10 Surprising Facts About North Bay Ontario

What do Tim Horton (the hockey player), Christmas movies, and five famous sisters have in common? They all have a connection to the city of North Bay, Ontario.

Nestled along the vast shores of Lake Nipissing, the Gateway to the North is less than a four-hour drive from Toronto and Ottawa, and this year—the city’s Centennial—is the perfect time to come explore!

Read on to discover some of North Bay’s unusual and impressive claims to fame.

1. Tim Horton’s first restaurant was in North Bay

As a hockey player, Miles Gilbert “Tim” Horton had an impressive career, helping the Toronto Maple Leafs win four Stanley Cup championships. But he is perhaps best known for starting the iconic Tim Horton’s coffee and donut shop.

The very first official Tim Hortons as we know it today opened on Ottawa Street in Hamilton. But before that, Horton’s first restaurant “was not in Hamilton but in North Bay,” according to CBC Morning North's Markus Schwabe.

It was a burger joint Horton opened in the early 1960s on Lakeshore Drive in what was then West Ferris. The street now houses two of the modern-day Tim Horton’s franchises – at 25 and 368 Lakeshore. For more dining options on your next visit check out where to eat and drink in North Bay, vegan options included! 

2. The famous Dionne quintuplets put North Bay on the map

Long before reality shows gave viewers a glimpse into large atypical families like “Jon & Kate Plus 8” and “The Kardashians,” North Bay had “Quintland.”

In 1934, Yvonne, Émilie, Marie, Annette and Cécile Dionne made headlines around the world when they were born in the small village of Corbeil, around 16 kilometres southeast of North Bay.

They were raised in an institutional nursery across the street from their family home, named Quintland, which became a tourist attraction rivalling Niagara Falls, according to the Dionne Quints Heritage Board.

The public could come and watch the Quints several times a day, which fueled a burst of restaurants and hotels in North Bay, to accommodate the visitors making the trek to see the famous sisters.

The two surviving quints, Cécile and Annette, live in Montreal, but their former home is now a museum where visitors can learn more about their unusual story.

3. North Bay was the birthplace of hockey’s sister ringette

In 1963, a North Bay resident came up with the idea for ringette – a sport similar to hockey but intended to be played by women.

Sam Jacks, the city’s former Director of Municipal Recreation— who is also credited with the invention of floor hockey—envisioned an ice sport geared to females, according to Ringette Canada.

The resulting game is fast-paced but lower contact than hockey, and played with a straight stick and a rubber ring in place of a puck.

The sport now has leagues in Slovakia, Sweden, France and the United States, and boasts over 30,000 registered players globally. Catch a Nipissing Lakers game next time you're in town. 

4. North Bay is a holiday movie mecca

If local spots like Main Street West or Opera Bakery Cafe look familiar, it could be because North Bay has become a go-to spot for filming made-for-TV Christmas movies, with around 30 shot locally since 2018 alone.

The city features in “Christmas Under the Northern Lights,” “The Holiday Calendar,” and “Operation Mistletoe,” to name a few.

If you love holiday movies, be sure to take the 30-minute Holiday Film and Television Self-Guided Walking Tour to visit some of the key locations.

And it’s not just Christmas movies. It has been a regular location for TV series like “Cardinal” and “Carter”, and has hosted big names like Adam Brody, Naomi Watts, Laurence Fishburne and the Kids in the Hall for film projects over the years.

5. It was a huge railway town

By the early 1900’s, North Bay became a key railway hub.

As an important connection point to the north (Gateway to the North) the city got a boost from the Canadian Pacific Railway, the Grand Trunk, the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway, and the Canadian Northern Railway (CNoR) lines passing through the city.

Locomotive and architecture buffs can now tour the historic Canadian Pacific Railway station as it houses the North Bay Museum or ride the heritage railway nearby. 

6. There are over 40 beach access points in North Bay

North Bay might not be the first place that comes to mind when imagining sandy shores. But with Lake Nipissing at one end of the city and Trout Lake at the other, it’s flush with spots to swim, relax on the sand, or take out a stand-up paddleboard. 

There are 43 beach access points, to be exact. Each one offers freshwater views and loads of activities for the whole family—Shabogesic Beach on Lake Nipissing and Birchaven Cove and Olmsted Beach on Trout Lake also offer supervised swimming. 

7. North Bay has a bug that gets a lot of buzz

Shadflies—also known as mayflies—get a lot of media attention in North Bay.

That’s because Lake Nipissing has the perfect conditions for millions of them to emerge year after year. While it might sound a bit much, they’re a harmless but important part of the ecosystem,—and a sign of good water quality. 

The Weather Network called the shadfly season an “annual tradition” but if you prefer to avoid them, the good news is they only live on land for a few days and are only around for a few weeks around the month of July.

8. It has a fortress 600 feet underground

During the Cold War, North Bay was a crucial part of North America's defense system against a potential Soviet nuclear attack.

Between 1959 and 1963, a high security air defense complex was built below the Armed Forces Base North Bay for NORAD (North American Aerospace Defence Command) to work from. It was constructed to withstand a nuclear attack and in the event of one, could protect up to 400 people inside.

But staff didn’t just monitor air threats to Canada and the US from the three-storey fortress, located below 600 feet of granite. They could also stop into amenities like the barbershop, medical centre and gym.

The complex has been vacant since 2006, because it no longer has a practical military purpose, but advocates have been hopeful the site can be repurposed.

9. North Bay is a top destination for ice fishing

Lake Nipissing is known for beautiful beaches and phenomenal sunsets, but in the winter, it transforms into a vast ice-fishing village.

It’s known as one of the best places for ice fishing in Ontario offering walleye, perch, whitefish, burbot, smallmouth and largemouth bass and pike for any angler willing to brave the cold.

The North Bay ice fishing season officially runs from January 1 until March 15, but the ice must be frozen to a 4-inch depth for walking on, and 8 inches for driving on before heading out.

A variety of outfitters will help you get started, offering guided ice-fishing trips and a host of ice-fishing bungalows to rent.

10. There’s a large French festival and community in North Bay

If you want to practice your French, North Bay is an excellent place to do so.

According to Statistics Canada, North Bay had 50,925 residents in 2016, and around one fifth of them reported speaking both English and French.

The North Bay library offers a variety of French language services, including a French language department, more than 24,000 French volumes, and over 30 French language newspapers and periodicals.

Be sure to check out Le Carnaval des Compagnons, a week-long carnival and popular annual event in February celebrating French-Canadian heritage in North Bay and surrounding communities.

The celebration of music, art, theatre, food and more, began in 1963 and is the second-oldest Franco-Ontarian winter festival in Canada.

Plan your visit to North Bay today

Check out these seven travel itineraries from Tourism North Bay, read about 10 of the city’s hidden gems, and peruse some great places to stay to get started.   

Find more things to do and places to stay in North Bay!

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