Sioux Lookout | |
|---|---|
| Municipality of Sioux Lookout | |
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| Motto: Hub of the North | |
  Sioux Lookout  Sioux Lookout | |
| Coordinates:50°05′59″N91°55′14″W / 50.09972°N 91.92056°W /50.09972; -91.92056[1] | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Ontario |
| District | Kenora |
| Incorporation | 1912 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Doug Lawrance |
| • Council | Councillors:
|
| • MP | Eric Melillo |
| • MPPs | Sol Mamakwa |
| Area (2021)[2] | |
| • Land | 378.02 km2 (145.95 sq mi) |
| • Urban | 6.32 km2 (2.44 sq mi) |
| Elevation (at airport)[3] | 383 m (1,257 ft) |
| Population (2021)[2] | |
• Total | 5,839 |
| • Density | 15.4/km2 (40/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 3,781 |
| • Urban density | 598.2/km2 (1,549/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−06:00 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−05:00 (CDT) |
| Forward sortation area | |
| Area code | 807 |
| Website | www |
Sioux Lookout is a town inNorthwestern Ontario, Canada, with a population of 5,838 people (up 10.8% since 2016).[2] Known locally as the "Hub of the North", it is serviced by theSioux Lookout Airport,Highway 72, and theSioux Lookout railway station. According to a 2011 study commissioned by the municipality, health care and social services ranked as the largest sources of employment, followed by the retail trade, public administration, transportation and warehousing, manufacturing, accommodation and food services, and education.
Although downtown Sioux Lookout is located 71 kilometres (44 mi) from theTrans-Canada Highway, the municipality covers the ends or beginnings of provincial highways664, 642,516, and 72. Sioux Lookout is also a key airport hub for numerous northern and Indigenous communities in Northwestern Ontario and remains a service stop forThe Canadian, a transcontinentalpassenger train operated byVia Rail, and a busyrailway junction for the northwestern Ontario segment ofCanadian National Railway's transcontinentalClass 1 railroad.
Fishing camps in the area allow access to an extensive lake system fed by theEnglish River. The town is surrounded by several beaches, including Umphreville Park, a historical site that predates the town itself. During the summer months, Sioux Lookout's population rises as tourists, mostly American, arrive to take advantage of the multitude of lakes and rivers in the area. Experienced guides, employed by the camps, can locate the best locations and also provide an educated tour of the unique land known affectionately as "sunset country".
Sioux Lookout's name comes from aFirst Nations story and a local mountain, Sioux Mountain, which served as a lookout point for theOjibwe people. Being able to scan the surrounding area for some distance enabled the Ojibwe men to potentially detect any approachingSioux warriors, with sufficient time to guide the women and children to safety before intercepting the enemies. From Sioux Mountain, a careful eye could catch the sun reflecting off ofbirch bark canoes crossing the nearby rapids. Illustrating this old story on the front page of the local newspaper,The Sioux Lookout Bulletin, is an iconic image of a First Nations man, holding a hand above his eyes as he scans the water and surrounding terrain.
Sioux Lookout was incorporated in 1912, and was a terminal and junction on theNational Transcontinental Railway. For many years, Sioux Lookout was simply arailway town. At one point, gold was discovered inRed Lake; the town subsequently became one of the leading Canadian aviation centres during the 1920s and 1930s. From circa 1933 to 1937, theHudson's Bay Company operated a fur-trade post at the town along the English River near the north shore of Minnitaki Lake.[4]
During theCold War, from 1952 to 1967,CFS Sioux Lookout, 6.0 km (3.7 mi) west, was aradar base forming part of thePinetree Line to monitor any activity from theSoviet Union.[5]
Today, theCanadian National Railway (CNR) is a significant employer, although it is no longer the largest employer in the area, nor is theforest products industry; Sioux Lookout has become a hub of various services catering to northern First Nations communities, such as healthcare, human and social services and education, among others. Additionally, both the provincial and federal government are major employers within Sioux Lookout. As a result, the town barely felt the effects of the recession in the early 1980s. However, more significant demographic and employment changes took place around the time of theglobal financial crisis and recession of 2008-09; notably, the permanent closure of thelumber mill inHudson, along with the construction of a newer, larger healthcare complex (the Meno Ya Win Health Centre), saw several shifts in the local workforce. New and different positions were subsequently made available through the Health Centre, which also brought new workers to the area.
Urban Sioux Lookout looks-out onPelican Lake, and the municipality has initiated a lakefront improvement program to beautify this area. There are now more parks, paths, and other recreational options and amenities along the lake and surrounding lands. Numerous other lakes, rivers and water-focused activities are easily accessible, by car or boat, from Sioux Lookout. Tourism makes a significant contribution to the local economy, however, there is far more capacity for development, and the area's potential is only starting to be recognized fully.
Sioux Lookout is located approximately 350 kilometres (220 mi) northwest ofThunder Bay, at an elevation of 383 metres (1,257 ft),[3] and it covers an area of 536 square kilometres (207 sq mi), of which 157 square kilometres (61 sq mi) is lake and wetlands.
The boundaries of Sioux Lookout were significantly expanded on 1 January 1998 to include a number of unorganized geographic townships surrounding the town itself.
In addition to the town of Sioux Lookout itself, the municipal boundaries[6] include the community ofHudson[7] and the Pelicanflag stop[8] located west on theCanadian National Railway (CNR)transcontinental main line;[9] the railway pointSuperior Junction located on the CNR transcontinentalmain line to the east;[10] and the Alcona flag stop, located on a CNRbranch line to the south east and south of Superior Junction.[11]
Sioux Lookout experiences ahumid continental climate (Dfb) with long, cold winters and short, warm summers.
The coldest temperature ever recorded was −46.1 °C (−51.0 °F) on 18 February 1966.[12] The highest temperature ever recorded in Sioux Lookout was 39.4 °C (102.9 °F) on 29 June 1931 and 11 July 1936.[13][14]
| Climate data for Sioux LookoutSioux Lookout Airport WMO ID:73017; coordinates50°06′51″N91°54′20″W / 50.11417°N 91.90556°W /50.11417; -91.90556 (Sioux Lookout Airport); elevation: 338.1 m (1,109 ft); 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1914−present[a] | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record highhumidex | 6.0 | 10.3 | 26.7 | 29.8 | 39.4 | 44.1 | 43.7 | 42.3 | 38.1 | 29.9 | 19.4 | 8.6 | 44.1 |
| Record high °C (°F) | 6.7 (44.1) | 10.6 (51.1) | 23.4 (74.1) | 30.6 (87.1) | 33.9 (93.0) | 39.4 (102.9) | 39.4 (102.9) | 35.6 (96.1) | 35.0 (95.0) | 29.6 (85.3) | 20.9 (69.6) | 8.9 (48.0) | 39.4 (102.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −12.0 (10.4) | −7.8 (18.0) | −0.1 (31.8) | 8.3 (46.9) | 16.3 (61.3) | 22.1 (71.8) | 24.3 (75.7) | 23.1 (73.6) | 17.1 (62.8) | 8.1 (46.6) | −1.2 (29.8) | −8.5 (16.7) | 7.5 (45.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −17.2 (1.0) | −13.9 (7.0) | −6.3 (20.7) | 2.3 (36.1) | 10.1 (50.2) | 16.2 (61.2) | 18.8 (65.8) | 17.7 (63.9) | 12.2 (54.0) | 4.3 (39.7) | −4.7 (23.5) | −12.8 (9.0) | 2.2 (36.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −22.3 (−8.1) | −19.8 (−3.6) | −12.5 (9.5) | −3.8 (25.2) | 3.8 (38.8) | 10.3 (50.5) | 13.1 (55.6) | 12.1 (53.8) | 7.2 (45.0) | 0.4 (32.7) | −8.2 (17.2) | −17.0 (1.4) | −3.1 (26.4) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −45.0 (−49.0) | −46.1 (−51.0) | −38.9 (−38.0) | −34.4 (−29.9) | −15.6 (3.9) | −5.0 (23.0) | 0.6 (33.1) | −3.9 (25.0) | −14.4 (6.1) | −18.9 (−2.0) | −35.4 (−31.7) | −42.2 (−44.0) | −46.1 (−51.0) |
| Record lowwind chill | −56.9 | −53.8 | −45.2 | −39.9 | −21.6 | −3.8 | 0.0 | −2.4 | −13.7 | −21.0 | −46.1 | −50.7 | −56.9 |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 35.6 (1.40) | 22.0 (0.87) | 32.5 (1.28) | 43.2 (1.70) | 91.4 (3.60) | 112.5 (4.43) | 101.6 (4.00) | 94.9 (3.74) | 95.6 (3.76) | 77.5 (3.05) | 52.9 (2.08) | 36.7 (1.44) | 796.4 (31.35) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 1.2 (0.05) | 1.3 (0.05) | 10.0 (0.39) | 21.2 (0.83) | 86.8 (3.42) | 112.1 (4.41) | 103.6 (4.08) | 92.5 (3.64) | 94.5 (3.72) | 60.3 (2.37) | 15.2 (0.60) | 1.5 (0.06) | 600.2 (23.63) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 37.0 (14.6) | 22.5 (8.9) | 24.0 (9.4) | 23.3 (9.2) | 6.9 (2.7) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 1.1 (0.4) | 19.5 (7.7) | 40.8 (16.1) | 37.8 (14.9) | 212.9 (83.8) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.2 mm) | 15.2 | 11.4 | 11.6 | 9.4 | 14.1 | 13.9 | 14.2 | 13.4 | 14.2 | 15.3 | 16.8 | 15.3 | 164.7 |
| Average rainy days(≥ 0.2 mm) | 0.9 | 0.8 | 2.7 | 5.3 | 13.6 | 13.9 | 14.3 | 13.3 | 14.1 | 11.6 | 4.1 | 1.4 | 96.0 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.2 cm) | 15.2 | 11.4 | 9.8 | 5.6 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 6.2 | 15.1 | 15.3 | 81.0 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%)(at 1500 LST) | 70.8 | 60.9 | 52.5 | 45.3 | 48.3 | 51.8 | 54.1 | 55.1 | 61.5 | 67.9 | 75.1 | 76.7 | 60.0 |
| Source:Environment and Climate Change Canada[12][13][14] (maximum from October 2023 based on incomplete data, previous record 26.7 °C [80.1 °F])[15][16] | |||||||||||||
In the2021 Canadian census conducted byStatistics Canada, Sioux Lookout had a population of 5,839 living in 2,340 of its 2,647 total private dwellings, a change of10.8% from its 2016 population of 5,272. With a land area of 378.02 km2 (145.95 sq mi), it had a population density of15.4/km2 (40.0/sq mi) in 2021.[2]
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| Population counts are not adjusted for boundary changes. Source:Statistics Canada[2][17][18][19][20] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
As an ethnically diverse community, Sioux Lookout has a largeIndigenous population (2,090 people, 1,885First Nations and 190Métis) along with a smaller number of individuals from all over the world.[2]
| Ethnic background[2] | Population[2] |
|---|---|
| non-visible minority | 5,350 |
| Indigenous | 2,090 |
| Filipino | 145 |
| South Asian | 105 |
| Chinese | 80 |
| Black | 20 |
| Arab | 20 |
| Latin American | 20 |
In 2021, the average household size was 2.5 persons. The median household income in 2020 for Sioux Lookout was $102,000, with an after tax income of $89,000.[2] The average age in Sioux Lookout is 39.0 years old with 38.3 for men and 39.7 for women.[2]
The main industries of Sioux Lookout are:
The population explodes during the spring and summer months when seasonal residents arrive. Most of Sioux Lookout's tourism comes from people wanting to experience outdoor activities. Fishing is the main tourist attraction during the summer months due to the access to numerous lakes, such as Lac Seul and Minnitaki Lake.
Sioux Lookout elects one mayor, six "councillors-at-large". Mayor Doug Lawrance leads a council of Joe Cassidy, Cory Lago, Joyce Timpson, Joan Cosco, Luc Beaulne, Reece Van Breda.
The town is represented in theHouse of Commons of Canada byConservative MPEric Melillo in the electoral district ofKenora, and in theLegislative Assembly of Ontario byNew Democratic Party MPPSol Mamakwa in the electoral district ofKiiwetinoong.
| Year | Liberal | Conservative | New Democratic | Green | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 18% | 378 | 43% | 886 | 33% | 696 | 2% | 31 | |
| 2019 | 27% | 653 | 32% | 783 | 33% | 818 | 7% | 164 | |
The Sioux LookoutOntario Provincial Police (OPP) detachment, according to the Sioux Lookout municipal government website, is composed of forty-four constables, seven First Nation constables, fivespecial constables, six sergeants, one staff sergeant, one inspector, eight civilian employees and sixty-two part-time guards and matrons.
| Year | PC | New Democratic | Liberal | Green | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 37% | 540 | 48% | 690 | 8% | 119 | 3% | 39 | |
| 2018 | 41% | 782 | 35% | 668 | 19% | 368 | 5% | 94 | |
Sioux Lookout's annual Blueberry Festival has been held the first week of August since 1983. 2022 marks the 40th anniversary of the festival, which celebrates the town and its surrounding environment. The festival includes a number of sporting events (slo-pitch, beach volleyball, bocce, tennis, and golf tournaments) along with charitable fundraisers, blueberry themed food, historical walks, musical performances including the Sioux Mountain Music Festival, a car and truck show, a farmers' market, and much more. The town mascot and face of the festival, Blueberry Bert, makes frequent appearances around town throughout the duration of the festival.
Hunting and fishing are popular pastimes in Sioux Lookout. The annual Walleye Weekend Tournament, organized by the Sioux Lookout Anglers and Hunters Group, is held the second weekend of June with several cash prizes available to be won. Numerous hunting and fishing camps, as well as fly-in fishing lodges, also operate in the area. These include: Anderson's Lodge, Frog Rapids Camp, Fireside Lodge, and Moosehorn Lodge among many others.
Ecotourism is growing rapidly with outfitters such as Goldwater Expeditions providing kayak, ski, and snowshoe rentals while also providing ecology based adventures, cultural education, and ecological interpretation.
Peggy Sanders, awarded theOrder of Canada in October 2006, is Sioux Lookout's leading literary figure. She was praised by theGovernor-General for "bridging cultures...and building relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities for decades". She continued to note that Sanders was: "a founding member of the local anti-racism committee...and has championed literacy by founding the town's first public library." Patricia Ningewance Nadeau, from theLac Seul First Nation, is on the board of directors at the Indigenous Language Institute. She has published a textbook on theOjibwe language:Talking Gookom's Language and five other books. She was the first editor ofWawatay News in Sioux Lookout.
Richard Schwindt, former resident of Sioux Lookout, published a collection of short stories titledDreams and Sioux Nights in 2003. Most of the characters and settings are based upon Sioux Lookout and the surrounding area.
Phillip Neault-Pioneer is a collection of songs and stories told by Mae Carroll to her grandchildren. Her book, edited by James R. Stevens, takes place in the two railroad towns ofFort William and Sioux Lookout in pioneer times.
The Sioux Lookout Anti-Racism Committee was a winner of the 23rd Annual Human Rights Media Awards,[23] presented by the League for Human Rights ofB'nai Brith Canada, for "their web site which deals with the effects and strategies of dealing with issues of racism and resources and strategies to deal with instances of racism".[24]
The town also appears as a prominent figure in the novel,The Cunning Man byRobertson Davies.
Sioux Lookout is also a feature inPaulette Jiles' novelNorth Spirit: Travels Among the Cree and Ojibway Nations and Their Star Maps published in 1995 byDoubleday Canada.
Lawrence Martin, aJuno Award-winning musician, was the mayor of Sioux Lookout during the 1990s. Martin is now mayor ofCochrane, and was once a member of theTVOntario board of directors. Also, a concert series called S.L.Y.M (Sioux Lookout Youth Music) Productions supplies the town with local and out-of- town bands for the town's ear drums. To date, S.L.Y.M has featured the local bands of Darkness Deprived, Red Radio, Double Helix, and The Four Ohms. S.L.Y.M. also regularly hosts open coffee houses to showcase local acoustic talent. The Sioux Lookout Cultural Centre for Youth and the Arts is under construction and will include a recording studio for aspiring local artists.
Sioux Lookout was home to theSioux Lookout Flyers, a Junior A team in theSuperior International Junior Hockey League, which folded in 2012. Also hosted every year is aFirst Nations hockey tournament.[25]
Ryan Parent, first roundNational Hockey League (NHL)draft pick and two-timeIIHF World Junior Championship champion, was raised in Sioux Lookout. Parent returns to his home town during the off-season. As a member of the Canadian World Juniors team, Parent won two consecutive gold medals in2006 and2007. He was a first-round draft pick (18th overall) of theNashville Predators in the 2005 NHL entry draft and was traded to thePhiladelphia Flyers on 17 February 2007. Ryan Parent officially joined the NHL when he was recalled from the Flyer'sAmerican Hockey League (AHL) affiliate team thePhiladelphia Phantoms on 13 February 2008 and took a place on the roster.
Newresidential zones have been created in response to Sioux Lookout's continued population growth (which is one of the highest rates inNorthern Ontario). In the past decade, Sioux Lookout has renovated its train station and built several new buildings including a new elementary school, a new high school, grocery store, youth centre, court house, hospital, and clinic.
The new Sioux Lookout Meno-Ya-Win Health Centre opened its doors to patients in late 2010. The 13,000 m2 (140,000 sq ft) hospital has brought many health care services together under one roof. The building complex provides Sioux Lookout, as well as 29 northern communities, with healthcare services. The catchment area for the health centre covers an area larger than France. The health centre—including a hospital, long term care facility, and community services—is characterized by its unique blending of mainstream and traditional Indigenous care. It has been designated as Ontario's centre of excellence for First Nations' healthcare.[26]
Sioux Lookout Airport was opened in 1933; at the time it was the second busiest airport in North America next toChicago.[27] Today, the airport is a mini-hub facilitating travel to and from all northern communities in Northwestern Ontario.Ornge, Ontario's air ambulance service, operates a base at the airport.Bearskin Airlines, SkyCare Air Ambulance,Slate Falls Airways,North Star Air, Bamaji Air Service,Perimeter Aviation andWasaya Airways all operate out of the airport.[3]
WhileConfederation College is based inThunder Bay, it operates several campuses across northwestern Ontario, which include a campus in Sioux Lookout within the site of Sioux North High School. The college offers various programs for students wishing to continue their post-secondary education. Nursing, Business, Social Service, and Mechanical Techniques are just some of the programs available at the Sioux Lookout campus.
Keewatin-Patricia District School Board'sSioux North High School, located at 86 3rd Avenue provides secondary education to Sioux Lookout residents as well as to many students from remote northern First Nations communities. It replacedQueen Elizabeth District High School in 2019.[28] It is the only high school (public or Catholic) within Sioux Lookout.
Sioux Lookout has two major elementary schools: Sioux Mountain Public School of the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board and Sacred Heart School of theNorthwest Catholic District School Board.
Other schools in the area include Cornerstone Christian Academy andPelican Falls First Nations High School.
Hudson Public School inHudson, Ontario was closed in 2011 by the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board and now used as Lac Seul Centre of Training Excellence. The closest elementary school near Hudson isObishkokaang Elementary School on the north side of Lost Lake and serves students from theLac Seul First Nation. Public school students in Hudson now must travel to Sioux Lookout.
Places adjacent to Sioux Lookout | |
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| International | |
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| Geographic | |
