- O'Connor, Ontario
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O'Connor — Township — Motto: Country Living at its Best 
O'ConnorCoordinates: 48°22′N 89°42′W / 48.367°N 89.7°WCoordinates: 48°22′N 89°42′W / 48.367°N 89.7°W Country 
CanadaProvince 
OntarioDistrict Thunder Bay CMA Thunder Bay Settled 1887 Incorporated 1907 Government – Mayor Ron Nelson – Federal riding Thunder Bay—Rainy River – Prov. riding Thunder Bay—Atikokan Area[1] – Land 108.58 km2 (41.9 sq mi) Population (2006)[1] – Total 720 – Density 6.6/km2 (17.1/sq mi) Time zone EST (UTC-5) – Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4) Postal code P0T 1W0 Area code(s) 807 Website www.oconnortownship.ca 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).[2]
The current mayor of O'Connor is Ron Nelson. The township has four councillors, Gwen Garbutt, LeeAnn Nygard, Bishop Racicot, and Jim Vezina.[3]
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.
Contents
Geography
The geography of O'Connor is mainly flat open farmland and rolling hills, with the Whitefish River Valley 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.
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 Highway (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.[1]
- 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.[4]
Media
The township receives good quality radio from Thunder Bay. Some radio stations from Thunder Bay do not reach this township, such as CILU-FM, The Lakehead University campus radio, and Magic 99.9 FM. Major radio 105.3 The Giant and Rock 94 reach the township with good reception.
References
- ^ a b c "O'Connor community profile". 2006 Census data. Statistics Canada. http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/prof/92-591/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=3558016&Geo2=PR&Code2=35&Data=Count&SearchText=O'Connor&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom=. Retrieved 2011-04-28.
- ^ F.B. Scollie, Thunder Bay Mayors & Councillors 1873-1945 (Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society, 2000), 121-122
- ^ O'Connor Township.com directory. Retrieved on 23 September 2007.
- ^ O'Connor Community Profile. 2006 Census data. Statistics Canada. Retrieved 23 September 2007.
External links
Conmee Unorganized Thunder Bay District 
Oliver Paipoonge 
O'Connor 
Gillies Neebing Cities 
Towns Townships Conmee • Dorion • Gillies • Manitouwadge • Neebing • Nipigon • O'Connor • Oliver Paipoonge • Red Rock • Schreiber • Shuniah • Terrace BayFirst Nations Aroland • Biinjitiwabik Zaaging Anishnabek (Rocky Bay) • Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek (Sand Point) • Fort William • Ginoogaming • Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek (Gull Bay) • Lac Des Mille Lacs • Long Lake 58 • Namaygoosisagagun • Saugeen (Savant Lake) • Pays Plat • Pic River • Pic Mobert • Red Rock (Lake Helen) • Seine River • WhitesandIndian Reserves Unorganized areas Unorganized Thunder Bay (Local services boards: Armstrong • Hurkett • Kaministiquia • Lappe • Rossport • Shebandowan)Ghost towns See also: Communities in Thunder Bay District • Census divisions of OntarioCategories:- Township municipalities in Ontario
- Municipalities in Thunder Bay District
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