O'Connor, Ontario
Encyclopedia
O'Connor is a township
in the Canadian
province of Ontario
, located 32 km (20 mi) west of the city of Thunder Bay
. The municipality was formed on January 1, 1907. The township serves as a bedroom community of Thunder Bay
, with some agriculture
, and is part of Thunder Bay's Census Metropolitan Area.
The township was opened to settlement in 1887 because of the silver mining boom, and named by the Ontario government after Port Arthur businessman, alderman and police magistrate James Joseph O'Connor (1857-1930).
The current mayor of O'Connor is Ron Nelson. The township has four councillors, Gwen Garbutt, LeeAnn Nygard, Bishop Racicot, and Jim Vezina.
The township maintains a disposal site
, a skating rink, basketball
court, and a fire station staffed by volunteer fire fighters. The township produces and distributes a newsletter called The Cornerstone.
O'Connor's primary industry is agriculture. Many residents commute to work either to Thunder Bay or the surrounding woodlands.
dominating the southeast corner of the township. The township contains many creeks and rivers. The most notable geographic feature is Kakabeka Falls
, located in the northeastern corner of the municipality near the community of Kakabeka Falls, Ontario.
(Highway 11/17) at Kakabeka Falls in neighbouring Oliver Paipoonge.
In mid-2006, 9.0% of the resident population in O'Connor were of retirement age (65 and over for males and females) compared with 13.7% in Canada. The average age was 40.8 years of age comparing to 39.5 years of age for all of Canada.
In the five years between 2001 and 1996, the population of O'Connor declined by 0.6% compared with an increase of 6.6% for Ontario province as a whole. Population density of O'Connor averaged 6.6 people per square kilometre, compared with an average of 13.4 for Ontario altogether.
Religion
The 2001 census states that 65.5 per cent of O'Connor residents belong to a Christian
(21.4% Roman Catholic, 42.8% Protestant, and 1.4% other Christian) denomination. Those who follow Buddhism
make up 1.4% of the population, while the remaining 32.4% are non-religious.
Township (Canada)
The term township generally means the district or area associated with a town. However in some systems no town needs to be involved. The specific use of the term to describe political subdivisions has varied by country, usually to describe a local rural or semi-rural government within the county...
in the Canadian
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...
province of 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....
, located 32 km (20 mi) west of the city of Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay
-In Canada:Thunder Bay is the name of three places in the province of Ontario, Canada along Lake Superior:*Thunder Bay District, Ontario, a district in Northwestern Ontario*Thunder Bay, a city in Thunder Bay District*Thunder Bay, Unorganized, Ontario...
. The municipality was formed on January 1, 1907. The township serves as a bedroom community of Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay
-In Canada:Thunder Bay is the name of three places in the province of Ontario, Canada along Lake Superior:*Thunder Bay District, Ontario, a district in Northwestern Ontario*Thunder Bay, a city in Thunder Bay District*Thunder Bay, Unorganized, Ontario...
, with some agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, and is part of Thunder Bay's Census Metropolitan Area.
The township was opened to settlement in 1887 because of the silver mining boom, and named by the Ontario government after Port Arthur businessman, alderman and police magistrate James Joseph O'Connor (1857-1930).
The current mayor of O'Connor is Ron Nelson. The township has four councillors, Gwen Garbutt, LeeAnn Nygard, Bishop Racicot, and Jim Vezina.
The township maintains a disposal site
Landfill
A landfill site , is a site for the disposal of waste materials by burial and is the oldest form of waste treatment...
, a skating rink, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
court, and a fire station staffed by volunteer fire fighters. The township produces and distributes a newsletter called The Cornerstone.
O'Connor's primary industry is agriculture. Many residents commute to work either to Thunder Bay or the surrounding woodlands.
Geography
The geography of O'Connor is mainly flat open farmland and rolling hills, with the Whitefish River ValleyWhitefish River Valley
The Whitefish River Valley is located in the unorganized area of Thunder Bay District, Ontario, and is named for the Whitefish River that flows through it...
dominating the southeast corner of the township. The township contains many creeks and rivers. The most notable geographic feature is Kakabeka Falls
Kakabeka Falls
Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park, established in 1955, covers 5 km² and is managed by Ontario Parks. It surrounds the falls and extends along the Kaministiquia River, which was used centuries ago by Voyageurs, who were the first Europeans to overwinter annually in northern Ontario...
, located in the northeastern corner of the municipality near the community of Kakabeka Falls, Ontario.
Transportation
The municipality is served by highways 590 and 595, which intersect in the northern half of the municipality. Highway 590 connects the community to the Trans-Canada HighwayTrans-Canada Highway
The Trans-Canada Highway is a federal-provincial highway system that joins the ten provinces of Canada. It is, along with the Trans-Siberian Highway and Australia's Highway 1, one of the world's longest national highways, with the main route spanning 8,030 km...
(Highway 11/17) at Kakabeka Falls in neighbouring Oliver Paipoonge.
Population and demographics
According to the 2006 census, there were 720 people residing in O'Connor, of whom 50.7% were male and 49.3% were female. Children under five accounted for approximately 6.25% of the resident population of O'Connor. This compares with 5.5% in Ontario as a whole, and 5.3% for Canada overall.In mid-2006, 9.0% of the resident population in O'Connor were of retirement age (65 and over for males and females) compared with 13.7% in Canada. The average age was 40.8 years of age comparing to 39.5 years of age for all of Canada.
In the five years between 2001 and 1996, the population of O'Connor declined by 0.6% compared with an increase of 6.6% for Ontario province as a whole. Population density of O'Connor averaged 6.6 people per square kilometre, compared with an average of 13.4 for Ontario altogether.
Religion
The 2001 census states that 65.5 per cent of O'Connor residents belong to a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
(21.4% Roman Catholic, 42.8% Protestant, and 1.4% other Christian) denomination. Those who follow Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
make up 1.4% of the population, while the remaining 32.4% are non-religious.