Some Day They Must Unite : the Amalgamation of Fort William and Port Arthur / by David Edward Achtenberg

Lakehead University Knowledge Commons,http://knowledgecommons.lakeheadu.ca Electronic Theses and Dissertations Retrospective theses 1998 Some day they must unite : the amalgamation of Fort William and Port Arthur / by David Edward Achtenberg. Achtenberg, David Edward. http://knowledgecommons.lakeheadu.ca/handle/2453/3077 Downloaded from Lakehead University, KnowledgeCommons INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been rqxroduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text direct^ fiom the original or copy submitted. Thus* some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter 6ce* while others may be fix>m any type of conqniter piinto-. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photogr:q)hs, print bleedthrough, substandard mai^gins, and impropo’ alignment can adversety affect reproduction. 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Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ReproducedReproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. L a k e head University “Some Day They Most Unite**; Th# A«tMiyaitiart«fi of Port w nnam and Port Arthur A Thesis Submitted To The Fsculty of Arts. Department of History In Pnlfflm ent O f Requirements For The Degree Of Master of History B y David Edward Achtenberg 0 Thunder Bay, Ontario 1 9 9 8 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. National Libraiy Bibliothèque nationale 1 ^ 1 of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395, tue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Canada Canada Your Ha Votra rélàtarKa OurHa NouaréHeanca The author has granted a non L’auteur a accordé une hcence non exclusive hcence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library o f Canada to Bibhothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfîche/fîhn, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L’auteur conserve la propriété du copyri^t in this thesis. Neither the droit d’auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts from it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author’s ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. 0-612-33333-7 Canada Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. A e lm nwfedfemente I would like to thank those who have helped make the completion of this thesis possible. Research Ihr this thesis was assisted through the support of the Ontario Ministry of Education and Training, in the Ibrm of an Ontario Graduate Scholarship, and the Department of History, Lakehead Univexsity. This support allowed me to spend tim e in Toronto to do research at the Ontario Archives and the Metropolitan Toronto Library. The assistance given to me by staff at the City of Thunder Bay Archives, the Thunder Bay Historical Museum, and The Northern Studies Resource Centre is much appreciated. W riting this thesis has been a long process. I would like to tfianh Dr. Jasen and Dr. Tronrud Ibr their comments and recommendations. I would also like to thank everyone and anyone who took an interest in this topic. Your enthusiasm inspired me to finish this project. Most of aU, I would like to tfianir my fiunily, particularly my wife. Adora, for their patience and encouragement. u Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Table of Contenta Acknowledgements................................................................................. i l List of Maps.............................................................................................. hr List of Appendices ................................................................................. .. C h a p te r 1. Introduction: Local Government in Ontario and at the L a k e h e a d .............................................................................................. 1 2. The Evolution of Local Government at the Creating a Tradition of Local Decision-making....................... 2 8 3. Failure of the 1958 Pl«*iscite: Rivalry In The Way of U n ity ..................................................................................................... 5 5 4. The Problem of Urban Growth at the Lakehead....................... 8 9 5. The Lakehead Local Government Review: The Creation O f Thunder Bay................................................................................ 1 1 9 6. Conclusion...........................................................................................1 5 3 Appendices.............................................................................................. 1 5 8 Bibliograply............................................................................................ 1 6 4 lU Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Liât of Maos The Iâkehead......................................................................................... 1 4 W illiam Street Cootrovergy................................................................. 7 0 The Lakehead - Mchm^re, M cG rôr, and McTavish................... 1 0 1 Proposed Boundary For Lakehead City........................................... 1 3 7 IV Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. List of Appendices Appendix A: Fort W illiam and Port Arthur: Population Growth 1881 to 1966 .................................................. 1 5 8 Appendix B: Population Levds 1901 to 1961: Mdntyre, McGregor, McTavish, Neebing, and Paipoonge. .. 159 Appendix C: Fort W illiam and Port Arthur: Tax Revenue Per Capita 19511966 .................................................. 1 6 0 Appendix D: Fort W illiam and Port Arthur: Ddienture Dd>t Per Capita 1951-1966 .................................................. 1 6 1 Appendix B: Fort W illiam and Port Arthur: Total Ddienture Debt 1950-1967............................................................ 1 6 2 Appendix F: Fort WfUiam and Port Arthur: Long-Term Liability Per Capita 1962-66 ..................................... 1 6 3 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Chapter 1 Introduction: Local Government in Ontario and at the Lakehead The amalgamation of Fort W illiam and Port Arthur in 1970 was the result of many Actors. It had been a goal of some citizens of both c itie s to r almost as long as the two cities existed. However, these amalgamation supporters did not realize their goal until the late 1960s when it became apparent that local government at the Lakehead needed to be reorganized in order to meet the challenges of urbanization. These challenges included provision of services, increased suburbanization, and fhture growth. Under leadership provided by local politicians, and business and labour leaders, the Lakehead underwent a local government review. The resulting recommendation of total amalgamation of Fort W illiam and Port Arthur and the annexation of the townships of NeAing and Ifchityre to the new city was quickly acted upon by the Ontario government. A new city. Thunder Bay, was created on January 1, 1970. W hile this thesis w ill focus on the situation at the Lakehead, it is important to realize that the structure of local government at the Lakehead was determined by Ontario's Municipal Act. This chapter w ill provide a b ri^ history of local government in Ontario and its Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. reorganization in the 1960a and 1970s. Local government at the Lakehead was directly affected by the actions of the Ontario government, and the problems that the Lakehead feced were quite sim ilar to those in other parts of the province. In the end, the solutions to these problems were sim ilar as well. A Brigf History of Local Government in Ontario The Municipal Act of 1849, commonty referred to as the Baldwin Act, set up a system of local government in Ontario that remained in place until the provincial authorities began a series of local government reviews in the m id 1960s. Communities throughout

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