Abitibi Canyon, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Abitibi Canyon is a community on the Abitibi River
in northeastern Ontario
, Canada
. Abitibi Canyon is in Northern Unorganized Cochrane District
, in Cochrane District
, and lies 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) northeast of Fraserdale, Ontario
.
at Abitibi Canyon began in 1930 for the Ontario Power Service Corporation, a subsidiary of the Abitibi Power and Paper Company, today's Abitibi-Consolidated
. Work was suspended several years later, the company went into receivership and the project was taken over by the provincial Ontario Hydro
in 1933.
The Abitibi Canyon settlement was established in 1930 to support the construction of the dam. In early years, construction and later support staff came by Ontario Northland Railway
train to Fraserdale, then further by private siding, or used floatplanes
. In 1966, a road connection via Fraserdale to Smooth Rock Falls, Ontario
was built, designated today as Highway 634
.
In 1940s, 130 people lived in the Ontario Hydro settlement, which rose to 300 by 1982. However, in 1980 Ontario Hydro decided to close the community as a cost-saving measure.
Abitibi River
The Abitibi River is a river in northeastern Ontario, Canada, which flows northwest from Lake Abitibi to join the Moose River which empties into James Bay. This river is long.The river was an important fur trading route for the Hudson's Bay Company...
in northeastern Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Abitibi Canyon is in Northern Unorganized Cochrane District
Cochrane, Unorganized, North Part, Ontario
Unorganized Cochrane North Part is an unorganized area in the District of Cochrane in northeastern Ontario, Canada. It comprises all parts of the district north of Timmins and Iroquois Falls which are not part of an incorporated municipality.-Communities:...
, in Cochrane District
Cochrane District, Ontario
Cochrane District, Ontario is a district and census division in Northeastern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was created in 1921 from parts of Timiskaming and Thunder Bay districts....
, and lies 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) northeast of Fraserdale, Ontario
Fraserdale, Ontario
Fraserdale is a small community and rail siding in Unorganized Cochrane, North Part in Cochrane District, Northern Ontario, Canada. It is located north of Timmins along the Ontario Northland Railway...
.
History
The construction of the Abitibi Canyon Generating StationAbitibi Canyon Generating Station
Abitibi Canyon Generating Station is a hydroelectric power plant located 80 km north of Smooth Rock Falls, within Pitt Township in Northern Unorganized Cochrane District, in Ontario, Canada. This facility is the fifth downstream hydroelectric plant of six on the Abitibi River. Designed by...
at Abitibi Canyon began in 1930 for the Ontario Power Service Corporation, a subsidiary of the Abitibi Power and Paper Company, today's Abitibi-Consolidated
Abitibi-Consolidated
Abitibi Consolidated Inc. was a Canadian pulp and paper company based in Montreal, Quebec. Abitibi-Consolidated was formed from the merger of Abitibi-Price Inc. and Stone Consolidated Corp...
. Work was suspended several years later, the company went into receivership and the project was taken over by the provincial Ontario Hydro
Ontario Hydro
Ontario Hydro was the official name from 1974 of the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario which was established in 1906 by the provincial Power Commission Act to build transmission lines to supply municipal utilities with electricity generated by private companies already operating at Niagara...
in 1933.
The Abitibi Canyon settlement was established in 1930 to support the construction of the dam. In early years, construction and later support staff came by Ontario Northland Railway
Ontario Northland Railway
The Ontario Northland Railway is a Canadian railway operated by the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission, a provincial Crown agency of the government of Ontario....
train to Fraserdale, then further by private siding, or used floatplanes
Floatplane
A floatplane is a type of seaplane, with slender pontoons mounted under the fuselage; only the floats of a floatplane normally come into contact with water, with the fuselage remaining above water...
. In 1966, a road connection via Fraserdale to Smooth Rock Falls, Ontario
Smooth Rock Falls, Ontario
Smooth Rock Falls is an incorporated town in the Cochrane District in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. Part of the James Bay Frontier, it calls itself "The North's Biggest Little Town."-Geography and transportation:...
was built, designated today as Highway 634
Highway 634 (Ontario)
Secondary Highway 634, also known as Highway 634, is a remote highway that travels through Northern Ontario from its southern terminus at Highway 11 in Smooth Rock Falls, Ontario to the Abitibi Canyon Generating Station at the community of Abitibi Canyon, Ontario.It is the second highway in...
.
In 1940s, 130 people lived in the Ontario Hydro settlement, which rose to 300 by 1982. However, in 1980 Ontario Hydro decided to close the community as a cost-saving measure.