McGarry, Ontario

McGarry is an incorporated township in Timiskaming District in Northeastern Ontario, Canada.[1] It includes the communities of Virginiatown, North Virginiatown, and Kearns. The township borders with Quebec to the east, along Highway 66 between Kirkland Lake and Rouyn-Noranda. The northern border of the township forms part of the border between Timiskaming District and Cochrane District. Highway 66 was rerouted in 2017 because of concerns that aging mine shafts under the road could cause it to collapse.[5]

McGarry
Township
Township of McGarry
Canton de McGarry
Virginiatown
Virginiatown
McGarry is located in Ontario
McGarry
McGarry
Coordinates: 48°08′47″N 79°34′14″W[1]
CountryCanada
ProvinceOntario
DistrictTimiskaming
Government
 • TypeTownship
 • MayorBonita Culhane[2]
 • Federal ridingTimmins—James Bay
 • Prov. ridingTimiskaming—Cochrane
Area
[3]
 • Land86.67 km2 (33.46 sq mi)
Elevation
[4]
327 m (1,073 ft)
Population
 (2021)
 • Total579
 • Density6.8/km2 (17.5/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
Postal code
P0K 1X0
Area code(s)705, 249
Websitewww.mcgarry.ca

J. T. Kearns (after whom one of the communities was named)[6] staked a claim in 1906, which became the Chesterville gold mine (1938–1952).[7] An 854-metre (2,802 ft) shaft connected 20 levels, and its 500-ton stamp mill produced a total of 458,880 ounces of gold. The Kerr-Addison Gold mine started in 1936, and employed 1,456 people by 1959. In 1960, the mine produced the most gold in the Western Hemisphere, and the 10 millionth ounce of gold was produced in 1982.

Virginiatown and North Virginiatown were built to house the Kerr Addison workers

History
Chief Ignace Tonené
See also: Virginiatown bank robbery

Gold in the area was originally reported in the late 1800s by Chief Ignace Tonené of the Temagami First Nation. He staked a claim near the north arm of Larder Lake but claimed it was stolen.[8] He reported it, but Indian Affairs was unable to help.[9] Tonené's claim was jumped by European settlers and later developed into the Kerr-Addison Mine.[10][11] Adjacent to the Kerr-Addison Mine, the Chesterville gold mine was developed, operating from 1939 until 1952.[12]

On December 21, 1972, masked thieves successfully robbed the Virginiatown Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce on the Kerr Addison miners' payday. The robbers were never captured.[13] In 2016, the nearby Tournene Lake (or Lac Tournene in French), was officially re-named as Chief Tonene Lake.[14][15][16]

Beaverhouse First Nation

In 2018, Beaverhouse First Nation submitted a claim to the Government of Ontario, asserting the community is a distinct First Nation and did not sign Treaty 9, or any other treaty. [17] On April 19, 2022, Beaverhouse First Nation was officially recognized as a First Nation under Section 35 of Canada’s Constitution.[18]

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, McGarry had a population of 579 living in 289 of its 333 total private dwellings, a change of -4.9% from its 2016 population of 609. With a land area of 85.62 km2 (33.06 sq mi), it had a population density of 6.8/km2 (17.5/sq mi) in 2021.[19]

Canada census – McGarry community profile
202120162011
Population579 (-4.9% from 2016)609 (2.4% from 2011)595 (-11.7% from 2006)
Land area85.62 km2 (33.06 sq mi)86.67 km2 (33.46 sq mi)86.72 km2 (33.48 sq mi)
Population density6.8/km2 (18/sq mi)7.0/km2 (18/sq mi)6.9/km2 (18/sq mi)
Median age55.2 (M: 57.6, F: 53.6)54.7 (M: 55.5, F: 53.9)51.7 (M: 52.9, F: 50.6)
Private dwellings290 (total)  345 (total)  360 (total) 
Median household income$47,232$29,360
References: 2021[20] 2016[21] 2011[22] earlier[23][24]
Historical population
YearPop.±%
19861,237—    
19911,139−7.9%
19961,015−10.9%
2001787−22.5%
2006674−14.4%
2011595−11.7%
2016609+2.4%
Source: [25][26][3]
Mother tongue languages from 2006 census[27]
Language % spoken
English as first language 30.5%
French as first language 63%
English and French as first language 1.5%
Other as first language 5%

Economy
Kearns and Highway 66

McGarry's economy has historically been supported by the mining industry, and struggled when the mines were not producing.

The Armistice Gold mine was purchased by Bonterra Resources from Kerr Resources in 2016,[28] and gold exploration and modelling was done to update the resource to a National Instrument 43-101 Compliant Resource.[29]

Gold Candle Ltd. and investors purchased the historic Chesterville Gold Mines and Kerr Addison Gold Mines property in 2016,[30] and conducted a feasibility study and gold exploration with Canadian Exploration Services Limited[31] on the old Chesterville Gold Mines and Kerr Addison Gold Mines property.

Main article: Kerr Addison Mines Ltd.

Tourism
Larder Lake

McGarry hosts several events, including an annual fish derby at Larder Lake, and a Labour Day weekend music event at the McGarry community centre.[32] Gem Lake Maple Bedrock Provincial Park is located in McGarry Township. Sport fishing is permitted within Gem Lake Maple Bedrock Provincial Park.[33] McGarry Township Forest Conservation Reserve, shared with McFadden Township, is located in McGarry Township.[34]

Notable people and companies

People

Companies

See also

References
  1. "McGarry". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved May 19, 2014.
  2. "Council Members and Mayor". mcgarray.ca. September 8, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  3. "Census Profile, 2016 Census: McGarry, Township". Statistics Canada. February 8, 2017. Archived from the original on August 24, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
  4. Elevation taken from Google Earth at geographical coordinates, accessed May 20, 2014.
  5. "Ontario investing in Highway 66 at Virginiatown". Northern News. October 2, 2015. Archived from the original on October 16, 2015.
  6. McEachern, Ronald A. (June 24, 1939). "Chesterville Mine Fulfils a 33-year-old Dream". National Post. p. 28.
  7. "Chesterville District Farmer Almost Found Pot of Gold". The Ottawa Journal. April 22, 1950. p. 12.
  8. Angus, C. (2022). Cobalt: The Making of a Mining Superpower. Canada: House of Anansi Press Incorporated. p23-24
  9. Hodgins, Bruce; Morrison, James. "TONENÉ, IGNACE". Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 14. University of Toronto/Université Laval. Archived from the original on May 17, 2022. Retrieved January 8, 2022.
  10. Charlie Angus (2022). Cobalt: The Making of a Mining Superpower. Canada: House of Anansi Press Incorporated.
  11. Hodgins, Bruce W.; Morison, James. "Biography – TONENÉ, IGNACE – Volume XIV (1911-1920) – Dictionary of Canadian Biography". www.biographi.ca. Archived from the original on May 17, 2022. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
  12. A Chronology of Minerals Development in Canada Archived October 4, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, Government of Canada, p36 & 47
  13. "The Virginiatown Bank Robbery – Michael Barnes". Republic of Mining. March 14, 2008. Archived from the original on August 9, 2020. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  14. Chief Tonene Lake Archived March 1, 2023, at the Wayback Machine, Canadian Geographical Names Database, Government of Canada, accessed 1 March 2022
  15. Chief Tonene Lake (Formerly Tournene Lake / lac Tournene) Archived March 1, 2023, at the Wayback Machine Canadian Geographical Names Database, Government of Canada, accessed 2 March 2022
  16. Hodgins, Bruce W.; Morrison, James (1998). "Biography – Tonené, Ignace". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. University of Toronto. Archived from the original on May 17, 2022. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
  17. "Current land claims". ontario.ca. Archived from the original on May 2, 2022. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  18. Kataquapit, Xavier (May 24, 2022). "Beaverhouse First Nation achieves historic recognition". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on May 26, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  19. "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Ontario". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Archived from the original on May 12, 2022. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  20. "2021 Community Profiles". 2021 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. February 4, 2022. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  21. "2016 Community Profiles". 2016 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. August 12, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
  22. "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. March 21, 2019. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
  23. "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. August 20, 2019.
  24. "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. July 18, 2021.
  25. Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 census
  26. "2011 Census Profile". February 8, 2012. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved February 18, 2012.
  27. "2006 Community Profile". Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved July 29, 2009.
  28. "Bonterra Resources Acquires Larder Project from Kerr Mines Consisting of Two Gold Deposits and 9 km of Cadillac-Larder Break". Kerr Mines, Inc. Archived from the original on July 19, 2018. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  29. "Larder Project". Bonterra Resources. Archived from the original on June 1, 2018.
  30. "Supplementary Application Record between Gold Candle Ltd. and GSR Mining Corp. and AJ Perron Gold Corp" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on June 20, 2018. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  31. "Canadian Exploration Services Limited". Archived from the original on July 12, 2019. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  32. "Events and Attractions". www.mcgarry.ca. July 6, 2021. Archived from the original on January 18, 2022. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
  33. "Gem Lake Maple Bedrock Provincial Park Management Statement". ontario.ca. Archived from the original on December 26, 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
  34. "McGarry Township Forest Conservation Reserve Management Statement". ontario.ca. Archived from the original on December 20, 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
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