Black River-Matheson is a township in the Cochrane District of the Canadian province of Ontario. The municipality is astride the Black River, for which it is partly named. The Matheson railway station was serviced by the Northlander until 2012.
Black River-Matheson | |
|---|---|
| Township of Black River-Matheson | |
 The Vernon L. Miller Memorial Bridge taking Highway 101 across the Black River into Matheson | |
  Black River-Matheson | |
| Coordinates: 48°32′N 80°28′W / 48.533°N 80.467°W | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Ontario |
| District | Cochrane |
| Established | 1969 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Township |
| • Mayor | Dave Dyment |
| • Governing Body | Black River-Matheson Township Council |
| • MP | Charlie Angus (NDP) |
| • MPP | John Vanthof (NDP) |
| Area | |
| • Land | 1,161.89 km2 (448.61 sq mi) |
| Population (2021)[1] | |
| • Total | 2,572 |
| • Density | 2.2/km2 (6/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Postal code FSA | P0K |
| Area codes | 705, 249 |
| Website | www |
Matheson was first known as McDougall's Chute after an early trapper. Renamed for Arthur J. Matheson (1842–1913), provincial Treasurer and M.P.P. for Lanark South.[2]
Mining, forestry and farming are some of the principal industries in the area, augmented by outdoor tourism in the summer, such as fishing and hunting. There are three elementary schools within the municipality.
Communities
editThe communities in the township are Holtyre, Matheson, Ramore, Shillington, Val Gagné, and Wavell. The main community of Matheson is located at the intersection of highways 11 and 101.
History
edit
Settlement of Matheson began in 1907 at the same time that the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway was built in the area, and was originally called McDougall Chute, named after Baziel McDougall, a local trapper. It was renamed in 1912 in honour of Colonel Arthur J. Matheson.[3]
Prospecting started in 1909. The Croesus Mine (1914–1918) became "one of the richest mines in Canada". Gold was like "plums in pudding" and "one gold nugget was egg shaped, two inches long and one and a quarter across." A total of 16 companies operated in the Harker Holloway area from 1917 to 1925, including Harker Gold Mines. P.A. McDermott found a gold-bearing zone in 1922, which became American Barrick's Holt-McDermott Mine in 1988. Located in the Abitibi greenstone belt, the mine produced 60,000 ounces of gold in 1994.[4]
The Great Fire of 1916 left 243 dead.[4]
In 1945, the Township of Black River was incorporated, consisting of the geographic townships of Stock, Taylor, Carr, Beatty, Bond, Currie, Bowman, Hislop, and part of Walker. In 1969, the Township of Black River and the Town of Matheson merged to form the Township of Black River-Matheson, and in 1973, it was enlarged through the addition of Playfair Township and Kingham Improvement District.[3]
Demographics
editIn the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Black River-Matheson had a population of 2,572 living in 1,078 of its 1,403 total private dwellings, a change of 5.5% from its 2016 population of 2,438. With a land area of 1,161.89 km2 (448.61 sq mi), it had a population density of 2.2/km2 (5.7/sq mi) in 2021.[1]
| 2021 | 2016 | 2011 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,572 (+5.5% from 2016) | 2,438 (+1.2% from 2011) | 2,410 (-8.0% from 2006) |
| Land area | 1,161.89 km2 (448.61 sq mi) | 1,163.45 km2 (449.21 sq mi) | 1,163.41 km2 (449.20 sq mi) |
| Population density | 2.2/km2 (5.7/sq mi) | 2.1/km2 (5.4/sq mi) | 2.1/km2 (5.4/sq mi) |
| Median age | 46.8 (M: 46.4, F: 47.2) | 48.3 (M: 48.8, F: 47.6) | |
| Private dwellings | 1,403 (total) 1,078 (occupied) | 1,149 (total) | 1,172 (total) |
| Median household income | $75,000 | $64,640 |
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| Population counts are not adjusted for boundary changes. Source: Statistics Canada[1][10][11] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notable people
edit- Harry Brightwell, Member of Parliament; born in Matheson.[12]
- Bob McCord, professional hockey player; born in Matheson.[13]
- Dianne Poole, Member of Provincial Parliament; raised in Matheson.
See also
edit- Bolton Lake
- Canadian Forces Station Ramore
- Wahgoshig First Nation
- Timmins—James Bay Electoral District
- List of townships in Ontario
- List of communities in Ontario
- List of francophone communities in Ontario
- Matachewan, Ontario
- Cobalt silver rush
- Porcupine Gold Rush
- Red Lake, Ontario
- Greenstone, Ontario
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Black River-Matheson (Code 3556014) Census Profile". 2021 census. Government of Canada - Statistics Canada. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
- ^ Hamilton, William (1978). The Macmillan Book of Canadian Place Names. Toronto: Macmillan. pp. 158. ISBN 0-7715-9754-1.
- ^ a b Chris Wray (9 December 2021). "Community Economic Development Plan" (PDF). www.twpbrm.ca. Township of Black River-Matheson. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
- ^ a b Barnes, Michael (1995). Gold in Ontario. Erin: The Boston Mills Press. pp. 95–100. ISBN 155046146X.
- ^ "2021 Community Profiles". 2021 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. February 4, 2022. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
- ^ "2016 Community Profiles". 2016 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. August 12, 2021. Retrieved 2019-06-11.
- ^ "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. March 21, 2019. Retrieved 2012-02-21.
- ^ "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. August 20, 2019.
- ^ "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. July 18, 2021.
- ^ "Black River-Matheson census profile". 2011 Census of Population. Statistics Canada. Retrieved 2012-02-21.
- ^ Statistics Canada 1996 Census - Community Highlights for Black River-Matheson
- ^ "BRIGHTWELL, A.H. Harry, D.V.M." Library of Parliament. Retrieved March 29, 2014.
- ^ "Bob Lomer McCord". Hockey Hall of Fame and Museum. Retrieved March 29, 2014.
External links
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