Timmins, Ontario: a city of opportunity

Learn more about this welcoming northeastern Ontario community where resources innovation meets economic diversity and a great quality of life

Welcome to Invest Ontario’s regional spotlight series showcasing diverse municipalities across our province. We highlight a unique region and what makes it special from a business and lifestyle standpoint. As always, it will be in their own words. Here’s the next in our lineup from our friends in Timmins, Ontario.

Located centrally in northeastern Ontario along the Mattagami River, the city of Timmins is a diverse, vibrant and welcoming community that offers the ideal environment to invest, work, study and raise a family.

A regional hub, globally connected

With a geographic area of 2,979 square kilometres (1,150 square miles) and a population of approximately 42,000, Timmins enjoys a low population density and a healthy mix of urban and rural environments. Organizations benefit directly from the city’s regional market draw, which is approximately 90,000. Timmins serves as the regional centre and hub for shopping, culture, commerce, health, industrial supplies and distribution for communities along the Highway 11 corridor and the James Bay Coast.

Timmins has global connectivity with multiple options for industry and new investment to access markets. The city is well-served by an extensive network of major highways and secondary roads that provide easy access within the region and to nine U.S. border crossings within a day’s drive. It also features a high-quality and reliable freight rail transportation network operated by Ontario Northland that services northeastern Ontario and western Quebec. This 1,100 km (700 miles) rail system provides efficient connections to other rail lines and destinations across Canada and the U.S. The Victor M. Power Airport (YTS) provides a convenient gateway to regional, national and international markets. It’s less than a 90-minute direct flight to both Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) in downtown Toronto and Pearson International Airport (YYZ). There are also numerous daily flights to the James Bay Coast and other regional destinations.

Explore the industries, community and beautiful natural landscapes of the Timmins region in this new video from Invest Timmins.

A resources powerhouse with increasing economic diversification

The economy in Timmins is largely based on resource extraction and is heavily supported by a multitude of industries related to mining, manufacturing, forestry and agriculture.

The city lies at the heart of the Abitibi Greenstone Belt, which contains some of the world’s largest deposits of gold, nickel, copper and zinc. In fact, the Timmins region is the largest producer of gold (Ontario’s highest valued mineral production at nearly $4 billion annually) and is known globally as one of the richest gold districts in the world. Timmins is a mining powerhouse—almost half of Ontario’s metal mining operations are located within a 300 km radius of the city. Specifically, there are approximately 50 mines in operation or under development within a four-hour drive, demonstrating Timmins’ unique competitive advantage and immense opportunity for continued and future development.

Critical minerals for the electric vehicle supply chain

Over the past year, the Timmins region has seen an increase in interest and activity in new exploration and projects being developed associated with critical minerals and rare earth elements (REEs). These resources are essential components of electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturing and represent an immense potential of new economic opportunities and investment in Timmins ranging from resource extraction, processing and manufacturing that support the EV supply chain. George Pirie, Mayor of Timmins, said: “There is tremendous opportunity to advance Northern Ontario and position Timmins as a leader in the EV supply chain. Local nickel developments such as Canada Nickel’s Crawford Nickel Sulphide project reaffirm the economic potential that Timmins has to offer.”

Timmins’ central location between northern Ontario and northwestern Quebec’s mining centres has also made it an ideal location for equipment manufacturers and services providers to access markets in Ontario and Quebec. Additionally, the availability and low cost of industrial land have supported these types of operations in the city. The addition of the 85-acre industrial park and 30-acre rail park provides ample space and opportunity for your new development.

A forestry hub with prime agricultural land

The city is close to a minimum of six different forest regions within a two-hour drive (200 km). Most notably, Timmins is central to the forests of Abitibi River, Gordon Cosens, Martel, Pineland, Romeo Malette and Timiskaming. As a result, Timmins has a robust forestry industry with operators throughout all levels of the supply chain ranging from consuming mills, harvesters, transportation and construction. With demand for housing growing in Canada, increased interest in bio-products and alternative energies, Timmins is well-positioned for new economic opportunities and investment in this industry.

Agriculture in northern Ontario is a major sector poised for growth. Timmins participated in the Cochrane District Agri-Food Land Assembly Project with a goal to create an inventory of available land with strong agricultural potential. As a result, Timmins documented 30,552 acres of agricultural land with Class 3 soil that is potentially available for new investment and development. Timmins is also within the Great Clay Belt, a region in northern Ontario known for agricultural potential due to its high soil quality.

Support from the Timmins Economic Development Corporation (TEDC)

TEDC is the city’s non-profit community economic development team. TEDC facilities and supports economic and social activities that create jobs, diversify the economy and improve quality of life.

For more information about TEDC, please visit www.timminsedc.com.

For information about economic opportunities in Timmins, please visit www.investintimmins.com.