Wilfrid Laurier University Scholars Commons @ Laurier Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive) 1979 The Evolution of the City of Timmins: A Single-Industry Community Joe G. Torlone Wilfrid Laurier University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.wlu.ca/etd Part of the Urban Studies and Planning Commons Recommended Citation Torlone, Joe G., "The Evolution of the City of Timmins: A Single-Industry Community" (1979). Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive). 1565. https://scholars.wlu.ca/etd/1565 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive) by an authorized administrator of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE EVOLUTION OF THE CITY OF TIMMINSs A 5INGLE-INDU5TRY COMMUNITY By JOE G. TORLONE B.A. Laurentian University, 1976 THESIS Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Arts degree Wilfrid Laurier University 1979 Property of the Library Wind laurier Un'iversity 2 9 UMI Number: EC56467 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent on the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMI EC56467 Copyright 2012 by ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This edition of the work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 r* ess f f^» ' ABSTRACT J ,u _ The Evolution of the City of Timmins; i ^ „->-*- A Single-Industry Community By Joe G. Torlone The purpose of the thesis was to historically trace the development of a single-industry community, Timmins, Ontario. Five time periods were studied beginning with the incorporation of the Town of Timmins in 1912 and ending with the time period 1973 to 1977. Three aspects of economic development were used to analyze the growth of Timmins. The economic base of the town was analyzed in order to gain a better understanding of the sources of income and employment because these two elements in turn influenced demographic factors and the development of other sectors of the Timmins economy. The second aspect was a study of the demographic characteristics of the community. The third aspect of economic development considered was transportation and communication. These were studied to determine whether they were adequate to serve Timmins in light of its isolated location and whether the existence of these transportation and communication facilities aided or deterred the total development of Timmins. The possibility of developing viable secondary industry in Timmins was analyzed using seven essential industrial location factors. Also, four models for urban growth were examined to indicate whether they were appli­ cable to Timmins during the various time periods. The thesis effectively traced the development of Timmins and indicated the effect that the three aspects of economic development had on the total growth of the com­ munity. Timmins' viability was dependent upon the fluctua­ tions in the strength of it's economic base and this speci­ fied the need for more diversification. The problems associated with diversification are clearly illustrated throughout this thesis. Finally, by the end of 1977, it was found that Timmins had developed within the constraints of a northern location and in accordance with the prosperity of the primary sector. The evolution of Timmins from a frontier town to a regional center resulted from the growth of the mining industry in the region. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my thanks to Russell Muncaster who gave me so much of his time and knowledge towards the completion of this thesis. I also thank those who supplied me With the needed material for this work and especially ray wife who has given me continual encourage­ ment. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page List of Tables i List of Figures , ii CHAPTER ONE Introduction 1 CHAPTER TWO Historical Background, 1912-1931 15 CHAPTER THREE Thp Depression and War Years, 1932-1945 36 Economic Base 36 Population 38 Transportation and Communication 41 Residential.... 41 C omm ercial 42 Industrial 45 Other 4 5 Analysis , 4 5 CHAPTER FOUR The Post War Decline, 1946-1962 54 Economic Base 54 Population 58 Transportation and Communication 61 Residential 64 Commercial 65 Industrial 70 Other 70 Analysis 70 CHAPTER FIVE A New Lease on Life, 1963-1972 85 Economic Base 85 Population 89 Transportation and Conmuni cation 91 Residential 92 Commercial , .94 Industrial 98 Other 96 Planning 99 Analysis , 1D2 CHAPTEF- SIX The City of Timmins, 1973-1977 -U4 Economic Base 114 Population 116 Transportation and Communication .116 Residential 118 Commercial 118 Industrial 121 Other 12 3 Planning 124 Analysis 126 CHAPTER SEVEN Conclusion..... 139 BIBLIOGRAPHY LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Retoil Merchandise Trade, 1931 29 2. Service Trade, 1931 11 "'. Retail Me r^hanriise Trade, 1^41 4 3 4. ' ervice Trrrie, 1941 44 5. rtjrri. liu--, Populatio' and Households, Town ,jf Timmins, 195], 1971 60 6. Labour Distribution by Industry, Town 3f Timmins, 1941, 1951 f<? Labou.' Distribution by Industry, Town of Timmins, 1961, 1971 63 P. Retail Tr-de, 1951, 1961 66 9. "b^rvict? Tr-wic, 1951, 1961 63 19. Service Sales, Town of Timmins, 1950-196? 69 11. RL^-M ';on in Gold Mining Employment in "T'IC Po'rupine" 8 p i"'. Retail Tr-ule, 1971 9: 13. Service Trude, 1971 97 14. Retail Trade 1977..... 12.0 L 1ST OF FIGURE'. F11 ure Par' 1 , i4 i, d y "re.. 2 ~ . "The poirupir'e" r 2 . ^3de 1 •_ of Ur 11r-n 5ys * em 0r ganizo t ior : Spetiol Structure and Paths of Crew;,h...., 10 4. Gold Pioduction by "The Porcupine", Doll.ir Value, 1912-1977 21 5. Gold Production by "The Porcupine", Tonnage, 1912-19 77 21 5. Population: Timmins, District of Cochrane, Province of Ontario 23 7. The Geographical Growth of Timmins......... 25 0. City of Timmins ....114 CHAPTER ONE Introduction The introduction of a modern transportation system (railroads) into Northeastern Ontario, in the early part of the twentieth century, led to the discovery of precious metals in various locations and the formation of several single-industry (mining) communities. It is the intention of this thesis to trace the historical development of one of these single-industry communities, Timmins, Ontario. (Figure l) A single industry is, "...one in which there exists a single dominant economic activity (a single employer or group of employers in a single economic activity) and which is not within commuting distance of another area or areas offering alternative employment opportunities."! The raison d'Stre of a single-industry community is the need to house and service employees of firms directly or indirectly engaged in the extraction and processing of natural resources. The central problem associated with this type of settlement is a sense of uncertainty about the lifespan of the community because it is dependent upon a finite, non-renewable single economic activity. Many single-industry communities are generally isolated due to the location of mineral deposits and must be consequently somewhat independent. Canadian single-industry communities usually fall into one of two broad classes: communities established LAKE SUPERIOR -f-fH-QN.R STUDY •H-H- CN.R. AREA •+H— C.P.R. HIGHWAYS miles Figure 1 3 during the early settlement of Canada, and newer, planned 2 towns created by the requirements of the industry. Timmins falls in the first category but is unlike communities of that era. The single dominant economic activity in Timmins is mineral extraction and by its very nature is responsible for Timmins' site and situation. Timmins has been classed by many authors as a company town but it is not in the strictest sense of the term. The relationship between a single company and a community to form a company town is "...not only the employer but is land­ lord, storekeeper and local government combined. This signified that all pro­ perty including the houses, stores, churches, transportation and other facil­ ities as well as the mine or mill, is owned by the one company which runs the town as it likes."3 Timmins did not evolve in this manner; the mineral industry played the role of a very influential industrial citizen. R. Lucas, in his book, Minetown. Milltown. Railtown indi­ cated the role of the Timmins mines when he stated, "...Because of the large number of employees and its wealth the policy of the company in relation to the town has wide-reaching effects. Whether it plays the role of leader, follower, or non- participant in community affairs; it has great influence upon the attitude and relationships in the community. Such simple decisions and policies as to the size, frequency and extent of donations to worthy causes affect the relationships among the people in the community."4 Also, Timmins was not dominated by a single company but by a 4 number <~r mining companies. It is also important to note that throughout this paper reference is made to "The Porcupine". "The Porcupine", of which the Town of Timmins is part, encompasses all of the mining operations which influenced the development of Timmins and the townships of Tisdale, Whitney and Mountjoy (Figure 2). Smaller communities exist in "The Porcupine" but merely serve as dormitory settlements. Timmins is the focal point of the area. Timmins is studied and analysed using three aspects of economic development. The first and most influential aspect is the economic base of Timmins. The economic base of Timmins is dominated by the primary sector of which min­ eral extraction is the most influential.