Fort Frances, Ontario is a town located in the northwestern part of Ontario, Canada. Its population in 2006 was 8,103. It is in the Rainy River District. Fort Frances is a popular fishing destination and hosts the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship each summer.

Located on the international border with Minnesota where Rainy Lake narrows to become Rainy River, it is connected to International Falls, Minnesota by the Fort Frances-International Falls International Bridge.

The first European settlement west of Lake Superior, French Canadian fur traders known as voyageurs including La Vérendrye who in 1732 stopped briefly at Fort St. Pierre before building Fort St Charles on Magnuson Island on the west side of Lake of the Woods. A later HBC fort was established here in 1817 and the subsequent settlement was named after Lady Frances Simpson, wife of then Hudson's Bay Company Governor George Simpson, who visited the fort many times.

Over 2,400 residents consider themselves of Ukrainian origin.

The town was incorporated in 1903 and held a big centennial celebration in 2003.

The main employer is a pulp and paper mill established in the early 1900s with numerous owners over the years, notably Edward Wellington Backus. The mill is now owned by AbitibiBowater, which employes 700 Fort Frances residents.

The town was struck by the Fort Frances, Ontario Tornado on June 25, 1946, causing major damage to the town. The tornado was a week after the deadly Windsor tornado.

Coat of arms

The city coat of arms features a bull moose, maple leaves, a "Magneto", representative of electricity (industry), two men in a canoe, a white pine tree and the motto "Industry and Perseverance."

Media

Newspapers

• Fort Frances Times - Daily (website)
• Fort Frances Living - Weekly
• Fort Frances Today - Weekly

Online Media

• NWO Update

Television stations

• CBWCT (channel 5) (CBC)
• CBWFT-11 (channel 15) (SRC)
• Cable 10 - Shaw Cable community channel

Radio stations

FM

• FM 89.1 - CKSB-9, Première Chaîne
• FM 90.5 - CBQQ, CBC Radio One
• FM 93.1 - CFOB, Borderland's Best Music hot adult contemporary

Another radio station, CKWO FM 92.3, is licensed to the neighbouring Couchiching First Nation.

Education

Elementary and secondary schools

• A public school board Rainy River District School Board with 10 elementary schools, and 4 secondary schools.
• A Catholic school board The Northwest Catholic District School Board with 5 elementary schools.

Post-secondary schools

• Confederation College

Notable Fort Francesians

• Dave Allison, former coach of the NHL's Ottawa Senators
• Mike Allison, former player for the Los Angeles Kings, Toronto Maple Leafs, and New York Rangers of the NHL
• Gene Eugene, actor, musician and recording producer
• Howard Hampton, leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party.
• Chris Lindberg, silver medalist with the Canadian Ice Hockey Team at the 1992 Winter Olympics
• Neil Sheehy, former player for the Calgary Flames, Hartford Whalers and Washington Capitals of the NHL.
• Timothy Sheehy, former NHL player.
• Murray Bannerman, former player for the Chicago Blackhawks.
• Duncan Keith, NHL hockey player.
• Keith "Huffer" Christiansen, former player for the WHA Minnesota Fighting Saints.

Culture

• The Fort Frances Museum
• The Border Land Arts Alliance
• Tour de Fort

Sport

• Fort Frances Jr. Sabres (Hockey)
• Fort Frances Muskies (Football)
• Fort Frances Muskies (Hockey)

Fort Frances was the home of the former amateur sports teams:

• Fort Frances Borderland Thunder (Hockey)
• Fort Frances Canadians (Hockey)

Sporting facilities include:

• Memorial Sports Center

References

External links

• Town of Fort Frances Official site
• Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce

Neighbouring communities