) | |
| Demonym(s) | Port Colbornite | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | |
| Forward Sortation Area |
L3K
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| Area code(s) | 905, 289, 365, and 742 | |
| GNBC Code | FCHYP | |
Port Colborne (the terminus of the Welland Canal, which in 2016 had a population 18,306) is a city in Ontario, Canada. It is located on Lake Erie, at the southern end of the Welland Canal, in the Niagara Region of Southern Ontario. The original settlement, known as Gravelly Bay, dates from 1832 and was renamed after Sir John Colborne, a British war hero and the Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada at the time of the opening of the (new) southern terminus of the First Welland Canal in 1833.
Contents
History
In pre-colonial times, the Neutral Indians lived in the area, due in part to the ready availability of flint and chert from outcroppings on the Onondaga Escarpment. This advantage was diminished by the introduction of firearms by European traders, and they were driven out by the Iroquois around 1650 as part of the Beaver Wars.
Originally called Gravelly Bay, after the shallow, bedrock-floored bay upon which it sits, the modern City of Port Colborne traces its roots back to the United Empire Loyalist settlements that grew up in the area following the American Revolution. Growth became focused around the southern terminus of the Welland Canal after it was extended to reach Lake Erie in 1833. As the population rose, Port Colborne was incorporated as a village in 1870, became a town in 1918, merged with the neighbouring Village of Humberstone in 1952, and was re-incorporated as a city in 1966. In 1970, Niagara Region municipal restructuring added Humberstone Township, further expanding the city.
Sometime during the 1880s, American tourists from the Southern states began building vacation homes on the lakeshore of the Western edge of the town. Before long, an entire gated community of vacationers from the South called Port Colborne their home during the summer months. Today, the picturesque street of Tennessee Avenue is still home to many of these original vacation homes and buildings, as well as the original stone and wrought iron resort gates. The street boasts some immaculately maintained examples of late 19th and early 20th century Southern architecture.
Port Colborne was one of the hardest hit communities during the Blizzard of 1977. Thousands of people were stranded when the city was paralyzed during the storm, and the incident remains one of significance to the local population.
Climate
| Climate data for Port Colborne (1981−2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 15.0 (59.0) |
16.0 (60.8) |
24.0 (75.2) |
32.5 (90.5) |
31.5 (88.7) |
33.5 (92.3) |
35.0 (95.0) |
33.0 (91.4) |
31.0 (87.8) |
27.2 (81.0) |
20.0 (68.0) |
18.0 (64.4) |
35.0 (95.0) |
| Average high °C (°F) | −0.4 (31.3) |
0.6 (33.1) |
4.8 (40.6) |
11.5 (52.7) |
17.9 (64.2) |
23.1 (73.6) |
25.9 (78.6) |
25.4 (77.7) |
21.3 (70.3) |
14.8 (58.6) |
8.7 (47.7) |
2.7 (36.9) |
13.0 (55.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −3.7 (25.3) |
−2.9 (26.8) |
0.8 (33.4) |
7.0 (44.6) |
13.2 (55.8) |
18.7 (65.7) |
21.9 (71.4) |
21.3 (70.3) |
17.4 (63.3) |
11.0 (51.8) |
5.5 (41.9) |
−0.4 (31.3) |
9.2 (48.6) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −6.9 (19.6) |
−6.5 (20.3) |
−3.2 (26.2) |
2.4 (36.3) |
8.5 (47.3) |
14.4 (57.9) |
17.8 (64.0) |
17.2 (63.0) |
13.4 (56.1) |
7.3 (45.1) |
2.2 (36.0) |
−3.4 (25.9) |
5.3 (41.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −26 (−15) |
−25 (−13) |
−24 (−11) |
−11.5 (11.3) |
−3.5 (25.7) |
2.2 (36.0) |
6.0 (42.8) |
5.0 (41.0) |
−0.5 (31.1) |
−6.1 (21.0) |
−11.5 (11.3) |
−26 (−15) |
−26 (−15) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 73.1 (2.88) |
57.0 (2.24) |
66.8 (2.63) |
76.1 (3.00) |
89.7 (3.53) |
78.9 (3.11) |
82.2 (3.24) |
82.5 (3.25) |
98.0 (3.86) |
90.4 (3.56) |
100.9 (3.97) |
88.8 (3.50) |
984.6 (38.76) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 32.5 (1.28) |
26.9 (1.06) |
46.6 (1.83) |
71.9 (2.83) |
89.1 (3.51) |
78.9 (3.11) |
82.2 (3.24) |
82.5 (3.25) |
98.0 (3.86) |
89.7 (3.53) |
95.2 (3.75) |
53.2 (2.09) |
846.8 (33.34) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 40.5 (15.9) |
30.1 (11.9) |
20.2 (8.0) |
4.2 (1.7) |
0.6 (0.2) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.8 (0.3) |
5.8 (2.3) |
35.6 (14.0) |
137.7 (54.2) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 15.2 | 11.1 | 12.5 | 13.8 | 13.3 | 11.2 | 10.6 | 10.3 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 15.1 | 14.9 | 153.2 |
| Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 6.2 | 5.3 | 8.7 | 13.2 | 13.3 | 11.2 | 10.6 | 10.3 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 13.9 | 9.0 | 127.1 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) | 9.6 | 6.6 | 4.5 | 1.4 | 0.08 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.12 | 1.9 | 7.1 | 31.3 |
| Source: Environment Canada. | |||||||||||||
Communities
Communities within the city include:
- Bethel - Chippawa Road and Yeger Road
- Cedar Bay - Cedar Bay Road and Vimy Road
- East Village
- Lidsville
- Elco Beach - Wyldewood Road and Fireland 15
- Gasline - Killaly Street and Highway 3
- Humberstone - Pinecrest Road and Vimy Road
- Lorraine - Weaver Road and Firelane 1
- Nickel Beach - foot of Lake Road
- Pine Crest Point - Pincrest Road and Firelane 2
- Pleasant Beach
- Sherkston
- Sherkston Beaches
- Shisler Point
- Silver Bay - Michael Road and Fireland 17
- Sugar Loaf Point/Sugar Loaf Marina - west side of Gravelly Bay
Culture
Port Colborne hosts the annual Canal Days festival in recognition of the important role played by the Welland Canal in the history of the city. Originating as a small fair held at the Port Colborne Historical and Marine Museum, it has grown to feature live music, an antique car show, fireworks, tall ships, a kite festival, and food from around the globe. The festival also highlights the presence of Lock 8, which at 1,380 ft (420 m), is one of the world's longest canal locks. The lock is intended as a guard to keep the water level on the Welland Canal constant independent of weather on the lake. Hence the ships are only raised or lowered one to four feet depending on the current water level in Lake Erie. Much of the festival centres around West St., which runs along the side of the canal, and has an excellent view of the Clarence St. Bridge, built in 1929. one of very few remaining lift bridges on the canal.
The Port Colborne Historical and Marine Museum, located near the centre of town, is a resource for local history and archival research. In addition to a collection of historic buildings and artifacts, it opened up the "Marie Semley Research Wing" to foster research into local history, named to commemorate the long-standing efforts of a local resident who devoted hours to the museum.
The community features theatre venues with the professional Showboat Festival Theatre and the amateur Port Colborne Operatic Society. The company has been presenting annual productions since its inception in 1945.
Port Colborne is home to the Port Colborne Lions Club. Chartered in 1922, the club is one of the worlds oldest Lions Clubs, and one of Canada's oldest service clubs in continuous operation. The club is still active within the community, hosting many yearly events including an annual Lions Club Carnival in the summer.
Kinnear House is a local heritage property associated with the jurist Helen Kinnear, the first woman in Canada to be appointed judge by the federal government, or to appear as counsel before the Supreme Court.
A curiosity in town is the "incredible shrinking mill" which is an optical illusion produced when viewing the federal grain elevator. When travelling east on Lakeshore Road, the mill appears to move farther away as one drives closer.
Demographics
| Port Colborne | ||
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| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1871 | 1,500 | — |
| 1901 | 1,253 | −16.5% |
| 1911 | 1,624 | +29.6% |
| 1921 | 3,415 | +110.3% |
| 1931 | 6,503 | +90.4% |
| 1941 | 6,928 | +6.5% |
| 1951 | 8,275 | +19.4% |
| 1961 | 14,886 | +79.9% |
| 1971 | 21,420 | +43.9% |
| 1981 | 19,225 | −10.2% |
| 1991 | 18,766 | −2.4% |
| 2001 | 18,450 | −1.7% |
| 2006 | 18,599 | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 18,424 | −0.9% |
| 2016 | 18,306 | −0.6% |
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Port Colborne had a population of 20,033 living in 8,710 of its 10,219 total private dwellings, a change of 9.4% from its 2016 population of 18,306. With a land area of 121.99 km2 (47.10 sq mi), it had a population density of 164.2/km2 (425/sq mi) in 2021.
| Canada census – Port Colborne community profile | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 2011 | 2006 | |
| Population: | 18,306 (-0.6% from 2011) | 18,424 (-0.9% from 2006) | 18,599 (+0.8% from 2001) |
| Land area: | 121.96 km2 (47.09 sq mi) | 121.97 km2 (47.09 sq mi) | 121.97 km2 (47.09 sq mi) |
| Population density: | 150.1/km2 (389/sq mi) | 151.1/km2 (391/sq mi) | 152.5/km2 (395/sq mi) |
| Median age: | 50.0 (M: 48.8, F: 51.1) | 47.5 (M: 46.4, F: 48.6) | 44.9 (M: 43.5, F: 46.1) |
| Total private dwellings: | 9,825 | 10,083 | 8,519 |
| Median household income: | $57,244 | $49,404 | |
| References: 2016 2011 2006 earlier | |||
Economy
Maritime commerce, including supplying goods to the camps for the labourers who worked on the first canal, ship repair and the provisioning trade, was, and still is, an important part of Port Colborne's economy. Like other cities in the region, Port Colborne was a heavily industrial city throughout most of the early 20th century. A grain elevator, two modern flour mills, a Vale nickel refinery, a cement plant operated by Port Colborne Canada Cement, and a blast furnace operated by Algoma Steel were all major employers.
As recently as 2017, Port Colborne has been successful attracting new industry, such as the agro-business operations of Casco Inc. and Jungbunzlauer, which process corn into products such as sweeteners and citric acid.
The International Nickel Company (now Vale) has long been one of the city's main employers, since the opening of a refinery in 1918. Taking advantage of inexpensive hydroelectricity from generating stations at nearby Niagara Falls, the refinery produced electro-refined nickel for the war effort, and grew to employ over 2,000 workers by the 1950s. Cutbacks in operations and increasing factory automation have reduced the workforce to its present-day (2018) total of 170.
Marine Recycling Corporation is a ship recycling firm, boasting of Green (environmentally friendly) services, located next to the Welland Canal at Gravelly Bay and operating since the 1970s.
A 2012 report indicates the following as the largest private sector employers, with a staff of over 50, in Port Colborne at that time:
- Port Colborne Poultry (Pinty's Delicious Foods), 229 employees
- Vale Canada Limited, 200
- J. Oskam Steel Fabricators Ltd., 150
- IMT Partnership, 108
- ADM Milling, 95
- Thurston Machine Co. Ltd., 85
- JTL Machine Ltd., 78
- Jungbunzlauer Canada Inc., 74
- Brennan Paving Ltd., 70
- Ingredion Canada Inc., 70
Education
There are two high schools in Port Colborne, Port Colborne High School (commonly called Port High) and the Lakeshore Catholic High School (formerly a public high school called Lockview Park Secondary School). Lockview closed in 1987.
Notable people
- David Lametti, federal Minister of Justice
- Tony Dekker, singer/songwriter of folk band Great Lake Swimmers
- Jim Gregory, NHL General Manager (Toronto Maple Leafs)
- Ted 'Teeder' Kennedy, NHL hockey player
- Helen Kinnear, first woman appointed judge by the federal government
- Joseph "Bronco" Horvath, NHL hockey player
- Floyd G. Robinson, teacher and educator
- Melissa McIntyre, actress (Degrassi: The Next Generation)
- Don Simmons, NHL hockey player
- Lynton 'Red' Wilson, former CEO of BCE Inc., chancellor of McMaster University, and officer of the Order of Canada
- DeFranco Family, 1970s pop group
- Francis William "Dinty" Moore, goaltender for the 1936 Canadian men's Olympic hockey team
- Lieutenant Colonel Russell Lambert Boyle, Commanding Officer of the 10th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force. Killed at the 2nd Battle of Ypres, April 1915.
- Alexis Davis, mixed martial artist
- Elmer Iseler, choral conductor
- Matt Craven, actor
- Vance Badawey, politician
Images for kids
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Port Colborne Historical and Marine Museum
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Welland Canal in Port Colborne
See also
In Spanish: Port Colborne para niños
