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Portage la Prairie

2025-10-28T21:39:03Z

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{{Short description|City in Manitoba, Canada}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name = Portage la Prairie
|settlement_type = [[List of cities in Manitoba|City]]
|official_name = City of Portage la Prairie
|nicknames = Portage, P. la P., Plaptown
|motto = Progress
|image_skyline = Portage la Prairie - City Collage.jpg
|image_caption = Clockwise from top left to centre: City Welcome Sign, Aerial View of Portage la Prairie, World's Largest Coca-Cola Can, Birds' Eye View of Crescent Lake and Island Park, Waterfront Active Transport Route, Island Park, City Hall
|image_flag =Portage_la_Prairie_Flag.gif
|flag_size =200px
|image_map = 550 Portage la Prairie, Manitoba.svg
|map_caption = City boundaries
|pushpin_map = Canada#Manitoba
|pushpin_map_caption = Location in Canada##Location in Manitoba
|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = Canada
|subdivision_type1 = [[Provinces and territories of Canada|Province]]
|subdivision_name1 = [[Manitoba]]
|subdivision_type2 = [[Regions of Manitoba|Region]]
|subdivision_name2 = [[Central Plains Region, Manitoba|Central Plains]]
|government_footnotes = <ref>[http://www.city-plap.com/cityplap/city-hall/council/ Council – City of Portage la Prairie]</ref>
|government_type = [[Mayor–council government]]
|leader_title = Mayor
|leader_name = Sharilyn Knox
|established_title = Established
|established_date = 1738 ([[Fort La Reine]])
|established_title2 = Settled
|established_date2 = 1851 (village)
|established_title3 = Incorporated
|established_date3 = 1880 (town) 1907 (city)
|area_footnotes =<ref name="Census Profile"/>
|area_land_km2 = 24.72
|area_metro_km2 = 2,029.94
|population_as_of = 2021<ref name=2021Census>{{cite web |title= Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population, City of Portage La Prairie |url= https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&GENDERlist=1&STATISTIClist=1&HEADERlist=0&DGUIDlist=2021A00054609029&SearchText=Portage%20la%20Prairie |publisher=[[Statistics Canada]] |access-date=February 9, 2022}}</ref>
|population_total = 13,270 [[List of communities in Manitoba by population|(5th)]]
|population_density_km2 = 536.8
|population_density_metro_km2 = 10.1
|population_demonym = Portager, Portage la Prairian
|timezone = Central Time zone
|utc_offset = -6
|utc_offset_DST = -5
|coordinates = {{coord|49|58|22|N|98|17|31|W|region:CA-MB|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_footnotes =<ref name="ccn"/>
|elevation_m = 261
|postal_code_type = [[Canadian postal code#Forward sortation areas|Forward sortation area]]
|postal_code = [[List of R postal codes of Canada|R1N]]
|area_code = 204/431
|website = [https://www.city-plap.com/ www.city.portage-la-prairie.mb.ca]
|leader_name1 = Colin Doyle, Ryan Espey, Joe Masi, Preston Meier, Faron Nicholls, Terrie Porter
|leader_title1 = City Council
|leader_name2 = [[Branden Leslie]]
|leader_title2 = [[Parliament of Canada|Member of Parliament]] (MP)
|leader_name3 = [[Jeff Bereza]]
|leader_title3 = [[Legislative Assembly of Manitoba|Member of Legislative Assembly]] (MLA)
}}

'''Portage la Prairie''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|p|ɔːr|t|ᵻ|dʒ|_|l|ə|_|ˈ|p|r|ɛər|i}}) is a small [[city]] in the [[Central Plains Region]] of [[Manitoba]], Canada. In 2016, the population was 13,304 and the land area was {{convert|24.68|km2|sqmi}}.<ref name="Census Profile"/>

Portage la Prairie is approximately {{convert|75|km|mi}} west of [[Winnipeg]], alongside the [[Trans-Canada Highway]] (exactly halfway between the provincial boundaries of [[Saskatchewan]] and [[Ontario]]). It sits on the [[Assiniboine River]], which flooded the town persistently until a diversion channel north to [[Lake Manitoba]] (the [[Portage Diversion]]) was built to divert the flood waters. The city is surrounded by the [[Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie]].

According to [[Environment Canada]], Portage la Prairie has the most sunny days during the warm months in Canada.<ref name="Environment Canada">{{cite web|url=http://climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/winners/categorydata_e.html?SelectedCategory=49|author=Environment Canada|title=Top Canadian Weather Winners|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120606152254/http://climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/winners/categorydata_e.html?SelectedCategory=49|archive-date=6 June 2012|access-date=6 October 2011}}</ref> It is the administrative headquarters of the Dakota Tipi [[First Nations in Canada|First Nations]] [[Indian reserve|reserve]].

==History==
{{more citations needed section|date=February 2015}}

===Pre-colonial era===
Long before European settlers arrived in the mid-1800s,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/portage-la-prairie#:~:text=BESbswy-,History,Assiniboine%20River%20and%20Lake%20Manitoba.|title=Portage la Prairie|publisher=The Canadian Encyclopedia|access-date=9 October 2020}}</ref> the Portage la Prairie area was first inhabited by several Indigenous nations (including the [[Anishinaabe]]/Ojibwe, [[Cree]], and [[Dakota people|Dakota]]/Sioux peoples) at various times across millennia.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lpband.ca/pre-history/|title=Pre History of Long Plain First Nation|publisher=Long Plain First Nation|access-date=9 October 2020|archive-date=October 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029015729/https://www.lpband.ca/pre-history/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Though anthropological evidence suggests the emergence of pre-historic plains cultures in southwestern Manitoba as early as 12,000 years ago, inhabitable grasslands and human activity likely never emerged around present-day Portage la Prairie until the receding of [[Lake Agassiz]] 8,000–10,000 years ago.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/mb_history/19/lakeagassiz.shtml|title=Manitoba History: Glacial Lake Agassiz|publisher=Manitoba Historical Society|access-date=9 October 2020}}</ref>

===Fur trade===
Legend has it that [[coureur des bois|coureurs des bois]] [[Pierre-Esprit Radisson]] and [[Médard des Groseilliers]]—both instrumental in the founding of the [[Hudson's Bay Company]]—may have been the first Europeans to visit the area as early as the mid-17th century.<ref name="Canada's Historical Places">{{cite web|url=https://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=17947&pid=0|title=Fort la Reine National Historic Site of Canada|publisher=Canada's Historical Places|access-date=8 October 2020}}</ref> The name "Portage la Prairie", perhaps coined by these early explorers, is derived from the French word ''[[portage]]'', which means to carry a canoe overland between waterways, in this case over "the prairie". This particular "portage" route, used by Indigenous peoples even before the global [[Fur Trade]], ran for 25 kilometres between the [[Assiniboine River]] and [[Lake Manitoba]].

In September 1738, after the [[Assiniboine River fur trade]] had extended into [[Western Canada]], [[Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye]] (a French-Canadian explorer and fur trader) built [[Fort La Reine]] north of the Assiniboine River. The fort served primarily as a French fur [[trading post]], while also providing the explorers with a "home" operating base from which they would explore other parts of central Manitoba and western North America. The fort ceased operations after burning to the ground in 1759, toward the end of [[New France|the French]] reign over the unsettled West.<ref name="Canada's Historical Places"/> During intermittent periods between the years 1794 and 1913, both the [[Northwest Company]] and Hudson's Bay Company had successfully established and operated trading posts in the area (the two entities amalgamated in 1821).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pam.minisisinc.com/scripts/mwimain.dll/144/PAM_AUTHORITY/WEB_AUTH_DET_REP/HEADING%20%22Hudson's%20Bay%20Company.%20Portage%20la%20Prairie%22?SESSIONSEARCH|title=Hudson's Bay Company, Portage la Prairie|publisher=Archives of Manitoba|access-date=9 October 2020}}</ref>

===Arrival of European settlers===
In 1851, Archdeacon William Cochrane (Cockran)<ref>[http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/people/cockran_w.shtml Memorable Manitobans: William Cockran [William Cochrane] (1798–1865)]</ref> of the Anglican Church, John McLean,<ref>[http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/people/mclean_j5.shtml Memorable Manitobans: John McLean (1815–1902)]</ref> as well as other ambitious settlers, were among the first to acquire permanent land in the area from the local Indigenous people, around what is now Crescent Lake (formerly known as "The Slough").

A school was soon built as settlers poured in from [[Eastern Canada|the east]] and the community began to develop, followed by a church (St. Mary's La Prairie, 1854), and soon, numerous local businesses. The fertile soils of the Portage la Prairie area were "discovered" in the 1850s, giving birth to the future, agriculturally-based economy of the village; Cochrane encouraged people to start growing crops and gardens on their properties to fulfil the needs of the growing food demand. A local government was formed in 1857 and by the 1860s, there were sixty homes in the community.

===Republic of Manitobah===
For a brief period between 1867 and 1868, just before the province of Manitoba entered [[Confederation of Canada|confederation]], Thomas Spence—a councillor for [[Louis Riel]]'s Provisional Government—controversially led an organized movement to establish an independent state around the community of Portage la Prairie, known as the [[Republic of Manitobah]]. Spence's hopeful plans for a new republic were soon quashed as his movement was never recognized as an official government nor granted any [[royal assent]] by the British monarchy.

===Birth and growth of a Prairie city===
The 1870s was a decade of rapid growth for Portage la Prairie, as many more settlers moved to town establishing farms and opening new businesses. By this time, the village had an operating flour mill, a local newspaper, and a community fair; just to name a few of Portage's highlights. From the 1870s to the 1880s, the community increased in population by approximately 10 times (from 300 to 3,000). Freight and supplies were transported by oxcart and steamboat until the arrival of the [[Canadian Pacific Railway]] (CPR) in 1881, the year after Portage was incorporated as a town. Thomas Collins was the first mayor of Portage la Prairie.

In 1907, Portage was incorporated as a city, and from that point on, managed to keep a gradual rate of growth and development, serving as a regional hub for agriculture, retail, manufacturing and transportation in central Manitoba.

During World War II, the [[Royal Canadian Air Force]] constructed [[Canadian Forces Base Portage la Prairie]] in support of the [[British Commonwealth Air Training Plan]]. The station was controlled by the RCAF but used naval personnel as [[high-frequency direction finding]] operators. The station's priority was German [[U-boat]] traffic. This site and [[CFB Rivers]] located at [[Rivers, Manitoba]] helped to increase the fix accuracy immensely.

Commercial cultivation of industrial cannabis was banned in Canada in 1938. In 1928, {{convert|1640|acre|ha}} of [[industrial hemp]] was grown in Canada, with {{convert|1200|acre|ha}} of that being in Portage la Prairie.<ref>{{cite book|title=Report of the Minister of Agriculture for Canada|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1kKD3bTXM2YC|year=1927|publisher=Queen's Printer and Controller of Stationery|page=15}}</ref>

==Geography==
[[File:Portage La Prairie Manitoba Canada.JPG|thumb|left|Portage la Prairie, Manitoba]]
{{no footnotes|section|date=February 2015}}
The city became a major transportation centre due to its proximity to the river, and later, the location of the main lines of the country's national railways passing through the community. The CPR and [[Canadian National Railway]]s (CNR) intersect in Portage; one of the few places in Canada where the two railways meet. This has made Portage la Prairie one of the most ideal places for [[railfan|railway aficionados]] to view trains; approximately 72 trains pass through the city each day. The Trans-Canada Highway, a major national transportation route, runs past the city and provides the community with business if highway travellers decide to make a trek into Portage.

The post-glacial flood plain surrounding Portage la Prairie is highly fertile, with rich, clay-loam soils abundant in nutrients. Portage la Prairie is therefore a major agricultural centre in Manitoba, and in Canada. The rural land surrounding the community is undoubtedly a breadbasket in North America, boasting some of the best soils on the continent for the production of a wide array of vegetables, berries, grains, and lentils.

The city has an aggressive tree-planting program and is known for its mature [[urban forest]]. A collection of some of the largest [[Populus sect. Aigeiros|cottonwood]] trees in Canada line the west end of the main street known as Saskatchewan Avenue (as well as Crescent Road which runs adjacent to Crescent Lake), and, along with many other species like [[Manitoba maple]], [[bur oak]] and [[green ash]], are present throughout the city.

It is the home of former [[Prime Minister of Canada]] [[Arthur Meighen]]; a school and an avenue are named in his honour.

===Climate===
According to Environment Canada, Portage la Prairie has the most sunny days during the warm months in Canada.<ref name="Environment Canada"/> Portage has a [[humid continental climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''[[Humid continental climate#Dfb/Dwb/Dsb: Warm summer subtype|Dfb]]'', [[United States Department of Agriculture]], [[Hardiness zone|Plant Hardiness Zone]] 3a<ref name="Plant Hardiness Zones">{{cite web|url=http://www.theweathernetwork.com/gardening/camb0167|title=Lawn and Garden: Portage La Prairie, MB|publisher=The Weather Network|access-date=16 March 2013|archive-date=December 26, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121226023136/http://www.theweathernetwork.com/gardening/camb0167|url-status=dead}}</ref>) with warm summers and very cold, dry winters. The highest temperature ever recorded in Portage La Prairie was {{convert|41.1|C|0}} on 11 July 1936.<ref name="July 1936"/> The coldest temperature ever recorded was {{convert|-44.0|C|1}} on 2 February 1996.<ref name="ccn"/>

{{Weather box
|collapsed=
|single line= Y
|location= Portage la Prairie, 1981–2010 normals, extremes 1886–present{{efn|Climate data was recorded in Portage La Prairie from January 1886 to August 1996, and at the Portage Southport auto station from December 1992 to present.}}
|metric first = Y
|Jan record high C = 10.3
|Feb record high C = 14.4
|Mar record high C = 25.0
|Apr record high C = 35.0
|May record high C = 37.5
|Jun record high C = 38.9
|Jul record high C = 41.1
|Aug record high C = 40.0
|Sep record high C = 40.0
|Oct record high C = 32.8
|Nov record high C = 22.8
|Dec record high C = 12.8
|year record high C= 41.1
|Jan high C = -10.6
|Feb high C = -7.2
|Mar high C = -0.7
|Apr high C = 9.9
|May high C = 18.8
|Jun high C = 23.2
|Jul high C = 25.4
|Aug high C = 25.0
|Sep high C = 18.3
|Oct high C = 10.5
|Nov high C = -0.8
|Dec high C = -9.0
|year high C = 8.6
|Jan mean C= -16.0
|Feb mean C= -12.7
|Mar mean C= -5.7
|Apr mean C= 3.7
|May mean C= 11.6
|Jun mean C= 17.0
|Jul mean C= 19.2
|Aug mean C= 18.4
|Sep mean C= 12.1
|Oct mean C= 5.1
|Nov mean C= -5.1
|Dec mean C= -13.8
|year mean C= 2.8
|Jan low C = -21.4
|Feb low C = -18.2
|Mar low C = -10.7
|Apr low C = -2.5
|May low C = 4.4
|Jun low C = 10.7
|Jul low C = 13.0
|Aug low C = 11.6
|Sep low C = 5.8
|Oct low C = -0.3
|Nov low C = -9.5
|Dec low C = -18.5
|year low C = -3.0
|Jan record low C = -42.0
|Feb record low C = -44.0
|Mar record low C = -37.8
|Apr record low C = -25.6
|May record low C = -12.8
|Jun record low C = -3.9
|Jul record low C = 0.0
|Aug record low C = -1.7
|Sep record low C = -7.2
|Oct record low C = -21.1
|Nov record low C = -36.0
|Dec record low C = -39.0
|year record low C= -44.0
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 22.6
|Feb precipitation mm = 14.9
|Mar precipitation mm = 26.2
|Apr precipitation mm = 25.4
|May precipitation mm = 42.9
|Jun precipitation mm = 82.4
|Jul precipitation mm = 80.0
|Aug precipitation mm = 74.0
|Sep precipitation mm = 57.0
|Oct precipitation mm = 45.8
|Nov precipitation mm = 28.9
|Dec precipitation mm = 26.5
|year precipitation mm = 526.5
|rain colour = green
|Jan rain mm = 0.3
|Feb rain mm = 0.1
|Mar rain mm = 10.0
|Apr rain mm = 16.0
|May rain mm = 40.7
|Jun rain mm = 82.4
|Jul rain mm = 80.0
|Aug rain mm = 74.0
|Sep rain mm = 56.3
|Oct rain mm = 38.8
|Nov rain mm = 6.8
|Dec rain mm = 2.0
|year rain mm= 407.4
|Jan snow cm = 22.3
|Feb snow cm = 14.8
|Mar snow cm = 16.2
|Apr snow cm = 9.4
|May snow cm = 2.2
|Jun snow cm = 0.0
|Jul snow cm = 0.0
|Aug snow cm = 0.0
|Sep snow cm = 0.7
|Oct snow cm = 6.9
|Nov snow cm = 22.1
|Dec snow cm = 24.5
|year snow cm = 119.1
|unit precipitation days = 0.2 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 9.5
|Feb precipitation days = 5.4
|Mar precipitation days = 5.6
|Apr precipitation days = 5.4
|May precipitation days = 8.6
|Jun precipitation days = 10.7
|Jul precipitation days = 10.6
|Aug precipitation days = 9.1
|Sep precipitation days = 9.2
|Oct precipitation days = 8.5
|Nov precipitation days = 6.3
|Dec precipitation days = 8.8
|year precipitation days = 97.7
|unit rain days = 0.2 mm
|Jan rain days = 0.1
|Feb rain days = 0.1
|Mar rain days = 1.7
|Apr rain days = 3.7
|May rain days = 8.3
|Jun rain days = 10.7
|Jul rain days = 10.6
|Aug rain days = 9.1
|Sep rain days = 9.1
|Oct rain days = 7.2
|Nov rain days = 1.6
|Dec rain days = 0.3
|year rain days= 62.5
|unit snow days = 0.2 cm
|Jan snow days = 9.7
|Feb snow days = 5.3
|Mar snow days = 4.4
|Apr snow days = 2.1
|May snow days = 0.4
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.2
|Oct snow days = 1.6
|Nov snow days = 4.9
|Dec snow days = 8.5
|year snow days= 37.2
|source 1 = [[Environment Canada]]<ref name="ccn"/><ref name="July 1936">{{cite web
| publisher = [[Environment Canada]]
| url = http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=%7C&dlyRange=1904-06-01%7C1971-09-30&mlyRange=1904-01-01%7C1971-12-01&StationID=3517&Prov=MB&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2016&selRowPerPage=25&Line=0&searchMethod=contains&Month=7&Day=27&txtStationName=portage+la+prairie&timeframe=2&Year=1936
|title = July 1936
| access-date = 27 May 2016}}</ref><ref name="Portage La Prairie (1886–1918)">{{cite web
| publisher = [[Environment Canada]]
| url = http://climate.weather.gc.ca/historical_data/search_historic_data_stations_e.html?searchType=stnName&timeframe=1&txtStationName=portage+la+prairie&searchMethod=contains&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=1900&Year=2016&Month=5&Day=27&selRowPerPage=25
|title = Portage La Prairie (1886–1918)
| access-date = 27 May 2016}}</ref><ref name="Portage La Prairie (1904–1971)">{{cite web
| publisher = [[Environment Canada]]
| url = http://climate.weather.gc.ca/historical_data/search_historic_data_stations_e.html?searchType=stnName&timeframe=1&txtStationName=portage+la+prairie&searchMethod=contains&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1920&EndYear=1920&Year=2016&Month=5&Day=27&selRowPerPage=25
|title = Portage La Prairie (1904–1971)
| access-date = 27 May 2016}}</ref><ref name="Portage Southport">{{cite web
| publisher = [[Environment Canada]]
| url = http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=1994-02-01%7C2016-05-26&dlyRange=1992-12-01%7C2016-05-26&mlyRange=1996-01-01%7C2007-11-01&StationID=10884&Prov=MB&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2016&selRowPerPage=25&Line=0&searchMethod=contains&Month=10&Day=27&txtStationName=portage+southport&timeframe=2&Year=2011
|title = Portage Southport
| access-date = 27 May 2016}}</ref>
}}

{{Weather box
|collapsed= Y
|single line= Y
|location= [[Portage la Prairie Southport Airport|Southport Airport]], 1981–2010 normals, extremes 1941–1992{{efn|Daily high and low temperatures and precipitation totals were recorded from July 1941 to June 1992. Since July 1992, only hourly weather observations are reported from [[Portage la Prairie Southport Airport|Southport Airport]].<ref name="ccn">{{Cite FTP | url = ftp://client_climate@ftp.tor.ec.gc.ca/Pub/Normals/English/English_CSV_files/MAN/MAN_OSTE-ZHOD_ENG.csv | format = CSV (5133 KB) | id = Climate ID: 5012322, 5012321, 5012320 | server = Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010 | url-status = dead | title = Portage la Prairie 2, Portage la Prairie CDA, Portage Southport A | access-date = 8 December 2013 }}</ref><ref>[http://weather.gc.ca/city/pages/mb-29_metric_e.html Portage la Prairie, MB – Current Conditions]</ref>}}
|metric first = Y
|Jan maximum humidex= 8.1
|Feb maximum humidex= 11.7
|Mar maximum humidex= 18.9
|Apr maximum humidex= 34.3
|May maximum humidex= 40.6
|Jun maximum humidex= 49.3
|Jul maximum humidex= 49.7
|Aug maximum humidex= 46.8
|Sep maximum humidex= 44.1
|Oct maximum humidex= 31.7
|Nov maximum humidex= 22.8
|Dec maximum humidex= 12.8
|year maximum humidex= 49.7
|Jan record high C = 11.1
|Feb record high C = 12.2
|Mar record high C = 19.4
|Apr record high C = 34.8
|May record high C = 37.8
|Jun record high C = 37.3
|Jul record high C = 37.2
|Aug record high C = 40.2
|Sep record high C = 37.8
|Oct record high C = 30.0
|Nov record high C = 22.8
|Dec record high C = 13.9
|year record high C= 40.2
|Jan high C = -9.0
|Feb high C = -6.2
|Mar high C = 0.3
|Apr high C = 11.1
|May high C = 19.4
|Jun high C = 23.3
|Jul high C = 26.5
|Aug high C = 25.9
|Sep high C = 18.5
|Oct high C = 10.7
|Nov high C = -0.5
|Dec high C = -8.6
|year high C = 9.3
|Jan mean C= -14.3
|Feb mean C= -11.3
|Mar mean C= -4.6
|Apr mean C= 4.8
|May mean C= 12.4
|Jun mean C= 17.1
|Jul mean C= 20.3
|Aug mean C= 19.2
|Sep mean C= 12.4
|Oct mean C= 5.2
|Nov mean C= -4.9
|Dec mean C= -13.3
|year mean C= 3.6
|Jan low C = -19.6
|Feb low C = -16.5
|Mar low C = -9.5
|Apr low C = -1.5
|May low C = 5.3
|Jun low C = 10.7
|Jul low C = 14.0
|Aug low C = 12.5
|Sep low C = 6.4
|Oct low C = -0.3
|Nov low C = -9.3
|Dec low C = -17.9
|year low C = -2.2
|Jan record low C = -41.1
|Feb record low C = -42.2
|Mar record low C = -34.4
|Apr record low C = -23.3
|May record low C = -12.8
|Jun record low C = -1.7
|Jul record low C = 2.2
|Aug record low C = 0.6
|Sep record low C = -6.7
|Oct record low C = -20.1
|Nov record low C = -34.5
|Dec record low C = -37.2
|year record low C= -42.2
|Jan chill = -54.0
|Feb chill = -54.6
|Mar chill = -48.2
|Apr chill = -31.7
|May chill = -19.3
|Jun chill = -5.1
|Jul chill = 0.0
|Aug chill = 0.0
|Sep chill = -10.8
|Oct chill = -27.2
|Nov chill = -43.1
|Dec chill = -52.1
|year chill= -54.6
|precipitation colour = green
|rain colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 17.7
|Feb precipitation mm = 13.5
|Mar precipitation mm = 25.3
|Apr precipitation mm = 29.4
|May precipitation mm = 44.5
|Jun precipitation mm = 82.9
|Jul precipitation mm = 76.6
|Aug precipitation mm = 64.4
|Sep precipitation mm = 59.4
|Oct precipitation mm = 44.4
|Nov precipitation mm = 21.5
|Dec precipitation mm = 20.4
|year precipitation mm = 500.0
|Jan rain mm = 0.5
|Feb rain mm = 0.3
|Mar rain mm = 8.7
|Apr rain mm = 18.4
|May rain mm = 41.3
|Jun rain mm = 82.9
|Jul rain mm = 76.6
|Aug rain mm = 64.4
|Sep rain mm = 57.2
|Oct rain mm = 34.4
|Nov rain mm = 6.5
|Dec rain mm = 3.2
|year rain mm= 394.3
|Jan snow cm = 28.0
|Feb snow cm = 20.0
|Mar snow cm = 20.0
|Apr snow cm = 13.0
|May snow cm = 3.2
|Jun snow cm = 0.0
|Jul snow cm = 0.0
|Aug snow cm = 0.0
|Sep snow cm = 2.2
|Oct snow cm = 12.8
|Nov snow cm = 22.3
|Dec snow cm = 27.8
|year snow cm = 149.3
|Jan humidity= 69.7
|Feb humidity= 68.2
|Mar humidity= 65.6
|Apr humidity= 48.7
|May humidity= 44.4
|Jun humidity= 50.5
|Jul humidity= 52.2
|Aug humidity= 48.3
|Sep humidity= 52.5
|Oct humidity= 56.3
|Nov humidity= 67.3
|Dec humidity= 69.7
|year humidity= 57.8
|unit precipitation days = 0.2 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 11.3
|Feb precipitation days = 7.3
|Mar precipitation days = 8.3
|Apr precipitation days = 7.0
|May precipitation days = 10.1
|Jun precipitation days = 13.7
|Jul precipitation days = 11.9
|Aug precipitation days = 10.6
|Sep precipitation days = 11.4
|Oct precipitation days = 11.5
|Nov precipitation days = 8.9
|Dec precipitation days = 10.0
|year precipitation days = 122.0
|unit rain days = 0.2 mm
|Jan rain days = 0.8
|Feb rain days = 0.3
|Mar rain days = 2.8
|Apr rain days = 5.0
|May rain days = 9.7
|Jun rain days = 13.7
|Jul rain days = 11.9
|Aug rain days = 10.6
|Sep rain days = 11.1
|Oct rain days = 9.0
|Nov rain days = 2.7
|Dec rain days = 0.7
|year rain days= 78.4
|unit snow days = 0.2 cm
|Jan snow days = 12.1
|Feb snow days = 8.6
|Mar snow days = 7.0
|Apr snow days = 2.9
|May snow days = 0.8
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.5
|Oct snow days = 3.7
|Nov snow days = 7.1
|Dec snow days = 11.0
|year snow days= 53.7
|source 1 = [[Environment Canada]]<ref name="ccn"/>
}}

{{Weather box
|collapsed= Y
|single line= Y
|location= Portage la Prairie CDA{{efn|Portage la Prairie CDA is located at {{Coord|49|57|00|N|098|16|01|W|region:CA-MB_type:landmark|name=Portage la Prairie CDA}}, just east of the city and only records precipitation and snow depth.<ref name="ccn"/>}}
|metric first = Y
|precipitation colour = green
|rain colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 21.3
|Feb precipitation mm = 16.2
|Mar precipitation mm = 25.7
|Apr precipitation mm = 28.3
|May precipitation mm = 58.4
|Jun precipitation mm = 90.0
|Jul precipitation mm = 78.4
|Aug precipitation mm = 68.3
|Sep precipitation mm = 50.1
|Oct precipitation mm = 43.2
|Nov precipitation mm = 25.8
|Dec precipitation mm = 26.8
|year precipitation mm = 532.4
|Jan rain mm = 0.7
|Feb rain mm = 1.7
|Mar rain mm = 11.1
|Apr rain mm = 17.6
|May rain mm = 54.4
|Jun rain mm = 90.0
|Jul rain mm = 78.4
|Aug rain mm = 68.3
|Sep rain mm = 49.8
|Oct rain mm = 35.5
|Nov rain mm = 6.7
|Dec rain mm = 1.5
|year rain mm= 415.6
|Jan snow cm = 21.5
|Feb snow cm = 14.9
|Mar snow cm = 14.9
|Apr snow cm = 10.8
|May snow cm = 4.0
|Jun snow cm = 0.0
|Jul snow cm = 0.0
|Aug snow cm = 0.0
|Sep snow cm = 0.3
|Oct snow cm = 7.7
|Nov snow cm = 19.1
|Dec snow cm = 25.3
|year snow cm = 118.5
|Jan humidity=
|Feb humidity=
|Mar humidity=
|Apr humidity=
|May humidity=
|Jun humidity=
|Jul humidity=
|Aug humidity=
|Sep humidity=
|Oct humidity=
|Nov humidity=
|Dec humidity=
|year humidity=
|unit precipitation days = 0.2 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 7.9
|Feb precipitation days = 5.8
|Mar precipitation days = 6.3
|Apr precipitation days = 5.1
|May precipitation days = 8.6
|Jun precipitation days = 11.4
|Jul precipitation days = 9.1
|Aug precipitation days = 8.9
|Sep precipitation days = 8.7
|Oct precipitation days = 7.2
|Nov precipitation days = 6.3
|Dec precipitation days = 7.5
|year precipitation days = 92.8
|unit rain days = 0.2 mm
|Jan rain days = 0.3
|Feb rain days = 0.7
|Mar rain days = 2.0
|Apr rain days = 3.4
|May rain days = 8.2
|Jun rain days = 11.4
|Jul rain days = 9.1
|Aug rain days = 8.9
|Sep rain days = 8.6
|Oct rain days = 5.7
|Nov rain days = 1.5
|Dec rain days = 0.5
|year rain days= 60.2
|unit snow days = 0.2 cm
|Jan snow days = 7.7
|Feb snow days = 5.4
|Mar snow days = 4.7
|Apr snow days = 2.0
|May snow days = 0.6
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.1
|Oct snow days = 1.7
|Nov snow days = 5.1
|Dec snow days = 7.2
|year snow days= 34.4
|source 1 = [[Environment Canada]] Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010<ref name="ccn"/>
}}

==Demographics==
{{Historical populations
|title = Historical populations
|type = Canada
|align = right
|width =
|state =
|shading =
|percentages =
|footnote =
|1891|3363
|1901|3901
|[[Canada 1911 Census|1911]]|5892
|[[Canada 1921 Census|1921]]|6766
|1931|6597
|1941|7095
|1951|8511
|1961|12388
|1971|12950
|1981|13086
|1991|13186
|[[Canada 2001 Census|2001]]|12976
|[[Canada 2006 Census|2006]]|12728
|[[Canada 2011 Census|2011]]|12996
|[[Canada 2016 Census|2016]]|13304
|[[Canada 2021 Census|2021]]|13270
|source={{citation needed|date=February 2022}}<ref name=2021census/>}}

In the [[2021 Canadian census|2021 Census of Population]] conducted by [[Statistics Canada]], Portage la Prairie had a population of 13,270 living in 5,644 of its 6,109 total private dwellings, a change of {{percentage|{{#expr:13270-13304}}|13304|1}} from its 2016 population of 13,304. With a land area of {{cvt|24.72|km2}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|13270|24.72|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2021.<ref name=2021census>{{cite web | url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810000202&geocode=A000246 | title=Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), Manitoba | publisher=[[Statistics Canada]] | date=February 9, 2022 | accessdate=February 20, 2022}}</ref>

According to the [[Canada 2016 Census|2016 Census]], Portage la Prairie had 5,794 private dwellings, 5,576 which were occupied (96.2% occupancy rate). The median value of a dwelling is $150,297 in Portage la Prairie, almost half as low as the national median at $280,552. The average household has 2.3 people and the average family has 1.1 children. The median (after-tax) household income in the area is $46,963, lower than the national rate at $54,089. The median age of Portage la Prairie is 40.8, essentially par with the national median at 40.6 years old.<ref name="Census Profile">[http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?B1=All&Code1=4609029&Code2=46&Data=Count&Geo1=CSD&Geo2=PR&Lang=E&SearchPR=01&SearchText=Portage+la+Prairie&SearchType=Begins&TABID=1 Census Profile, Portage la Prairie, CY, Manitoba, 2016] Retrieved 15 March 2017</ref>

The census also reports that 89.9% of the residents' [[First language|mother tongue]] was [[English language|English]], followed by [[French language|French]] (2.5%) and [[German language|German]] (2.5%).

=== Ethnicity ===
Portage la Prairie is almost exclusively inhabited by people of Indigenous or European ancestry (89.6%).
{| class="wikitable collapsible sortable"
|+ [[Panethnicity|Panethnic]] groups in the City of Portage La Prairie (2001−2021)
! rowspan="2" |[[Panethnicity|Panethnic]] group
! colspan="2" |2021<ref name="2021censusB">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2022-10-26 |title= Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&SearchText=Portage&DGUIDlist=2021A00054609029&GENDERlist=1,2,3&STATISTIClist=1,4&HEADERlist=0 |access-date=2023-04-29 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2016<ref name="2016censusB">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2021-10-27 |title= Census Profile, 2016 Census |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=4609029&Geo2=CD&Code2=4609&SearchText=Portage&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&TABID=1&type=0 |access-date=2023-04-29 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2011<ref name="2011censusB">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2015-11-27 |title= NHS Profile |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=4609029&Data=Count&SearchText=Portage&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&A1=All&B1=All&Custom=&TABID=1 |access-date=2023-04-29 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2006<ref name="2006censusB">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2019-08-20 |title= 2006 Community Profiles |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/prof/92-591/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=4609029&Geo2=PR&Code2=46&Data=Count&SearchText=Portage&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom= |access-date=2023-04-29 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2001<ref name="2001censusB">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2019-07-02 |title= 2001 Community Profiles |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/english/Profil01/CP01/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=4609029&Geo2=PR&Code2=46&Data=Count&SearchText=Portage&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom= |access-date=2023-04-29 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
|-
![[Population|{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}]]
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
|-
| [[European Canadians|European]]{{efn|Statistic includes all persons that did not make up part of a visible minority or an indigenous identity.|name=euro}}
| 7,760
| {{Percentage | 7760 | 12835 | 2 }}
| 8,125
| {{Percentage | 8125 | 12765 | 2 }}
| 9,200
| {{Percentage | 9200 | 12395 | 2 }}
| 9,295
| {{Percentage | 9295 | 12110 | 2 }}
| 9,715
| {{Percentage | 9715 | 12190 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Indigenous peoples in Canada|Indigenous]]
| 3,735
| {{Percentage | 3735 | 12835 | 2 }}
| 3,990
| {{Percentage | 3990 | 12765 | 2 }}
| 2,845
| {{Percentage | 2845 | 12395 | 2 }}
| 2,580
| {{Percentage | 2580 | 12110 | 2 }}
| 2,330
| {{Percentage | 2330 | 12190 | 2 }}
|-
| [[South Asian Canadians|South Asian]]
| 575
| {{Percentage | 575 | 12835 | 2 }}
| 205
| {{Percentage | 205 | 12765 | 2 }}
| 80
| {{Percentage | 80 | 12395 | 2 }}
| 0
| {{Percentage | 0 | 12110 | 2 }}
| 0
| {{Percentage | 0 | 12190 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Southeast Asia]]n{{efn|Statistic includes total responses of "Filipino" and "Southeast Asian" under visible minority section on census.|name=SoutheastAsian}}
| 425
| {{Percentage | 425 | 12835 | 2 }}
| 250
| {{Percentage | 250 | 12765 | 2 }}
| 140
| {{Percentage | 140 | 12395 | 2 }}
| 55
| {{Percentage | 55 | 12110 | 2 }}
| 70
| {{Percentage | 70 | 12190 | 2 }}
|-
| [[African-Canadian|African]]
| 190
| {{Percentage | 190 | 12835 | 2 }}
| 70
| {{Percentage | 70 | 12765 | 2 }}
| 60
| {{Percentage | 60 | 12395 | 2 }}
| 125
| {{Percentage | 125 | 12110 | 2 }}
| 30
| {{Percentage | 30 | 12190 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Latin American Canadians|Latin American]]
| 70
| {{Percentage | 70 | 12835 | 2 }}
| 35
| {{Percentage | 35 | 12765 | 2 }}
| 35
| {{Percentage | 35 | 12395 | 2 }}
| 0
| {{Percentage | 0 | 12110 | 2 }}
| 15
| {{Percentage | 15 | 12190 | 2 }}
|-
| [[East Asian Canadians|East Asian]]{{efn|Statistic includes total responses of "Chinese", "Korean", and "Japanese" under visible minority section on census.|name=EastAsian}}
| 35
| {{Percentage | 35 | 12835 | 2 }}
| 70
| {{Percentage | 70 | 12765 | 2 }}
| 0
| {{Percentage | 0 | 12395 | 2 }}
| 50
| {{Percentage | 50 | 12110 | 2 }}
| 30
| {{Percentage | 30 | 12190 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Middle Eastern Canadians|Middle Eastern]]{{efn|Statistic includes total responses of "West Asian" and "Arab" under visible minority section on census.|name=MiddleEastern}}
| 0
| {{Percentage | 0 | 12835 | 2 }}
| 0
| {{Percentage | 0 | 12765 | 2 }}
| 15
| {{Percentage | 15 | 12395 | 2 }}
| 0
| {{Percentage | 0 | 12110 | 2 }}
| 0
| {{Percentage | 0 | 12190 | 2 }}
|-
| Other/[[Multiracial people|multiracial]]{{efn|Statistic includes total responses of "Visible minority, {{abbr|n.i.e.|not included elsewhere}}" and "Multiple visible minorities" under visible minority section on census.|name=Other}}
| 30
| {{Percentage | 30 | 12835 | 2 }}
| 10
| {{Percentage | 10 | 12765 | 2 }}
| 0
| {{Percentage | 0 | 12395 | 2 }}
| 20
| {{Percentage | 20 | 12110 | 2 }}
| 0
| {{Percentage | 0 | 12190 | 2 }}
|-
! Total responses
! 12,835
! {{Percentage | 12835 | 13270 | 2 }}
! 12,765
! {{Percentage | 12765 | 13304 | 2 }}
! 12,395
! {{Percentage | 12395 | 12996 | 2 }}
! 12,110
! {{Percentage | 12110 | 12728 | 2 }}
! 12,190
! {{Percentage | 12190 | 12976 | 2 }}
|- class="sortbottom"
! Total population
! 13,270
! {{Percentage | 13270 | 13270 | 2 }}
! 13,304
! {{Percentage | 13304 | 13304 | 2 }}
! 12,996
! {{Percentage | 12996 | 12996 | 2 }}
! 12,728
! {{Percentage | 12728 | 12728 | 2 }}
! 12,976
! {{Percentage | 12976 | 12976 | 2 }}
|- class="sortbottom"
| colspan="11" | {{small|Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses}}
|}

=== Religion ===
Religiously speaking, most of the residents either practise a form of [[Christianity]] (66.4%) or have no religious affiliation (30.9%). 1.7% of the population practise a form of traditional Indigenous spirituality.

==Education==
[[File:Portage La Prairie Manitoba Canada (12).JPG|thumb|Portage la Prairie]]
Public education falls under the [[Portage la Prairie School Division]].<ref>[http://www.plpsd.mb.ca/ Portage la Prairie School Division]</ref>

===Public schools===
* École Arthur Meighen School
* École Crescentview School
* Fort la Reine School
* Hutterian Schools
* La Verendrye School
* North Memorial School
* Oakville School
* Portage Collegiate Institute
* Yellowquill School

===Private schools===
* Westpark School<ref>[http://www.westparkschool.com/ Westpark School]</ref>
* Solid Rock Ministries Christian School

===Post-secondary schools===
* Portage Campus of the [[Red River College]]<ref>[http://www.rrc.ca/index.php?pid=410 Portage Campus – Red River College]</ref>

===Other===
Portage Learning & Literacy Centre<ref>[http://www.learningcentre.net Portage Learning & Literacy Centre]</ref>

==Transportation==
[[Portage la Prairie railway station]] is served by [[Via Rail]] with both the [[Canadian (train)|Canadian]] and [[Winnipeg – Churchill train]]s calling at the station.

The [[Portage la Prairie Canadian Pacific Railway Station]] no longer receives passenger rail service, and is operated as a museum.

The [[Portage la Prairie Southport Airport]] is a former air force base and the primary airport in the city. The [[Portage la Prairie (North) Airport]] is also near Portage la Prairie and consists of a grass field.

Rider Express operates an intercity bus route from Winnipeg to Regina once a week.

For road travellers, the city is served by the [[Manitoba Highway 1]], part of the [[Trans-Canada Highway]].

==Local media==
[[File:Portage La Prairie - Public Building.JPG|thumb|Portage la Prairie Public Building]]
{{see also|Media in Winnipeg}}
;Newspapers
*Weekly newspaper (local), ''The Graphic Leader''
*Weekly newspaper (regional), ''The Headliner''
*The ''[[Winnipeg Free Press]]'' and ''[[Winnipeg Sun]]'' are also available.

;Radio
* [[CFRY]] (AM) 920 – [[country music]], owned by [[Golden West Broadcasting]]
* [[CHPO-FM]] 93.1 – [[country music]], owned by Golden West Broadcasting
* [[CJPG-FM]] 96.5 – [[classic hits]], owned by Golden West Broadcasting

;Television
Portage la Prairie receives all television stations from nearby Winnipeg. [[CHMI-DT]] channel 13, affiliated with [[City (TV network)|Citytv]], is licensed to Portage la Prairie, with studios in [[downtown Winnipeg]].

Cable television is also available through [[MTS TV|MTS Ultimate TV]] and [[Shaw Communications|Shaw Cable]] systems.

;Online Media
* Portage Online, owned by [[Golden West Broadcasting]]
* The Portage Citizen
* PCI Channel 1 [local high school news outlet]

==Arts and culture==

===Museums===
Fort la Reine Museum is a heritage museum and Manitoba Star Attraction located on the east end of Portage, operational since Canada's Centennial in 1967. Today, the museum is home to an array of buildings from Portage and the surrounding region, and covers cultural and natural prairie history (local and regional) from the 18th century (the period of French exploration) to the present day. There are 25 buildings open to the public, each containing tens or even hundreds of artifacts, on display in an immersive history format.

Some of the highlights of the museum include a replica of the historic Fort la Reine and Hudson's Bay Company York Boat; a railway caboose and the 1882 official rail car of Sir [[William Cornelius Van Horne]], builder of the Canadian Pacific Railway; a fully restored Ukrainian Pioneer Church; a number of houses that are more than 100 years old; a firehall with a fully restored 1931 [[Seagrave Fire Apparatus|Seagrave Fire Truck]]; the Old Officers Mess from the now-retired Canadian Forces Base in Southport; a schoolhouse and church built in the 1880s from West Prospect (a pioneer farming community that no longer exists); and a Sioux tipi.

The museum also brings in interactive travelling exhibitions from across Canada and beyond, set up in the main gallery to educate visitors on topics covering anything from prehistoric cultures in Canada to climate change. The museum also hosts annual cultural and theatrical events, including the National Indigenous Peoples' Day celebrations, Canada Day festivities, heritage-themed tea parties, holiday celebrations, and other seasonal events.

===Festivals and events===
Portage la Prairie celebrates several annual events and festivals, which include the Portage Exhibition & Fair ("Portage Ex") held every July since 1872, the Portage Potato Festival which takes place in early to mid-August, Whoop & Hollar Folk Festival in late August, and the Manitoba Air Show in June at Southport (held bi-annually). Concerts in the Park is a weekly summer concert series that is held in Island Park in July and August.

===Galleries and performing art venues===
Heritage Square, located downtown, is an outdoor community event plaza and centre of the community's arts and culture district with [[mural]]s on some of the nearby buildings. Surrounding Heritage Square are the Prairie Cinema Centre, Portage la Prairie Regional Library,<ref>[http://www.portagelibrary.com/ Portage la Prairie Regional Library]</ref> and Prairie Fusion Arts & Entertainment. Prairie Fusion houses the William Glesby Theatre, a popular performing arts facility, and the Portage & District Art Gallery, featuring a new display of the works of local visual artists every month. Prairie Fusion is considered to be one of the primary cultural gathering places of Portage, and brings in many theatre, dance, and musical performances and events.

===Film===
Scenes for the documentary film ''[[We Were Children]]'' were shot at the former residential school in Portage la Prairie, now the Rufus Prince building.<ref name="Maxwell">{{cite news|url=http://www.portagedailygraphic.com/2011/08/25/documentary-on-residential-schools-shoots-in-portage|title=Documentary on residential schools shoots in Portage|last=Maxwell|first=Jordan|date=26 August 2011|work=Portage Daily Graphic|access-date=17 November 2012}}</ref>

===Music scene===
The [[punk rock]] band [[Propagandhi]] was formed in the city in 1986 by guitarist Chris Hannah and drummer Jord Samolesky. Award-winning Canadian country band [[Doc Walker]] also hails from the Portage la Prairie area.

==Parks and outdoor recreation==
In central Portage la Prairie, residents and tourists can enjoy the amenities and beauty of the renowned Island Park. The sprawling city park is located on a peninsula, known as "The Island" (though not officially an island), and bounded by Crescent Lake, an ancient [[oxbow lake]] that is popular among birdwatchers, photographers, and canoeists/kayakers. Together, Crescent Lake and Island Park form one of Manitoba's most recently-designated Star Attractions. For much of the year, the lake serves as a major nesting site for flocks of migratory waterfowl, most notably the [[Canada goose]].

Island Park features a network of walking trails, tennis courts, a large playground, picnic areas, two bandstands, a duck pond, deer sanctuary, various monuments, and an extensive [[arboretum]]. Nearby recreational opportunities include an 18-hole golf course, the Portage Fairgrounds, an outdoor water park (Splash Island), and Stride Place—home of the [[Portage Terriers]] hockey club and an indoor wave pool.

Just south of the [[Manitoba Highway 1#Portage la Prairie|Portage la Prairie by-pass]] is the Portage Spillway, where the Assiniboine River empties into the Portage Diversion. Not only does this area mark the importance of the river in Portage's history, but it is home to Portage Spillway-Wayside Provincial Park, a park that is especially popular with fishermen in the summer months. Also not far southwest lies [[Spruce Woods Provincial Park]] and not far north lies [[St. Ambroise Beach Provincial Park]]. The city is also home to kilometres of multi-use recreational trails running through the parks and forested areas, which provide an oasis for sightseers to view wildlife. [[Geocaching]] has become popular in these areas, as people are finding more innovative ways to get out hiking in this scenic urban forest.

Aside from parks, the Portage la Prairie/Central Plains Region features many fine campgrounds located within a 15-30-minute drive of the city, and offers a few public beaches including Delta Beach, home to the [[Delta Marsh]] Field Station/Wildlife Reserve (part of this beach/area was destroyed due to flooding in the spring of 2011), Jackson Lake (located {{convert|2|mi|abbr=on}} southeast of [[Sidney, Manitoba]], about a 35-minute drive west of Portage la Prairie) and Twin Lakes Beach, an hour northeast of Portage, also on Lake Manitoba.

==Attractions==
[[File:Portage La Prairie Manitoba Canada (8).JPG|thumb|Portage la Prairie]]

Aside from Island Park, Fort la Reine Museum, and Prairie Fusion Arts & Entertainment (William Glesby Theatre), Portage la Prairie is home to a variety of other attractions to visit, including:

One of Portage la Prairie's most popular attractions, the Community Walkway, which parallels Crescent Lake's waterfront, is a {{Convert|5.2|km|abbr=on}}, multi-use trail used for walking, bicycling, skateboarding and rollerblading, running past many grand heritage homes and the tranquil, picturesque sites along the lake.

The World's Largest [[Coca-Cola]] Can has also put Portage on the map and can be seen from the Trans-Canada Highway by-pass. It was constructed from an old [[water tower]] and is now located at the city's west end between the local [[Canadian Tire]] and [[Canad Inns]] hotel on Saskatchewan Avenue West. [[File:World's largest Coke can, Portage la Prairie, MB.jpg|thumb|Portage la Prairie is home to the world's largest Coke can, formerly a water tower.]]

[[Stride Place]], formerly the PCU Centre, opened in February 2010 and features two [[National Hockey League]] regulation-size indoor arenas, one with seating capacity for 1,680, an indoor waterpark, fitness centre, and conference/event facilities. During the winter months, the Stride Place atrium is also home to the Portage Farmers' Market (taking place at various outdoor locations in the summertime). The BDO Centre for the Community is another local arena in the city's north end, used predominantly for youth and children's activities like hockey and ringette practice.

Portage la Prairie's City Hall is a limestone structure that was designed by [[Thomas Fuller (architect)|Thomas Fuller]], who also designed the [[Parliament Hill|Parliament Buildings]] in [[Ottawa]]. It was opened in 1898 as a Dominion Post Office and became City Hall in 1960. The building was declared a historical site in 1986. On the roof is a large, 1,000-pound bell that tolls for a few seconds daily at 9:00 am, noon, and 6:00 pm.

Portage la Prairie is also home to many other heritage buildings, some of greater architectural significance than others, highlighted on a historical walking tour organized by the city's Heritage Advisory Committee. St. Mary's la Prairie Anglican Church, first established in 1854 with its current sanctuary erected in 1898, is located downtown. Saskatchewan Avenue (the city's main thoroughfare) is home to several historical structures, as well as Tupper Street and Royal Road (named after the [[1939 royal tour of Canada|Royal Visit]] of [[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother]] and [[George VI|King George VI]] in 1939). Crescent Road, which follows Crescent Lake for over 5 kilometres, is lined with many large, grand heritage homes dating back to the late 19th century and early 20th century.

Portage's largest hotel, part of Canad-Inns, is located in the west end of the city. This hotel includes the rink of the Portage Curling Club, Aalto's Garden Cafe, a pub known as Tavern United, and many banquet halls.

The community of Southport, located about {{Convert|5|km|abbr=on}} south of Portage la Prairie, is home to the Southport Recplex featuring a fitness centre with a rock-climbing wall, gymnasium, and 5-pin bowling alley; aside from the proudly displayed military/air force history throughout the town and airport.

==Military==
[[File:CT-156 Harvard II trainers.jpg|thumb|CT-156 Harvard II trainers at the airshow]]
Portage la Prairie had a military airbase south of the community known as Canadian Forces Base Portage la Prairie, now [[3 Canadian Forces Flying Training School]]. It was established as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan during the [[World War II|Second World War]] and trained thousands of pilots for military service from around the world.

In 1990, the federal government transferred the assets of the property to Southport Aerospace Centre Inc., a not-for-profit property management and development company whose goal was to successfully manage the site. Royal Canadian Air Force pilot training continues at [[3 Canadian Forces Flying Training School]] under private contract at Southport.

The 13th Field Battery of the [[26th Field Artillery Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery]] is based out of Portage la Prairie.

During the Second World War an [[Algerine-class minesweeper|''Algerine''-class]] [[Minesweeper (ship)|minesweeper]] commissioned into the [[Royal Canadian Navy]] was named after Portage la Prairie. The [[HMCS Portage (J331)|''Portage'']] was active during the war as an escort and later as a training vessel.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.naval-museum.mb.ca/ships/portage.htm |title=HMCS Portage |access-date=February 10, 2011 |archive-date=July 6, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706184906/http://www.naval-museum.mb.ca/ships/portage.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> As part of the 100th Anniversary of the Royal Canadian Navy, in 2010, the Navy provided the city with a display on the ship that is located in City Hall.

==Economy==
[[File:Portagelaprairie.jpg|thumb|A field outside Portage la Prairie]]

The local economy is largely dependent on agriculture and supporting industries (trucking, transportation, chemical/fertilizer, farm machinery dealerships, etc.). Portage la Prairie is also home to the [[McCain Foods]] and [[Simplot]] potato processing plants, which provide French fries for [[McDonald's]], [[Wendy's]], and various other commercialized restaurant chains. [[Viterra]], owned by [[Glencore Xstrata]] and previously known as Can-oat milling, one of the largest oat mills in the world, and is now owned by [[Richardson International]], is also located in the [[List of rural municipalities in Manitoba|municipality]]. McMillan Industrial Park, located on the eastern fringes of Portage, also plays a major role in the city's economy. Numerous industries including food science labs and food processing facilities, construction companies, and manufacturing sectors are located in this expanding industrial area, beneficial for the creation of jobs in the community.

The city has developed into a regional retail service centre as large big box style stores began to operate on the west end of the city in 2007. The west end will continue to see future development with new retail outlets lined up.<ref>[http://shindico.com/index.php?option=com_estateagent&act=showEO&id=12&Itemid=18 Shindico] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203033900/http://shindico.com/index.php?option=com_estateagent&act=showEO&id=12&Itemid=18 |date=3 December 2013 }}</ref> Many small towns and Native reserves use this as their primary shopping destination. Since Portage la Prairie is a commercial hub for the Central Plains Area, it serves some 50,000 people living within an approximately 50 km radius.

Portage la Prairie is a farming city, with an average of 122 frost free days,<ref name="ccn"/> and a USDA Plant Hardiness Zone of 3a.<ref name="Plant Hardiness Zones"/> Agriculture is the city's main industry.

==Government==

The city is governed by a [[Mayor–council government|mayor and six councillors]]. Elected in October 2022, the current mayor is Sharilyn Knox, who previously served four years on City Council. She is Portage la Prairie's 42nd mayor and the second woman to hold office in the city.<ref>[http://www.city-plap.com/main/council/ City Council Members – Municipal Government]</ref>

[[Jeff Bereza]], [[Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba]], was elected to the [[Legislative Assembly of Manitoba]] in [[2023 Manitoba general election|2023]] to represent the [[Portage la Prairie (provincial electoral district)|Portage la Prairie]] provincial [[Electoral district (Canada)|electoral district]], following in the footsteps of long-time Portage Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) [[Ian Wishart (politician)|Ian Wishart]].<ref>[https://www.gov.mb.ca/legislature/members/info/bereza.html Member of the Legislative Assembly Profile (Current) Jeff Bereza]</ref>

[[Conservative Party of Canada|Conservative Party]] member [[Branden Leslie]] was elected to the [[Parliament of Canada]] in 2023 to represent the [[Portage—Lisgar]] riding, during a by-election held following the resignation of long-time Member of Parliament (MP) [[Candice Bergen (politician)|Candice Bergen]].<ref>[https://www.ourcommons.ca/members/en/branden-leslie(108395) Member of Parliament Profile (Current) Branden Leslie]</ref>

===City issues===

Various new residential developments and an upsurge in renovating older homes is contributing to the improvement of housing stock in the community. All of these new housing developments are occurring on the south side of the town, on or near Crescent Lake and Garrioch Creek.

Flooding also poses an occasional problem in the rural area of Portage la Prairie, especially during the spring.

In 2010, [[MoneySense]], as part of [[MSN]]'s news site, rated Portage la Prairie in a tie for Canada's worst city to live in, with relation to population decline,<ref>{{cite news |title = Canada's worst places to live: Population decline |publisher = [[MSN]] |date = 1 June 2010 |url = http://money.ca.msn.com/banking/mortgages/gallery/gallery.aspx?cp-documentid=24401072&page=4 |access-date = 30 May 2010 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100605002745/http://money.ca.msn.com/banking/mortgages/gallery/gallery.aspx?cp-documentid=24401072&page=4 |archive-date = 5 June 2010 |url-status = dead }}</ref> but at the same time was ranked the 69th, out of 180 cities, best place to live in Canada.<ref name="ms2011">[http://list.moneysense.ca/rankings/best-places-to-live/2011/DisplayProfile.aspx?profile=60 Portage la Prairie, MB, Current Rank: 60 | 2010 Rank: 69] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213090421/http://list.moneysense.ca/rankings/best-places-to-live/2011/DisplayProfile.aspx?profile=60 |date=13 December 2013 }}</ref> According to the 2012 MoneySense statistics, a series of polls in a number of different areas that relate to the benefits of living in a city, rated Portage la Prairie as the 49th best city, up from 60th in 2011,<ref name="ms2011"/> to live in overall (out of 190 Canadian communities), in Canada, and the 8th best in its population group. This is due to community revitalization programs and measures that have been taken to promote growth and industry, safety, culture, infrastructure, etc., which have significantly contributed to the growth, prosperity and strengthening economy of the community.<ref>{{cite news |title = Canada's best places to live |publisher = [[MSN]] |date = 20 March 2012 |url = http://list.moneysense.ca/rankings/best-places-to-live/2012/Default.aspx?sp2=1&d1=a&sc1=0 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120509091925/http://list.moneysense.ca/rankings/best-places-to-live/2012/Default.aspx?sp2=1&d1=a&sc1=0 |archive-date = 9 May 2012 }}</ref>

==Sports==
Portage la Prairie is home to the [[Portage Terriers]], who play in the [[Manitoba Junior Hockey League]], and the Central Plains Capitals, who play in the [[Manitoba Midget 'AAA' Hockey League|Manitoba Midget 'AAA']] and [[Manitoba Female Midget Hockey League]]s. In the 2014/2015 season, the Portage Terriers had a regular season record of 53 wins, 4 losses and 3 ties and had the best hockey record/winning percentage in the world. In that season, they also won the Turnbull Cup as champions of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and hosted the RBC Cup for the National Junior A Championship, which they also won.

[[Stride Place]] is the city's main recreation facility and houses two arenas, an aquatic centre, a fitness centre, and indoor walking track. Outdoor sports facilities are located at the Republic of Manitobah Park. The Portage Centennial Arena (now called the [[BDO Centre for the Community]]) shared hosting duties of the [[1999 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships]] with Winnipeg, [[Morden, Manitoba|Morden]] and [[Selkirk, Manitoba|Selkirk]]. The city, along with Winnipeg, also hosted the [[2011 World U-17 Hockey Challenge]]. In 2015, the city played host to the [[2015 Royal Bank Cup|Royal Bank Cup]], Canada's national junior hockey championship, which was won by the host Terriers. Several sports films have been shot at Stride Place, including ''[[Goon (film)|Goon]]'' and ''[[Keep Your Head Up, Kid: The Don Cherry Story|The Wrath of Grapes: The Don Cherry Story II]]''.

The Uniroyal/Goodrich [[World Junior Curling Championships]] were held at the Portage Curling Club in 1990. Canadian women skipped by [[Cathy Overton-Clapham]], won bronze and the men skipped by [[Dean Joanisse]] came fourth. The Portage Curling Club has twice played host to the [[Canadian Senior Curling Championships]].
As part of the [[2012–13 curling season#World Curling Tour|2012–13 World Curling Tour]] the city hosted the [[2012 Canad Inns Prairie Classic]] which was won by [[Kevin Koe]]. In the same year the [[2012 Manitoba Scotties Tournament of Hearts]] was held in Portage and won by [[Jennifer Jones (curler)|Jennifer Jones]].

In 2015, the city had a junior roller derby team.

Portage is represented in the [[Manitoba Major Soccer League]] by the Portage Aeros in the MMSL Major Senior Division 4<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.manitobamajorsoccer.com/league.php?scriptName=DIVISIONSTANDING&leagueID=5551&divisionID=86449&seasonID=9012&sportID=1 |title=Soccer Standings Major Senior Division 1 – Outdoor 2013 |access-date=10 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212072849/http://www.manitobamajorsoccer.com/league.php?scriptName=DIVISIONSTANDING&leagueID=5551&divisionID=86449&seasonID=9012&sportID=1 |archive-date=12 December 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and by Portage United in the MMSL Major Senior Division 4.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.manitobamajorsoccer.com/league.php?scriptName=DIVISIONSTANDING&leagueID=5551&divisionID=86451&seasonID=9012&sportID=1 |title=Soccer Standings Major Senior Division 3 – Outdoor 2013 |access-date=10 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212072846/http://www.manitobamajorsoccer.com/league.php?scriptName=DIVISIONSTANDING&leagueID=5551&divisionID=86451&seasonID=9012&sportID=1 |archive-date=12 December 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Portage Blaze Women's Soccer Club plays in the First Division of the Winnipeg Women's Soccer League.<ref>[http://www.itsportsnet.com/league.php?scriptName=DIVISIONSTANDING&leagueID=10673&sportID=1&seasonID=9093&divisionID=87631 Soccer Standings 18+ Women Indoor – Division 2 – lndoor 2013/14]</ref> Their home fields are located in the Republic of Manitobah Park in the south-east corner of the city. The park has a dozen different sized soccer pitches, many baseball/softball diamonds and a rugby pitch.<ref>[http://www.tourismportagelaprairie.com/What%20to%20See%20&%20Do%20files/Attraction%20Files/RepublicofManitobahPark.htm Republic of Manitobah Park] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213000849/http://www.tourismportagelaprairie.com/What%20to%20See%20%26%20Do%20files/Attraction%20Files/RepublicofManitobahPark.htm |date=13 December 2013 }}</ref>

Portage was a popular stop on the Great Western Manitoba [[Harness racing|Harness Racing]] circuit, but in 2009 the {{convert|1/2|mi|abbr=on}} horse race track and stands were removed to make way for the Portage Credit Union Centre, now called Stride Place. It is a community centre with two arenas (one the home of the Terriers) and a water park. The former horse race stands were known as the Pan-Am Stadium and played host to baseball during the [[1967 Pan American Games|Winnipeg Pan-Am Games in 1967]].<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=336&dat=19710804&id=TccLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9VQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7266,629622 The Deseret News – Aug 4, 1971] at [[Google News]]</ref>

Portage la Prairie also has a lot of youth sports. Ringette, hockey, soccer and baseball have youth sports leagues within the city. Football is played in the Winnipeg Youth Football League with many teams of varying ages using the name Portage Pitbulls. Basketball is also played in Winnipeg in the Rising Stars League and in various community clubs. Also there is a healthy competition between the four junior high schools in sports such as basketball, volleyball and curling.

==Notable people==
{{Div col|colwidth=22em}}
* [[Arron Asham]], ice hockey right winger
* [[Gordie Bell]], ice hockey goaltender
* [[Joe Bell (ice hockey)|Joe Bell]], ice hockey left winger
* [[Rick Blight]], ice hockey right winger
* [[Troy Bodie]], ice hockey winger
* [[Bertram Brooker]], writer, painter, musician
* [[Mark Henry Brown]], first Canadian fighter ace of World War II
* [[James Cowan (Manitoba physician)|James Cowan]], physician and politician
* [[Doc Walker]], country band
* [[Punch Dickins]], aviator and bush pilot
* [[Siegfried Enns]], Member of Parliament
* [[Shawn Farquhar]], magician
* [[Gord Fashoway]], ice hockey left winger
* [[David Faurschou]], politician
* [[Gordon Fitzell]], composer, concert organizer, and professor of music
* [[William Garland (politician)|William Garland]], merchant and politician
* [[E. A. Gilroy]], ice hockey administrator, businessman, politician
* [[Bill Glennie]], ice hockey right winger
* [[Charles Hay (politician)|Charles Hay]], merchant and politician
* [[Edward Hay (politician)|Edward Hay]], businessman and politician
* [[Bill Holmes (ice hockey)|Bill Holmes]], ice hockey centre
* [[Ross King (ice hockey)|Ross King]], ice hockey goaltender
* [[Francis Wesley Lipsett]], veterinarian and politician
* [[Ron Lyons]], ice hockey left winger
* [[Arthur Meighen]], ninth Prime Minister of Canada
* [[Maxwell Meighen]], financier
* [[Theodore Meighen]], lawyer and philanthropist
* [[Ernest Monias]], musician
* [[Leo Murray]], ice hockey forward
* [[Reagan Dale Neis]], actress
* [[Brian Pallister]], politician
* [[Norman McLeod Paterson]], businessman and politician
* [[Propagandhi]], punk rock band
* [[Allan Ronald]], doctor and microbiologist
* [[Toby Sexsmith]], politician and ice hockey administrator
* [[David Shand]], ice hockey defenceman
* [[Craig Stewart (politician)|Craig Stewart]], politician
* [[Charles Keith Taylor]], lawyer and politician

{{Div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{notelist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{GeoGroup}}
* [https://www.city-plap.com/ Portage la Prairie website]

{{Manitoba}}
{{MBDivision9}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Portage La Prairie}}
[[Category:Portage la Prairie| ]]
[[Category:1738 establishments in the French colonial empire]]
[[Category:Cities in Manitoba]]
[[Category:Hudson's Bay Company trading posts]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1738]]
[[Category:Portages in Canada]]

Ontario Highway 6

2025-10-26T21:37:54Z

2607:FEA8:96DF:D400:80C3:4FA6:E4:E69E: /* Route description */

{{good article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{short description|Ontario provincial highway}}
{{Infobox road
|province = ON
|type = Hwy
|route = 6
|alternate_name = Garafraxa Road
|map = {{maplink-road|frame-height=290|from=Ontario Highway 6.map}}
|map_custom = yes
|map_notes = A map of Highway{{nbsp}}6
|length_km = 472.4
|length_ref = <ref name="km">{{cite web |title = Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) counts |author = Ministry of Transportation of Ontario |year = 2010 |url = http://www.raqsb.mto.gov.on.ca/techpubs/TrafficVolumes.nsf/tvweb?OpenForm&Seq=5 |access-date = January 23, 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110706192209/http://www.raqsb.mto.gov.on.ca/techpubs/TrafficVolumes.nsf/tvweb?OpenForm&Seq=5 |archive-date = July 6, 2011 |url-status = dead }}</ref>
|established = June 1920<ref name="established" />
|direction_a = South
|terminus_a = St. Patrick Street in [[Port Dover]]
|junction = *{{jcon|Hwy|3|city=Jarvis}}
*{{jcon|Hwy|403|city=Ancaster}}
*{{jcon|Hwy|401|city=Morriston}}
*{{jcon|Hwy|7|city=Guelph}}
*{{jcon|Hwy|89|town=Mount Forest}}
*{{jcon|Hwy|10|town=Chatsworth}}
*{{jcon|Hwy|21|con=26|city=Owen Sound}}
|direction_b = North
|terminus_b = {{jcon|Hwy|17|tch=y|town=McKerrow}}
|cities = [[Hamilton, Ontario|Hamilton]], [[Guelph]], [[Owen Sound]]
|towns = [[Port Dover, Ontario|Port Dover]], [[Jarvis, Ontario|Jarvis]], [[Hagersville, Ontario|Hagersville]], [[Caledonia, Ontario|Caledonia]], [[Ancaster, Ontario|Ancaster]], [[Aberfoyle, Ontario|Aberfoyle]], [[Fergus, Ontario|Fergus]], [[Arthur, Ontario|Arthur]], [[Mount Forest, Ontario|Mount Forest]], [[Durham, Ontario|Durham]], [[Chatsworth, Ontario|Chatsworth]], [[Shallow Lake, Ontario|Shallow Lake]], [[Wiarton, Ontario|Wiarton]], [[Tobermory, Ontario|Tobermory]], [[Little Current, Ontario|Little Current]], [[Espanola, Ontario|Espanola]]
|previous_type = ON
|previous_route = 5
|next_type = ON
|next_route = 7
}}

'''King's Highway 6''', commonly referred to as '''Highway 6''', is a [[Ontario Provincial Highway Network|provincially maintained highway]] in the [[Provinces and territories of Canada|Canadian province]] of [[Ontario]]. It crosses a distance of {{convert|480|km|mi|abbr=on}} between [[Port Dover, Ontario|Port Dover]], on the northern shore of [[Lake Erie]], and [[Espanola, Ontario|Espanola]], on the northern shore of [[Lake Huron]], before ending at the [[Trans-Canada Highway]] ([[Ontario Highway 17|Highway 17]]) in [[McKerrow, Ontario|McKerrow]].<ref>{{cite map |author = Peter Heiler Ltd |title = Road Atlas: Canada, United States, and Mexico |publisher = Peter Heiler Ltd |year = 2008 |pages = 17, 19 |sections = B6–G7, G8–K8, L9, M10–R11 }}</ref>

Highway 6 was one of several routes established when Ontario first introduced a highway network on February 26, 1920, following several pioneer wagon trails. The original designation, not numbered until 1925, connected Port Dover with [[Owen Sound]] via [[Hamilton, Ontario|Hamilton]] and [[Guelph]]. When the [[Ministry of Transportation of Ontario#History|Department of Highways]] (DHO) took over the [[Ministry of Northern Development and Mines|Department of Northern Development]] (DND) in 1937, Highway 6 was extended north through the [[Bruce Peninsula]] to [[Tobermory, Ontario|Tobermory]]. In 1980, the entire length of [[Ontario Highway 68|Highway 68]] on Manitoulin Island and north to Highway 17 became a northern extension of Highway 6. Small modifications were made to the route of Highway 6 in 1997, but it was largely untouched by [[Ontario highway transfers|provincial downloading]].

Highway 6 is one of two highways in Ontario (the other being [[Ontario Highway 33|Highway 33]]) broken into two segments by a ferry. The ''[[MS Chi-Cheemaun|Chi-Cheemaun]]'' ferry serves automobile traffic, connecting Tobermory with [[South Baymouth, Ontario|South Baymouth]] between May and October.

==Route description==
[[File:Ontario Hwy 6.jpg|thumb|left|Looking south on Highway 6 through the [[La Cloche Mountains]] near [[Whitefish Falls, Ontario|Whitefish Falls]]]]

===Port Dover to Hamilton===
Highway 6 begins at Saint Patrick Street in the community of Port Dover, and stretches northward as a two-lane, undivided highway. The road travels into [[Haldimand County]], through communities such as [[Jarvis, Ontario|Jarvis]] and [[Hagersville, Ontario|Hagersville]], and the traffic flow increases. At [[Caledonia, Ontario|Caledonia]], the road bypasses the former Highway 6 section (Argyle Street) that passes the town centre of Caledonia and is routed outside the urban area Caledonia. This Caledonia Bypass was opened in 1983, and is a two-lane undivided freeway. The bypass terminates at Green's Road on the north side of Caledonia and Highway 6 proceeds eastbound on Green's Road for approximately 500 metres to Argyle St. North. Highway 6 then turns north on a four-lane undivided alignment for 5 km. Much of the old alignment north to near Rymal Road remains provincially maintained as unsigned Highway 7273.

In Hamilton, Highway 6 now uses a new alignment from Highway 403 to south of the [[Hamilton/John C. Munro International Airport|Hamilton Airport]], connecting with the southerly leg to Caledonia and Port Dover. The new alignment opened as an undivided [[two-lane freeway]] in November 2004, with capacity to expand it to full 4-lane divided freeway, and to extend to past Caledonia, by some time in the 2010s. As Highway 6 meets [[Ontario Highway 403|Highway 403]] at a trumpet interchange, there is a [[concurrency (road)|concurrency]] for {{convert|17|km|mi}} within Hamilton. The concurrency ends at the ''Highway 6 junction'' directional-T interchange, at the Hamilton–[[Burlington, Ontario|Burlington]] boundary, near the [[Royal Botanical Gardens (Ontario)|Royal Botanical Gardens]] where Highway 6 turns northward towards Clappison's Corners.<ref name="2022 mapart">{{cite map |title = Ontario Back Road Atlas |author = [[MapArt]] |publisher = Mapart Publishing |year = 2022 |isbn = 1-55198-226-9 |pages = 16–17, 22–24, 28, 39–40, 52–53, 80, 84, 99 }}</ref><ref name="gmaps" />

===Hamilton to Guelph===
The section of Highway 6 between [[Ontario Highway 403|Highway 403]] in [[Hamilton, Ontario|Hamilton]] and [[Clappison's Corners, Ontario|Clappison's Corners]] (the intersection at [[Ontario Highway 5|Highway 5]] West / Dundas Street) was converted in 2009 to a freeway with an interchange at York Road. The interchange opened on May 23, 2009, and simultaneously, the intersection where Northcliffe/Plains Road met Highway 6 was closed permanently. A new service road was built on either side to connect Plains Road and various other residential streets to the York Road interchange. Previously a four lane arterial road with a centre turning lane, it is now a fully controlled-access expressway with two southbound lanes and three northbound lanes (the extra lane being for trucks climbing the steep escarpment) as well a concrete median barrier with high mast lighting.<ref name="2022 mapart" /><ref name="gmaps" />

North of Clappison's Corners, most of the route is four lanes for general traffic, plus one centre lane for left turns, allowing for high travel speeds as the typical flow varies between {{convert|100|and|120|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}. However the section in [[Wellington County, Ontario|Wellington County]] from [[Puslinch, Ontario|Puslinch]] to [[Morriston, Ontario|Morriston]] (which is also known as Brock Road) has remained a two lane road since it runs through several small towns where it lacks sufficient right-of-way for widening. As this narrow segment suffers from significant congestion, a bypass is being considered which will connect to the [[Hanlon Expressway]] at Highway 401.

North of Morriston when Brock Road meets Highway 401 at a Parclo A2 interchange (the exits from Highway 401 are displayed as "Highway 6 South"), while through traffic on Brock Road continues as Wellington Road 46, the current Highway 6 designation is instead multiplexed with Highway 401 west of that junction. Although Wellington Road 46 (the previous alignment of Highway 6 prior to the opening of the Hanlon) does provide a more direct route to Guelph, the combination of Highway 401 and the Hanlon Expressway serves as an express bypass. The section where Highway 6 is concurrent with the Highway 401 freeway has the highest AADT (Annual Average Daily Traffic), at 85,000 automobiles per day in 2002. The Highway 6 routing splits from Highway 401 at a trumpet interchange with the Hanlon Expressway (the on-ramps from Highway 401 are signed as "Highway 6 North"). <ref name="2022 mapart" /><ref name="gmaps" />

In Guelph, the road travels along the full length of the Hanlon Expressway (also known as the Hanlon Parkway), a four lane divided highway with mostly signalized level intersections and a couple grade-separated interchanges. The Ministry of Transportation is presently investigating the possibility of upgrading it to 400-series freeway standards by removing the remaining intersections. For 4 km, Highway 6 is concurrent with [[Ontario Highway 7|Highway 7]], from the Wellington Street [[Interchange (road)|interchange]] north to where the Hanlon Expressway ends at Woodlawn Road. At Woodlawn, Highway 7 turns west onto Woodlawn Road, while Highway 6 turns east onto Woodlawn Road. Following Woodlawn, Highway 6 then turns north onto Woolwich Street, leaving the city of Guelph.<ref name="2022 mapart" /><ref name="gmaps" />

===Guelph to Owen Sound===
[[File:Only Wrong-way Concurrency in Ontario.png|thumb|Highway 6 begins its [[concurrency (road)|concurrency]] with [[Ontario Highway 21|Highway 21]] in [[Springmount, Ontario|Springmount]], east of [[Owen Sound]]. The two highways form the only [[wrong-way concurrency]] in the provincial highway network.]]

As Highway 6 leaves Guelph and heads northwards through Wellington County, it narrows to two lanes and passes through farmland.{{Cn|date=June 2023}} The route meanders northward for {{convert|17|km}} before entering [[Fergus, Ontario|Fergus]], where it meets County Road 18 and County Road 19. North of Fergus, Highway 6 winds northwest for another {{convert|17|km|mi}} into [[Arthur, Ontario|Arthur]] meeting County Road 109 (former [[Ontario Highway 9|Highway 9]]) just south of the town. After exiting Arthur, the route continues northwest for {{convert|22|km}} before entering [[Mount Forest, Ontario|Mount Forest]] and meeting an intersection with [[Ontario Highway 89|Highway 89]].<ref name="2022 mapart" /><ref name="gmaps" />

The route enters [[Grey County, Ontario|Grey County]] as it curves and meanders northward into farmland.{{Cn|date=June 2023}} It progresses north for another {{convert|22|km|mi}} to [[Durham, Ontario|Durham]], where it intersects [[Ontario Highway 4|Highway 4]]. It continues for another {{convert|31|km}} to [[Chatsworth, Ontario|Chatsworth]], where it meets [[Ontario Highway 10|Highway 10]] and travels northward concurrent with Highway 10 for {{convert|13|km}} into Owen Sound. There it encounters an intersection, where Highway 10 ends; from here, [[Ontario Highway 26|Highway 26]] continues runs north and then east to [[Collingwood, Ontario|Collingwood]] and [[Barrie]], while [[Ontario Highway 21]] travels east and then south towards [[Sarnia]]. Highway 6 turns west onto Highway 21, forming the only [[wrong-way concurrency]] in Ontario (Highway 6 westbound traffic is labelled as going north, while Highway 21 westbound traffic is labelled as travelling south). The two routes pass through downtown Owen Sound and onwards into [[Springmount, Ontario|Springmount]], where they disembark from one-another; Highway 21 continues west, while Highway 6 turns north into the [[Bruce Peninsula]].<ref name="2022 mapart" /><ref name="gmaps" />
[[File:Highway 6 south.jpg|thumb|right|Highway 6 looking south near [[Wiarton, Ontario|Wiarton]]]]

===Owen Sound to Tobermory===
At [[Springmount, Ontario|Springmount]], Highway 6 ends its concurrency with Highway{{nbsp}}21, and continues northwards into the Bruce Peninsula. The road remains as a two-lane highway for its full length up to Tobermory. Highway{{nbsp}}6 spans {{convert|110|km}} across the peninsula. It passes through communities such as [[Shallow Lake, Ontario|Shallow Lake]], [[Hepworth, Ontario|Hepworth]], [[Wiarton, Ontario|Wiarton]], and [[Ferndale, Bruce County, Ontario|Ferndale]]. It is named Berford Street in Wiarton, and 10th Street in Owen Sound. Along the road, [[Bruce Peninsula National Park]] can be found.<ref name="2022 mapart" /><ref name="gmaps" />
At Tobermory, the highway travels along Carlton Road and Front Street, where motorists must queue for the ''Chi-Cheemaun'' ferry to continue onwards to [[Manitoulin Island]].{{Cn|date=June 2023}} The journey by ferry traverses waters of both [[Georgian Bay]] and [[Lake Huron]], and takes approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes.<ref>{{Cite web |title = Owen Sound's scenic cruises include sunset dining and stargazer's delights |publisher = [[Owen Sound Transportation Company]] |url = http://www.ontarioferries.com/en/ms-chi-cheemaun-en/ |access-date = August 27, 2017 |archive-date = August 28, 2017 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170828015631/http://www.ontarioferries.com/en/ms-chi-cheemaun-en/ |url-status = dead }}</ref>
The ferry service is not available from mid-October to early May.<ref>{{cite web |title = Complete 2017 ''Chi-Cheemaun'' Sailing Schedule |publisher = [[Owen Sound Transportation Company]] |url = http://www.ontarioferries.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/COMPLETE-2017-CHI-CHEEMAUN-SAILING-SCHEDULE-1.pdf |access-date = August 27, 2017 |archive-date = September 8, 2017 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170908091857/http://www.ontarioferries.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/COMPLETE-2017-CHI-CHEEMAUN-SAILING-SCHEDULE-1.pdf |url-status = dead }}</ref>

=== South Baymouth to McKerrow ===
[[File:Chi-Cheemaun.jpg|thumb|right|''Chi-Cheemaun'' docking at Carlton Street]]
[[File:Ontario Highway 6 looking south from northern terminus.jpg|thumb|right|Looking south from the northern terminus of Highway 6]]
The ''Chi-Cheemaun'' ferry docks at South Baymouth, and Highway{{nbsp}}6 continues as a two-lane highway. Highway{{nbsp}}6 is both the main means of connection between [[Manitoulin Island]] and the rest of Ontario and the major highway on Manitoulin Island. [[Ontario Highway 540|Highway 540]] and [[Ontario Highway 542|Highway 542]] on Manitoulin Island link back to Highway{{nbsp}}6. The section from South Baymouth to the Highway{{nbsp}}542 junction has the least traffic on a given day, with an average of 610{{nbsp}}vehicles passing as measured in 2010.<ref name="km" /><ref name="2022 mapart" /><ref name="gmaps" />

Highway 6 continues north, passing through communities such as [[Manitowaning, Ontario|Manitowaning]], [[Sheguiandah, Ontario|Sheguiandah]], and [[Little Current, Ontario|Little Current]]. At Little Current, Highway{{nbsp}}6 crosses the [[North Channel (Ontario)|North Channel]] by the [[Little Current Swing Bridge]],<ref name="2022 mapart" /><ref name="gmaps" />
which swings open for 15{{nbsp}}minutes of each daylight hour in the summer to allow boats to pass through the channel. As of 2021, studies by the MTO have proposed replacing the aging structure with a two-lane crossing.<ref>{{cite news |first = Lyndsay |last = Aelick |title = Preferred option to replace aging Manitoulin Island swing bridge is a new, two-lane structure |newspaper = [[CTV Northern Ontario]] |date = March 30, 2021 |url = https://www.ctvnews.ca/northern-ontario/article/preferred-option-to-replace-aging-manitoulin-island-swing-bridge-is-a-new-two-lane-structure/ |access-date = May 4, 2021 }}</ref>

After crossing the North Channel, Highway 6 climbs through the [[La Cloche Mountains]] near [[Whitefish Falls, Ontario|Whitefish Falls]]. Eventually, it arrives in [[Baldwin Township, Ontario|Baldwin]], north of [[Espanola, Ontario|Espanola]]. The highway officially ends at the Trans-Canada Highway ([[Ontario Highway 17|Highway 17]]) in the community of [[McKerrow, Ontario|McKerrow]], {{convert|117|km}} from South Baymouth.<ref name="km" /><ref name="2022 mapart" /><ref name="gmaps" />

==History==

===Wagon trails===
Prior to the establishment of Ontario's provincial highway network in 1920, the route that would become Highway 6 was composed of several early wagon trails created during the early settlement of what was then known as [[Upper Canada]]. These trails carved through an otherwise barren wilderness, connecting distant townsites: the ''Hamilton–Dover Plank Road'' between Port Dover and Hamilton, the ''Brock Road'' between Hamilton and Guelph, and the [[List of Ontario Colonization Roads#Garafraxa Road|Garafraxa Road]] between Guelph and Sydenham (renamed to Owen Sound in 1851) — were opened in the 1830s and 1840s. Further north, the ''Southwest Diagonal'' and the ''Centre Road'' were built through the Bruce Peninsula in the 1840s and 1920s, respectively.<ref>{{cite book |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=XuwRMmBcGNUC&q=%22centre+road%22 |title = Annual Report |via = [[Google Books]] |access-date = December 9, 2014 |year = 1919 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = https://archive.org/stream/brucebeckonsthes012335mbp/brucebeckonsthes012335mbp_djvu.txt |title = Full text of "The Bruce Beckons The Story Of Lake Huron S Great Peninsula" |access-date = December 9, 2014 }}</ref>

In 1837, [[Charles Rankin]] was hired by the [[Canada Company]] to survey a line between Guelph and a new town site on the southern shore of Georgian Bay known as Sydenham. The Canada Company was formed by several British investors to purchase, open, and settle the [[Huron Tract]], a vast wilderness stretching from Guelph north to Georgian Bay and west to Lake Huron. Rankin's line crossed too many natural obstacles, a result of the tendency to build roads that were straight rather than following the natural topography. Consequently, a new line was surveyed in 1840 by the company's own surveyor, John McDonald, and construction along this new route began. Around the same time, the Van Norman Company constructed a plank road between Port Dover and Hamilton known as both the Hamilton Plank Road and the Dover Road.<ref>{{cite book |title = Ontario History |author = Ontario Historical Society |publisher = Kraus Reprint |year = 1919 |page = 95 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=mgcVAAAAYAAJ&q=%22Plank+and+Gravel+Road%22 |access-date = October 18, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=4-NLAAAAYAAJ&q=Guelph%20%22The%20Brock%20Road%22&pg=PA7 |title = Report of the Commissioners ... laid before the Legislative assembly, 12th ... |via = [[Google Books]] |access-date = December 9, 2014 |year = 1847 }}</ref> By 1848, the {{convert|119|km|abbr=on}} Garafraxa Road between Guelph and Sydenham was completed.<ref>{{cite book |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=pkp1MNny-c8C&q=%22Highway%206%22%20Ontario&pg=PA62 |title = Discover Your Heritage |via = [[Google Books]] |access-date = December 9, 2014 |isbn = 9780920474501 |last1 = Perkins |first1 = Mary Ellen |date = June 30, 1989 |publisher = Dundurn }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=W2IhCb2yqJ4C&q=%22Garafraxa%20Road%22&pg=PA19 |title = Letters from Bruce County |via = [[Google Books]] |access-date = December 9, 2014 |isbn = 9781452036014 |last1 = Wheaton |first1 = Dean |date = July 27, 2006 |publisher = AuthorHouse }}</ref>

The remaining section between Hamilton and Guelph, known as the Brock Road, was constructed between 1848 and 1850 over the Guelph and Dundas wagon road.<ref>{{cite book |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=zEcUAQAAIAAJ&q=%22The+Brock+Road%22 |title = Encyclopedia of Ontario: Places in Ontario. pt. 1. A-E. pt. 2. F-M. pt. 3. N-Z |via = [[Google Books]] |access-date = December 9, 2014 |last1 = Mika |first1 = Nick |year = 1981 |publisher = Mika Publishing Company |isbn = 9780919303485 }}</ref> The wagon road, merely a trail through the forest, was cleared by the Canada Company in the 1820s to connect the fledgling town of Guelph with the established harbour at Hamilton, thus encouraging settlers to venture inland.<ref>{{cite book |url = https://archive.org/details/hometownhorizons0000ruth |url-access = registration |page = [https://archive.org/details/hometownhorizons0000ruth/page/19 19] |quote = Guelph Dundas Wagon. |title = Hometown Horizons |publisher = UBC Press |via = [[Internet Archive]] |access-date = December 9, 2014 |isbn = 9780774810142 |last1 = Rutherdale |first1 = Robert Allen |year = 2004 }}</ref>

Further north, the Southwest Diagonal was surveyed in 1842 by Charles Rankin to provide a short route from the Sydenham townsite to the Hepworth townsite. This route passed through a large swamp and as a result remained an unimproved one lane trail into the 1920s. The Centre Road, the spine of the Bruce Peninsula, was built by the Department of Northern Development in the early 1920s, providing access to communities north of Wiarton. The route followed a telegraph line between Lion's Head and Tobermory and opened up a large area previously accessible only by water.

The latter two would not be incorporated into the original route of Highway 6.

===Provincial highway===
[[File:Highway 6 south of Guelph, 1921.png|thumb|right|alt="A black and white photo of a cement roadway taken from its centre. To the left of the roadway are telephone poles; a cleared field is visible on the left. To the right of the roadway is a row of mature evergreen trees. There is no traffic in the image"|Highway 6 south of Guelph in 1921]]
When Ontario's Department of Public Highways first established a network of provincial highways on February 26, 1920 to be eligible for federal funding, it included the Hamilton and Dover Plank Road, the Brock Road and the Garafraxa Road.<ref name="ftf">{{cite book |title = From Footpaths to Freeways |last1 = Shragge |first1 = John |last2 = Bagnato |first2 = Sharon |publisher = Ontario Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Historical Committee |year = 1984 |isbn = 0-7743-9388-2 |pages = 71–75 }}</ref>
These roads were assumed from the various counties that held jurisdiction over them – Norfolk, Haldimand, Wentworth, Wellington and Grey – throughout June, July and August 1920.<ref name="established">{{cite book |type = Report |title = Annual Report |publisher = Department of Highways |date = January 30, 1921 |chapter = Report on Provincial Highways |pages = 40–45 }}</ref>

Within Wentworth County, the construction of the Clappison Cut through the [[Niagara Escarpment]] was underway by 1921, with the aim of bypassing the winding old route that is known today as Old Guelph Road.<ref name="Hamilton Highway">{{cite book |type = Report |title = Annual Report |publisher = Department of Public Highways |edition = 1921 |date = April 26, 1923 |section = Toronto–Hamilton Highway (via Dundas St.) |page = 51 |url = https://archive.org/details/n04ontariosession54ontauoft/page/n219/mode/2up?view=theater |access-date = April 13, 2022 |via = Internet Archive }}</ref> The new route, which travelled straight along the boundary between [[Flamborough, Ontario|East and West Flamboro]], was assumed on January{{nbsp}}12, 1921.<ref name="1921 report">{{cite book |type = Report |title = Annual Report |publisher = Department of Public Highways |edition = 1921 |date = April 26, 1923 |section = Provincial Highways Assumed in 1921 |page = 23 |url = https://archive.org/details/n04ontariosession54ontauoft/page/n191/mode/2up?view=theater |access-date = April 13, 2022 |via = Internet Archive }}</ref> The province and the City of Hamilton also constructed several new bridges across [[Cootes Paradise]] to create a new northwest entrance into Hamilton. The new entrance, connecting the Toronto–Hamilton Highway (later Highway{{nbsp}}2) with the incomplete route up the escarpment to Clappison's Corners, was ceremonially opened by the Minister of Public Works and Highways, [[Frank Campbell Biggs]], on August{{nbsp}}23, 1922.<ref>{{cite news
| first = Ewart | last = Munro
| title = New Highways Tap Hamilton on Two Sides: Hon. F. C. Biggs Officially Opens New Bridges and Niagara Link
| work = [[The Globe and Mail]]
| date = August 24, 1922
| page = 1
| id = {{ProQuest|1356404596}} {{Subscription required}}}}</ref>
The Clappison Cut was completed and paved in 1924.<ref name="1925 report">{{cite book |type = Report |title = Annual Report |publisher = Department of Public Highways |edition = 1923, 1924 and 1925 |date = April 26, 1926 |page = 68 |url = https://archive.org/details/n05ontariosession58ontauoft/page/68/mode/2up?view=theater |access-date = April 18, 2022 |via = Internet Archive }}</ref>

<div class="center">
;Clappison Cut construction, 1920–1924
<gallery class="center">
File:Clappison cut 2.png|
File:Clappison cut 1.png|A set of rails were installed to remove excavated earth and rock
File:Clappison cut 3.png|
File:Clappison cut 4.png|Completed work
</gallery></div>

Highway{{nbsp}}5 and Highway{{nbsp}}6 travelled concurrently from Highway{{nbsp}}8 (Main Street) in downtown Hamilton to Clappison's Corners when route numbers were assigned in 1925.<ref name="numbered">{{cite journal |title = Provincial Highways Now Being Numbered |publisher = Monetary Times Print |journal = The Canadian Engineer |date = August 25, 1925 |volume = 49 |issue = 8 |page = 246 |quote = Numbering of the various provincial highways in Ontario has been commenced by the Department of Public Highways. Resident engineers are now receiving metal numbers to be placed on poles along the provincial highways. These numbers will also be placed on poles throughout cities, towns and villages, and motorists should then have no trouble in finding their way in and out of urban municipalities. Road designations from "2" to "17" have already been allotted... Road No. 5 — Toronto to Jarvis, via Dundas Highway and Hamilton. Route No. 6 — Hamilton to Owen Sound. }}</ref> Highway{{nbsp}}5 was {{convert|127.4|km}} long at this time. This situation was short lived however, as Highway{{nbsp}}5 was redirected west from Clappison's Corners to Peters Corners to meet Highway{{nbsp}}8 on May{{nbsp}}25, 1927. Highway{{nbsp}}6, in turn, assumed the route of Highway{{nbsp}}5 south to Jarvis.<ref>{{cite book |type = Report |title = Annual Report |publisher = Department of Public Highways |date = March 31, 1928 |section = Appendix 6: Schedule of Assumptions and Reversions of Sections of the Provincial Highway System for the Years 1926 and 1927 |pages = 59–60 |url = https://archive.org/details/n05ontariosession61ontauoft/page/n987/mode/2up?view=theater |access-date = April 18, 2022 |via = Internet Archive }}</ref>
The route was extended further west in 1930, when the newly-renamed Department of Highways (DHO) assumed the road from Highway{{nbsp}}8 at Peters Corners to Highway{{nbsp}}24 west of [[St. George, Ontario|St. George]], as well as the Governor's Road between Highway{{nbsp}}24 and Highway{{nbsp}}2 at Paris. The {{convert|19.0|km}} road between Highway{{nbsp}}8 and Highway{{nbsp}}24, through [[Beverley Township, Ontario|Beverley]] and [[South Dumfries]] was designated on June{{nbsp}}18, while the {{convert|6.8|km|adj=on}} section of the Governor's Road, along the boundary between South Dumfries and [[Brantford Township, Ontario|Brantford Township]], was designated several months later on September{{nbsp}}24.<ref>{{cite book |type = Report |title = Annual Report |publisher = Department of Highways |date = October 24, 1932 |section = Appendix 5: Schedule of Assumptions and Reversions of Sections of the King's Highway System for the Years 1930 and 1931 |page = 76 |url = https://archive.org/details/n06ontariosession64ontauoft/page/75/mode/2up?view=theater |access-date = April 19, 2022 |via = Internet Archive }}</ref>
These two segments were connected by a [[concurrency (road)|concurrency]] with Highway{{nbsp}}24.<ref>{{cite map |title = Ontario Road Map |publisher = Department of Highways of Ontario |edition = 1931–32 |url = http://ao.minisisinc.com/FS_IMAGES/I0050483.jpg |access-date = April 19, 2022 |via = Archives of Ontario |archive-date = September 20, 2022 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220920233121/http://ao.minisisinc.com/FS_IMAGES/I0050483.jpg |url-status = dead }}</ref>
This brought the length of the route to {{convert|114.3|km}}, including the approximately {{convert|16.1|km}} of Bloor Street and Danforth Avenue between Jane Street and Sibley Avenue, within the Toronto city limits.<ref>{{google maps |title = Highway 5 route in 1931 |url = https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/43.1917255,-80.3615183/43.7024074,-79.2536313/@43.3885963,-80.1246907,87885m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m54!4m53!1m50!3m4!1m2!1d-80.102918!2d43.2745534!3s0x882c7df0c45e06b1:0x210a99ab4b156602!3m4!1m2!1d-79.9158716!2d43.313732!3s0x882c9d2c5af419ef:0x5e5c0544693df25b!3m4!1m2!1d-79.8185101!2d43.3968138!3s0x882b615d3b512107:0x4390309af2f63fbc!3m4!1m2!1d-79.7746465!2d43.4372657!3s0x882b671ab8c7ed11:0x23fbc3421a7e48cb!3m4!1m2!1d-79.7190678!2d43.488275!3s0x882b42b7c1094c8f:0x268b523cfadf26d1!3m4!1m2!1d-79.6266651!2d43.5713737!3s0x882b46ea2190b311:0x18d94e2049944d1a!3m4!1m2!1d-79.5426302!2d43.6335521!3s0x882b37eb7762527d:0x6f13fa3de64f2041!3m4!1m2!1d-79.5308799!2d43.6429375!3s0x882b37bb41bd27cb:0x6f710fe3547fecac!3m4!1m2!1d-79.4425031!2d43.6574147!3s0x882b3445d857492b:0xdca29f9704c850bb!3m4!1m2!1d-79.348917!2d43.6781405!3s0x89d4cc9cf54964db:0x4ca4e03ac6d06b0e!1m0!3e0 |access-date = April 19, 2022 }}</ref>
<ref>{{cite book |title = The Extraordinary History of Waterdown, West & East Flamborough |first = Nathan |last = Tidridge |publisher = Stone Soup Publications |year = 2012 |isbn = 978-0-9734438-1-3 |pages = 63–64, 67 }}</ref> Below the escarpment, the highway followed what is now the Old Guelph Road, meandering into Hamilton.<ref name="1927map">{{cite map |title = Ontario Road Map |first = D. |last = Barclay |publisher = Ontario Department of Public Highways |year = 1927 |section = F5 }}</ref>

South of Hamilton, the road to Jarvis was numbered as Highway 5 when route numbers were assigned in the middle of 1925. Highway 5 and Highway 6 travelled concurrently from downtown Hamilton to Clappison's Corners.<ref>{{Cite journal |title = Provincial Highways Now Being Numbered |publisher = Monetary Times Print |journal = The Canadian Engineer |date = August 25, 1925 |volume = 49 |issue = 8 |page = 246 |quote = Numbering of the various provincial highways in Ontario has been commenced by the Department of Public Highways. Resident engineers are now receiving metal numbers to be placed on poles along the provincial highways. These numbers will also be placed on poles throughout cities, towns and villages, and motorists should then have no trouble in finding their way in and out of urban municipalities. Road designations from "2" to "17" have already been allotted... Road No. 5 — Toronto to Jarvis, via Dundas Highway and Hamilton. Route No. 6 — Hamilton to Owen Sound. }}</ref> However, on May 25, 1927, several route numbers were revised, including Highways 5 and 6. Highway 5 was redirected west from Clappison's Corners to Peter's Corners to meet Highway 8. Highway 6, in turn, assumed the route of Highway 5 south to Jarvis. Exactly two weeks prior, on May 11, the Department of Public Highways had assumed the road between Jarvis and Port Dover; this also became a section of Highway 6, establishing its southern terminus for the next seven decades.<ref>{{cite book |type = Report |title = Annual Report |publisher = Department of Public Highways |date = March 31, 1928 |section = Appendix 6: Schedule of Assumptions and Reversions of Sections |page = 60 |url = https://archive.org/details/n05ontariosession61ontauoft/page/n987/mode/2up?view=theater |access-date = April 10, 2022 |via = Internet Archive }}</ref>

North of the escarpment to Highway 401, Highway 6 follows the same route that it did in 1920, the Brock Road. North of Highway 401, which didn't exist before the 1950s, the route continued through Guelph along what is now Gordon Street, Norfolk Street and Woolwich Street. This section has since been replaced by the [[Hanlon Expressway]], built throughout the 1970s.

North of Guelph to Owen Sound, the route also follows the same route as it did in 1920, with some small deviations. The section from Fergus north towards Arthur followed the route was of the old Fergus and Arthur Road Company. A "cheap attempt" at paving had been made in the 1920s. The section was straightened, widened and paved with asphalt-based "penetration pavement" in 1930.<ref>{{cite web |first = Thorning |last = Stephen |title = Highway departments undertook paving despite 1930 Depression |url = http://www.wellingtonadvertiser.com/comments/columns.cfm?articleID=1000001534 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140915094209/http://www.wellingtonadvertiser.com/comments/columns.cfm?articleID=1000001534 |archive-date = September 15, 2014 |access-date = September 14, 2014 |work = The Wellington Advertiser }}</ref>

On April 1, 1937, the Department of Northern Development was absorbed into the Department of Highways, which subsequently took over many development roads as provincial highways. Most of the northern sections of Highway 6 were included amongst these. Highway 68 was designated from Little Current north to Espanola on August 11, 1937. Two weeks later, on August 25, Highway 6 was designated in Bruce County, from Wiarton north to Tobermory. The section within Grey County was designated several months later on November 3.<ref>{{cite book |type = Report |title = Annual Report |publisher = Department of Highways |date = March 31, 1938 |section = Appendix 3: Schedule of Assumptions and Reversions of Sections |page = 80 }}</ref> The lone remaining section of what would eventually become today's Highway 6, across Manitoulin Island, was not designated until December 7, 1955.<ref>{{cite book |type = Report |title = Annual Report |publisher = Department of Highways |date = March 31, 1956 |section = Appendix 3: Schedule of Assumptions of Sections |page = 204 }}</ref> The entirety of Highway 68 eventually became part of Highway 6 in the early to mid- 1980.<ref>{{cite press release |title = Highway 68 on Manitoulin Island to be Renumbered as Highway 6 |author = Public and Safety Information Branch |publisher = Ministry of Transportation and Communications |date = December 13, 1979 }}</ref>

[[File:Longwoods Extension.png|thumb|right|The grand entrance to Hamilton, along what is now York Boulevard, was constructed in the early 1930s as one of the earliest examples of elegant road and bridge design in the province, and was used as the prototype for [[The Middle Road]].]]

===Expressways and bypasses===
====Longwoods Road extension====
Under the leadership of [[Thomas B. McQuesten]], who would soon introduce the freeway to Ontario, a new grand entrance to Hamilton was planned. It would cross the Desjardins Canal and terminate at a traffic circle, with Highway 2 continuing east and Highway 6 north. This new road, known as the Longwoods Road Extension, was built partially as a depression-relief project in the early 1930s. Upon completion in 1932, Highway 2 and Highway 6 were routed off the Old Guelph Road onto the new route into Hamilton. This configuration remained until the construction of Highway 403 during the early 1960s, which was built over the Longwoods Road Extension.

====Mount Hope Bypass====

Due to the narrow spacing of buildings in the village of [[Mount Hope, Hamilton, Ontario|Mount Hope]], a bypass of the village was built in the mid- to late 1950s.<ref name="1957 report">{{cite book |type = Report |title = Annual Report |publisher = Department of Highways |date = March 31, 1958 |page = 238 }}</ref> The original route is now known as Homestead Drive.<ref>{{google maps |title = Aerial view of Mount Hope |url = https://www.google.ca/maps?ll=43.156232,-79.909787&spn=0.016999,0.038581&t=h&z=15 |access-date = January 22, 2014 }}</ref> The bypass opened on April 26, 1957, at which point the old routing was decommissioned.<ref name="1957 report" /> It was subsequently bypassed, when the new Highway 6 opened to the southwest of John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport, on November 26, 2004.<ref name="Hwy6N" />

====Hanlon Expressway====

{{main article|Hanlon Expressway}}
[[File:Highway 6 from above.jpg|thumb|right|upright|The [[Hanlon Expressway]] in [[Guelph]]]]
With the rapid suburban expansion of Guelph in the 1950s and 1960s, a revised transportation plan was conceived to handle the increasing traffic load. The Guelph Area Transportation Study was completed in 1967, and recommended a new controlled-access highway to allow through-traffic on Highway 6 to bypass the city. Route planning, engineering and design began on October 2, 1967 and was subsequently completed in 1969.<ref>{{cite book |type = Report |title = Functional Planning Study of the Hanlon Expressway |publisher = Read Voorhees & Associates Limited |date = 1969 |pages = 1–4 }}</ref> Construction began between Waterloo Avenue and Stone Road in 1970;<ref name="corridor study">{{cite book |type = Report |title = Protecting The Option For Future Interchanges And Grade Separations In The Hanlon Corridor City Of Guelph Report 10 of the Guelph Transportation Plan |author = The Guelph Transportation Study Committee, The New Hanlon Technical Advisory Committee |publisher = Marshall Macklin Monghan Limited |date = June 1974 |section = History of the Hanlon Expressway |pages = 6–7 |url = http://cdlu.net/hanlon/index.shtml |access-date = December 18, 2013 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131219012902/http://cdlu.net/hanlon/index.shtml |archive-date = December 19, 2013 }}</ref> this section opened on June 28, 1972.<ref name="hanlon">{{cite web |title = Felix Hanlon |publisher = [[Guelph Public Library]] |url = http://www.library.guelph.on.ca/archives/famous_person.cfm?id=30 |access-date = December 14, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131214044339/http://www.library.guelph.on.ca/archives/famous_person.cfm?id=30 |archive-date = December 14, 2013 |url-status = dead }}</ref> The next section, from Stone Road to Clair Road, opened in October 1973.<ref name="corridor study" /> Work on the northern section from Waterloo Avenue to Woodlawn Road began in August 1974.<ref>{{cite news |title = $230 million to be spent on roads this year: Passing lanes may become common on Ontario highways |first = Jonathan |last = Fear |newspaper = The Globe and Mail |location = Toronto |date = August 15, 1974 |page = 4 }}</ref> It and the final section south to Highway 401 were opened on November 7, 1975.<ref name="completed">{{cite web |title = Photo Database – Guelph Mercury Fonds, records 131–133 |publisher = Guelph Public Library |url = http://www.library.guelph.on.ca/archives/localhistory/photodbase/searchresults.cfm?srow=131&fullsearch=F45-0-13&recordcnt=121&reccnt=158 |access-date = December 15, 2013 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131216223956/http://www.library.guelph.on.ca/archives/localhistory/photodbase/searchresults.cfm?srow=131&fullsearch=F45-0-13&recordcnt=121&reccnt=158 |archive-date = December 16, 2013 }}</ref>

Initially, the {{convert|15.4|km|mi|adj=mid|-long}} road featured no interchanges. However, the MTO has long-intended to upgrade the route to a freeway.<ref name="corridor study" /><ref name="wellington">{{cite news |title = Expressway still the plan for Hanlon |first = Vik |last = Kirsch |newspaper = [[Guelph Mercury]] |date = September 4, 2004 |page = A1 }}</ref> Construction of the Wellington Avenue interchange began in October 1998;<ref>{{cite news |title = Project To Complete Wellington Street Interchange Underway |author = Ministry of Transportation of Ontario |publisher = Government of Ontario |date = November 24, 1998 }}</ref> it opened in July 2001.<ref name="wellington" /> On April 30, 2012, construction began on the Laird Road interchange.<ref name="Laird" /> It partially opened on the week of November 11, 2013,<ref>{{cite web |title = New Interchange at the Hanlon Expressway and Laird Road to be opened |author = Rajan Philips |publisher = City of Guelph |date = November 8, 2013 |url = http://guelph.ca/hanloncreek/?p=834 |access-date = December 14, 2013 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131214044102/http://guelph.ca/hanloncreek/?p=834 |archive-date = December 14, 2013 }}</ref> and was fully opened on November 29, 2013, in a public ceremony attended by local officials as well as Guelph [[Member of Provincial Parliament (Ontario)|MPP]] [[Liz Sandals]].<ref name="Laird">{{cite web |title = City and MTO Officially Open Hanlon Expressway/Laird Road Provincial Interchange |first1 = Peter |last1 = Cartwright |first2 = Rajan |last2 = Philips |publisher = City of Guelph |date = November 29, 2013 |url = http://guelph.ca/2013/11/city-mto-officially-open-hanlon-expresswaylaird-road-provincial-interchange/ |access-date = December 14, 2013 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131206151146/http://guelph.ca/2013/11/city-mto-officially-open-hanlon-expresswaylaird-road-provincial-interchange/ |archive-date = December 6, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title = Hanlon Expressway/Laird Road provincial interchange ceremonial opening |first1 = Peter |last1 = Cartwright |publisher = City of Guelph |date = November 27, 2013 |url = http://guelph.ca/2013/11/hanlon-expresswaylaird-road-provincial-interchange-ceremonial-opening/ |access-date = January 8, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131130120031/http://guelph.ca/2013/11/hanlon-expresswaylaird-road-provincial-interchange-ceremonial-opening/ |archive-date = November 30, 2013 |url-status = dead }}</ref>

====Caledonia Bypass====

In 1976, a corridor study was completed on Highway 6 between Port Dover and Hamilton, indicating a need for a bypass of Caledonia due to the aging multi-span bridge over the [[Grand River (Ontario)|Grand River]], to improve capacity to the developing areas of Nanticoke near Lake Erie,<ref>{{cite book |type = Report |title = Highway 6, Nanticoke to Hamilton: joint use corridor study |author = Route Projects Planning Office |publisher = Ministry of Transportation and Communications |year = 1976 }}</ref> and to reduce the high-volume of truck traffic passing through the town.<ref name="Caledonia" /> Construction began in late 1979 on structures to cross the Grand River and to carry rail lines and three crossroads over the bypass.<ref>{{cite book |title = Construction Program: King's and Secondary Highways |publisher = Ministry of Transportation and Communications |year = 1980–1981 |page = XII }}</ref> The bypass was completed in the fall of 1983.<ref name="Caledonia">{{cite news |title = Caledonia bypass repairs still on; But province won't say when it'll fund intersection work |first = Prokaska |last = Lee |work = Hamilton Spectator |date = January 29, 2001 |page = A11 |quote = The bypass, which opened in the fall of 1983, was constructed to divert truck traffic away from the core of Caledonia... }}</ref> The old route through Caledonia is now known as Argyle Street.<ref name="gmaps">{{Google maps |title = Highway 6: length and route |url = https://www.google.ca/maps?saddr=ON-17&daddr=45.5686257,-82.0124221+to:44.9028928,-81.2533943+to:44.5693832,-80.9286541+to:43.5766117,-80.2862491+to:43.321255,-79.9300789+to:Walker+St/Norfolk+6&hl=en&ll=44.551335,-80.628662&spn=4.493867,9.876709&sll=43.34915,-80.139771&sspn=0.286608,0.617294&geocode=FYVEwgIdDTAg-w;FXFStwId-pYc-ynnIL_huHUyTTHix1uEyGyKLA;FewprQId7iso-ynbYnocN8MsTTF-v_phMssdcA;FScTqAIdciAt-ykFa2Qrd_wpiDFUqHaj34u5bw;FSPtmAId1-02-ymZRfv_j5AriDE8iiYXWxnAVw;FacHlQIdIl08-ykbXtvzxYIsiDH0SPta6PMv3w;FaTcjAId30U4-w&t=h&mra=dpe&mrsp=5&sz=11&via=1,2,3,4,5&z=7 |access-date = January 23, 2014 }}</ref>

====Clappison Cut====
In early 2002, it was announced that the section of Highway 6 north of Hamilton, from Highway 403 north to beyond Highway 5, would be widened to a five lane freeway, with the northbound carriageway featuring an additional truck-climbing lane.<ref>{{cite news |title = Clappison's Corners centrepiece of highway changes |first = Ross |last = Longbottom |work = Hamilton Spectator |date = February 5, 2002 |page = A9 }}</ref> This work began in 2006, widening and dividing the highway up the Clappison Cut. The York Road interchange opened on May 23, 2009, following completion of this work. The Plains Road/Northcliffe Avenue intersection was closed the night before and a new section of Plains Road opened on the same day as the interchange.<ref>{{cite news |title = Hwy. 6-York Road interchange to open Saturday |first = Dan |last = Nolan |work = Hamilton Spectator |date = May 22, 2009 |page = unknown |url = http://www.ottawacommunitynews.com/news-story/2257071-hwy-6-york-road-interchange-to-open-saturday/ |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140201232806/http://www.ottawacommunitynews.com/news-story/2257071-hwy-6-york-road-interchange-to-open-saturday/ |archive-date = February 1, 2014 |access-date = January 23, 2014 }}</ref> The project to upgrade this segment of Highway 6 was $34 million.<ref>{{cite news |title = After 10 years, Hwy. 6, York interchange ready to open |first = Daniel |last = Nolan |work = Hamilton Spectator |date = May 12, 2009 |page = A5 }}</ref>

===Downloading and changes to route===
{{multiple image
| align = right
| direction = vertical
| header =
| header_align = left/right/center
| header_background =
| footer =
| footer_align = left/right/center
| footer_background =
| width =
| image1 = Clappison cut 1.png
| width1 = 250
| caption1 = Construction of the Clappison Cut in 1922
| image2 = Highway 6 descending into Burlington.png
| width2 = 250
| caption2 = Similar angle in 2011; Highway{{nbsp}}6 descends the [[Niagara Escarpment]] towards [[Burlington, Ontario|Burlington]] through the Clappison Cut as a five lane [[controlled-access highway|freeway]]
}}
On April 1, 1997, Highway 6 was decommissioned south of Hepworth to Highway 21. The entire length of Highway 70 was subsequently renumbered Highway 6 to rectify the discontinuity. On the same day, the section between the southern terminus at former Highway 24 to the west side of the [[Lynn River (Ontario)|Lynn River]].<ref name="decomm">{{cite book |type = Report |title = Highway Transfers List |publisher = Ministry of Transportation of Ontario |date = April 1, 1997 |pages = 2, 4–5 }}</ref> These reduced the length of Highway 6 from {{convert|488.5|km}} to {{convert|472.4|km}}.<ref name="km" /><ref>{{cite journal |title = Provincial Highways Distance Table |journal = Provincial Highways Distance Table: King's Secondary Highways and Tertiary Roads |publisher = Ministry of Transportation of Ontario |year = 1989 |issn = 0825-5350 |pages = 15–18 }}</ref>

A new {{convert|9.7|km|mi|adj=mid|-long}} segment of Highway 6 was opened to the southwest of John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport in 2004.<ref name="Hwy6N">{{cite news |title = The road to development; New $40m stretch of Highway 6 brings business, jobs, passengers to airport |first = Jacquie |last = De Almeida |work = Hamilton Spectator |date = November 27, 2004 |page = A4 }}</ref> This building of this route had been planned since the construction of the Caledonia Bypass in 1983. However, concrete plans were not announced until January 1993. However, it had already drawn criticism due to an [[old-growth forest]] located in the path of the route. The planned highway would cost a projected $100 million.<ref>{{cite news |title = $100 highway project could run into a snag Centuries-old forest on route |first = Dan |last = Nolan |work = Hamilton Spectator |date = January 5, 1993 |page = B1 }}</ref> However, these plans never came to fruition, and by 1997 a new, shorter route was in the planning stages.<ref>{{cite news |title = Bridge over Highway 403 finally leads somewhere : Extension is still years from completion |work = Hamilton Spectator |date = November 27, 1997 |page = A4 }}</ref> Construction of the $33 million route was announced on May 26, 2000 by Transportation Minister [[David Turnbull (politician)|David Turnbull]],<ref>{{cite news |title = Ontario gives $33m for Hwy. 6 link; Two-lane connection to airport will be ready in 2004 |first = Mike |last = Pettapiece |work = Hamilton Spectator |date = May 27, 2000 |page = A1 }}</ref> and began in July 2003.<ref>{{cite news |title = Highway to the Sky: Roadway lifts airport's future; Long- anticipated link between Highways 6 and 403 is expected to drive development at the airport and stimulate growth throughout the region. |first = Dan |last = Nolan |work = Hamilton Spectator |date = November 24, 2004 |page = A1 }}</ref>

The new route was opened on November 26, 2004.<ref>{{cite news |title = Ontario Government Opens New Highway in Hamilton |author = Ministry of Transportation |publisher = Government of Ontario |date = November 26, 2004 |url = http://ogov.newswire.ca/ontario/GONE/2004/11/26/c7665.html?lmatch=&lang=_e.html |access-date = January 24, 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20050526171136/http://ogov.newswire.ca/ontario/GONE/2004/11/26/c7665.html?lmatch=&lang=_e.html |archive-date = May 26, 2005 }}</ref> The section through Hamilton at the time followed Upper James Street through the Claremont Access onto the [[one-way pair]]ings of Wellington Street and Victoria Avenue then Main Street and King Street. It turned north on Dundurn Street and crossed Cootes Paradise via York Boulevard before turning onto Plains Road and meeting the current route at the now-closed intersection.<ref>{{cite map |title = Ontario Official Road Map |author = Geomatics Office |publisher = Ministry of Transportation |year = 2003 |inset = Burlington and Hamilton }}</ref> The responsibility for this routing was subsequently transferred to the City of Hamilton.<ref name="Hwy6N" />

{{clear}}
{{wide image|Kenilworth, Ontario.jpg|1000px|alt=Highway 6 in Kenilworth|Highway 6 in [[Kenilworth, Ontario|Kenilworth]]}}

== Future ==
Three sections of Highway{{nbsp}}6 are undergoing planning as of 2022.
*Highway{{nbsp}}6 South from Upper James Street to Highway{{nbsp}}403 is proposed to expand to four lanes, undergoing preliminary design as of February{{nbsp}}17, 2022<ref>{{cite press release |title = Ontario Moving Forward to Expand Highway 6 South |publisher = Ministry of Transportation of Ontario |date = February 17, 2022 |url = https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1001614/ontario-moving-forward-to-expand-highway-6-south |access-date = April 1, 2022 }}</ref>
*The Morriston Bypass (from Maddaugh Road, south of Puslinch, to Highway{{nbsp}}401 west of Morriston) is a proposed new two or four lane alignment of Highway{{nbsp}}6 currently in early works construction.<ref>{{cite web |title = Project Overview – Highways 6 & 401 Improvements |publisher = [[AECOM]] |url = https://highways6and401hamiltontoguelph.ca/project-overview/ |access-date = April 1, 2022 }}</ref>
*The Hanlon Expressway Mid-Block Interchange project will result in a new interchange between Wellington County Road{{nbsp}}34 and Maltby Road, as well as the removal of the existing intersections between the Hanlon Expressway and those two roads. A [[design–build]] contract for this work was awarded in February 2022.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://highways6and401hamiltontoguelph.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/InvestinginOurHighwaysTweet.png |title = Investing Our Highways |work = highways6and401hamiltontoguelph.ca |date = February 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title = New Interchange Planned For Hanlon Expressway In Puslinch |work = Puslinch Today |date = November 26, 2021 |url = https://www.puslinchtoday.ca/2021/11/26/new-interchange-planned-for-hanlon-expressway-in-puslinch/ |access-date = April 1, 2022 }}</ref>

== Major intersections ==
{{ONinttop|exit|unnum=no|maint=MTO|length_ref=<ref name="km" />}}
{{ONint|former
| division = Norfolk
| dspan = 3
| location = Halfway House Corner
| lspan =
| km = -7.7
| exit =  
| espan = 2
| road = {{jcon|NCH|6|dir=begins}} {{jcon|NCH|24|town=Simcoe}}
| notes = Former southern terminus; formerly {{jcon|Hwy|24|nosh=y}}
}}
{{ONint
| location = Port Dover
| lspan = 2
| type = former
| km = -0.6
| road = {{jcon|Norfolk|5|dir=north|Chapman Street}}
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| type = trans
| km = 0.0
| exit =  
| road = {{jcon|Hwy|6|dir=begins|nolink=y|shield=y}} {{jcon|NCH|6|dir=ends}}
| notes = Current southern terminus; portion west of Port Dover downloaded in the late 1990s
}}
{{ONint
| division_special = [[Norfolk County, Ontario|Norfolk]]–[[Haldimand County|Haldimand]] boundary
| location =  
| exit =  
| espan = 10
| km = 5.8
| road = {{jcon|Norfolk|3|con=3|dir=west|condir=east|contype=Haldimand|St. Johns Road East|fulltext=y}}
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| division = Haldimand
| dspan = 13
| location =  
| km = 10.3
| road = {{jcon|Haldimand|70}}
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| location = Jarvis
| lspan = 2
| km = 13.4
| road = {{jcon|Hwy|3|city=St. Thomas|city2=Fort Erie}}
| notes = Jarvis [[Connecting Link]]
| nspan = 2
}}
{{ONint
| km = 15.0
| road = {{jcon|Haldimand|69|Nanticoke Creek Parkway}}
| notes = none
}}
{{ONint
| location_special =  
| lspan = 2
| km = 16.3
| road = {{jcon|Haldimand|55|Nanticoke Road}}
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| km = 21.1
| road = {{jcon|Haldimand|18|Sandusk Road}}
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| location = Hagersville
| lspan = 2
| km = 23.5
| road = {{jcon|Norfolk|9|dir=west}} / Parkview Road
| notes = Hagersville Connecting Link
| nspan = 2
}}
{{ONint
| km = 23.5
| road = {{jcon|Norfolk|20|King Street}}
| notes = none
}}
{{ONint
| location =  
| km = 31.0
| road = {{jcon|Haldimand|29|4th Line}}
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| location = Caledonia
| lspan = 5
| km = 35.4
| road = Argyle Street South
| notes = Beginning of Caledonia Bypass; controlled-access [[Super two|Super 2]]
}}
{{Jctbridge|exit
| km = 38.7
| km2 = 38.9
| mspan = 2
| bridge = Bridge over the [[Grand River (Ontario)|Grand River]]
}}
{{ONint
| type = incomplete
| exit =  
| km = none
| road = {{jcon|hch|54}}
| notes = No access; formerly {{jcon|Hwy|54|nosh=y}}
}}
{{ONint
| exit =  
| espan = 5
| km = 40.8
| road = Greens Road
| notes = To {{jcon|hch|54|nosh=y}}
}}
{{ONint
| km = 41.9
| road = Argyle Street North<hr/>{{jcon|Haldimand|66|dir=east}}
| notes = End of Caledonia Bypass
}}
{{ONint
| municipality = Hamilton
| lspan = 10
| km = 48.0
| road = {{jcon|Hwy|7273|[[Upper James Street (Hamilton, Ontario)|Upper James Street]]}}
| notes = Formerly Highway 6 prior to November 2004; to {{jcon|Hamilton|65|nosh=y}}
}}
{{ONint
| km = 50.0
| road = {{jcon|Airport}} {{jcon|Hwy|7274|Airport Road Connection}}
| notes = To [[John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport]]
}}
{{ONint
| km = 54.8
| road = Book Road
| notes =
}}
{{jctgap
| col = 5
| text = Freeway begins
}}
{{ONint
| type = incomplete
| km = 56.2
| exit = —
| road = Garner Road
| notes = Southbound exit and northbound entrance; no exit from Highway 403 east; formerly {{jcon|Hwy|53|nosh=y}}
}}
{{ONint
| type = concur
| km = 57.5
| exit = 61
| road = {{jcon|Hwy|403|city=Woodstock|dir=west}}
| notes = Southern end of Highway 403 concurrency; exit numbers follow Highway 403
}}
{{ONint
| km = 60.4
| exit = 64
| road = [[Lincoln M. Alexander Parkway]] Rousseaux Street
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| km = 65.2
| exit = 69
| road = [[Aberdeen Avenue]]
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| km = 66.6
| exit = 70
| road = {{jcon|Hamilton|8|[[Main Street (Hamilton, Ontario)|Main Street]]}}
| notes = Formerly {{jcon|Hwy|2|con=8|nosh=y}}; entrance ramps from nearby [[King Street, Hamilton, Ontario|King Street]]
}}
{{ONint|incomplete
| km = 68.9
| exit = 73
| road = [[York Boulevard]]
| notes = Westbound exit and eastbound exit; formerly {{jct|province=ON|Hwy|6|Hwy|2|dir1=south|noshield=y|nolink1=y}}
}}
{{ONint
| division_special = [[Hamilton, Ontario|Hamilton]]–[[Regional Municipality of Halton|Halton]] boundary
| dspan = 3
| location_special = [[Hamilton, Ontario|Hamilton]]–[[Burlington, Ontario|Burlington]] boundary
| lspan = 3
| type = concur
| km = 70.3
| exit = 74
| road = {{jcon|Hwy|403|to=QEW|dir=east|city=Toronto|city2=[[Niagara Falls, Ontario|Niagara]]}}
| notes = Northern end of Highway 403 concurrency
}}
{{ONint
| km = 71.7
| exit = —
| road = York Road
| notes =
}}
{{jctgap
| col = 5
| text = Freeway ends
}}
{{ONint
| municipality = Hamilton
| lspan = 4
| km = 73.3
| exit =  
| espan = 5
| road = {{jcon|Hwy|5|con=5|contype=Hamilton|dir=west|condir=east|[[Dundas Street]]}}
| notes = Clappison's Corners
}}
{{ONint
| km = 77.2
| road = Millgrove Sideroad
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| km = 83.3
| road = Carlisle Road
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| km = 86.4
| road = {{jcon|Hamilton|97|dir=west|city=Cambridge}}
| notes = [[Freelton, Ontario|Freelton]]; formerly [[Ontario Highway 97|Highway 97]]
}}
{{ONint
| division = Wellington
| dspan = 6
| location = Puslinch
| lspan = 6
| km = 90.1
| road = {{jcon|Wellington|36|dir=east}}
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| type = concur
| km = 91.0
| exit = 299
| road = {{jcon|Wellington|46|dir=north|Brock Road|city=Guelph}}<hr/>{{jcon|Hwy|401|dir=east|city=Toronto}}
| notes = Beginning of Highway 401 concurrency; exit numbers follow Highway 401
}}
{{ONint
| type = concur
| km = 95.4
| exit = 295
| road = {{jcon|Hwy|401|dir=west|city=Cambridge|city2=London}}
| notes = End of Highway 401 concurrency; southern end of [[Hanlon Expressway]]
}}
{{ONint
| exit =  
| km = 96.5
| road = {{jcon|Wellington|34}}
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| exit = —
| type = unbuilt
| km = 97.5
| road = Midblock Interchange
| notes = Interchange under construction<ref>{{cite web |title = Highway 6 / Hanlon Expressway Midblock Interchange |url = https://highway6midblock.ca/ |website = highway6midblock.ca |access-date = July 25, 2024 }}</ref>
}}
{{ONint
| exit =  
| km = 96.5
| road = Concession Road 4 Maltby Road West
| notes =
}}
{{ONint|closed
| municipality = Guelph
| lspan = 12
| exit =  
| km = 100.5
| road = Clair Road West Phelan Drive
| notes = Closed with opening of Laird Road Interchange<ref name="Laird" />
}}
{{ONint
| exit = —
| km = 101.1
| road = Laird Road
| notes = Grade-separated as of November 29, 2013<ref name="Laird" />
}}
{{ONint
| exit =  
| espan = 3
| km = 103.6
| road = Downey Road (west) Kortright Road West (east)
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| km = 104.6
| road = Stone Road West
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| km = 105.5
| road = College Avenue West
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| type = concur
| exit = —
| km = 107.1
| road = {{jcon|Hwy|7|Wellington Street|dir=east|city=Brampton}}
| notes = Beginning of Highway 7 concurrency; grade-separated as of July 2001;<ref name="wellington" /> formerly [[Ontario Highway 24|Highway 24]]
}}
{{ONint
| exit =  
| espan = 3
| km = 108.1
| road = Paisley Road
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| km = 108.9
| road = Willow Road
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| km = 109.8
| road = Speedvale Avenue West
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| exit =  
| type = concur
| km = 110.8
| road = {{jcon|Hwy|7|Woodlawn Road West|dir=west|city=Waterloo}}
| notes = End of Highway 7 concurrency; northern end of [[Hanlon Expressway]]; Highway 6 follows Woodlawn Road West; beginning of Guelph Connecting Link
}}
{{ONint
| exit =  
| espan = 42
| km = 113.1
| road = Woolwich Street / Woodlawn Road East
| notes = Formerly Highway 6 south
}}
{{jctplace
| km = 113.4
| place = End of Guelph Connecting Link
}}
{{ONint
| division = Wellington
| dspan = 12
| location_special = [[Guelph/Eramosa]]
| lspan = 4
| km = 114.3
| road = {{jcon|Wellington|30}}
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| km = 115.4
| road = {{jcon|Wellington|7|dir=north|Elora Road|town=Elora}}
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| km = 117.3
| road = {{jcon|Wellington|38|dir=south|Victoria Road North}}
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| km = 118.3
| road = {{jcon|Wellington|51|dir=west|Guelph–Nichol Townline}}
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| location_special = [[Guelph/Eramosa]]–[[Centre Wellington]] boundary
| km = 120.8
| road = {{jcon|Wellington|22|dir=east}}
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| location = Centre Wellington
| lspan = 3
| km = 128.8
| road = {{jcon|Wellington|18|dir=east|Belsyde Avenue}}
| notes = [[Fergus, Ontario|Fergus]] Connecting Link
| nspan = 3
}}
{{ONint
| km = 129.8
| road = {{jcon|Wellington|18|dir=west|St. Andrew Street|town=Elora}}
| notes = none
}}
{{ONint
| km = 130.2
| road = {{jcon|Wellington|19|dir=east|Garafraxa Street}}
| notes = none
}}
{{ONint
| location_special = [[Centre Wellington]]–[[Mapleton, Ontario|Mapleton]] boundary
| km = 138.8
| road = {{jcon|Wellington|17|dir=west}}
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| location = Wellington North
| lspan = 3
| km = 148.3
| road = {{jcon|Wellington|109|town=Orangeville|town2=Harriston}}
| notes = Formerly [[Ontario Highway 9|Highway 9]]
}}
{{ONint
| km = 149.1
| road = {{jcon|Wellington|14|dir=north|Frederick Street}}
| notes = [[Arthur, Ontario|Arthur]] Connecting Link
}}
{{ONint
| km = 172.5
| road = {{jcon|Hwy|89|town=Harriston|town2=Shelburne}}
| notes = [[Mount Forest, Ontario|Mount Forest]] Connecting Link
}}
{{ONint
| division_special = [[Wellington County, Ontario|Wellington]]–[[Grey County|Grey]] boundary
| location_special = [[Wellington North, Ontario|Wellington North]]–[[West Grey]]–[[Southgate, Ontario|Southgate]] boundary
| km = 175.1
| road = {{jcon|Grey|109}}
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| division = Grey
| dspan = 20
| location_special = [[West Grey, Ontario|West Grey]]–[[Southgate, Ontario|Southgate]] boundary
| lspan = 3
| km = 177.0
| road = {{jcon|Grey|6|dir=south}}
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| km = 182.4
| road = {{jcon|Grey|9|dir=west|town=Ayton}}
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| km = 186.2
| road = {{jcon|Grey|9|dir=east|town=Dundalk}}
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| location = West Grey
| lspan = 4
| km = 195.3
| road = Douglas Street
| notes = Beginning of [[Durham, Ontario|Durham]] Connecting Link
}}
{{ONint
| km = 196.5
| road = {{jcon|Grey|4|Lambton Street}}
| notes = Formerly {{jcon|Hwy|4|nosh=y}}
}}
{{ONint
| km = 197.2
| road = {{jcon|Grey|27|Durham Road|dir=west}}
| notes = Old alignment of Highway 4; end of Durham Connecting Link
}}
{{ONint
| km = 206.5
| road = {{jcon|Grey|12|dir=east}}
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| location_special = [[West Grey, Ontario|West Grey]]–[[Chatsworth, Ontario|Chatsworth]] boundary
| km = 212.0
| road = {{jcon|Grey|25|dir=west}}
| notes = [[Dornoch, Ontario|Dornoch]]
}}
{{ONint
| location = Chatsworth
| lspan = 3
| km = 219.4
| road = {{jcon|Grey|24|Chatsworth Road 24|dir=east}}
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| km = 227.0
| road = {{jcon|Grey|40|dir=west}}
| notes = Beginning of Chatsworth Connecting Link
}}
{{ONint
| type = concur
| km = 228.6
| road = {{jcon|Hwy|10|dir=south|city=Brampton}}
| notes = Southern end of Highway 10 concurrency; end of Chatsworth Connecting Link
}}
{{ONint
| location_special = [[Chatsworth, Ontario|Chatsworth]]–[[Georgian Bluffs]]–[[Meaford, Ontario|Meaford]] boundary
| km = 230.8
| road = {{jcon|Grey|16|dir=west}}
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| location_special = [[Georgian Bluffs]]–[[Meaford, Ontario|Meaford]] boundary
| km = 238.5
| road = {{jcon|Grey|18}}
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| location_special = [[Owen Sound]]
| lspan = 4
| km = 240.2
| road = Superior Street / 4th Street East
| notes = Beginning of Owen Sound Connecting Link
}}
{{ONint
| type = concur
| km = 241.5
| road = {{jcon|Hwy|10|con=21|con2=26|dir=ends|condir=begins|condir2=east|9th Avenue E / 10th Street E|city=Collingwood|city2=Barrie}}
| notes = Highway 10 northern terminus; Highway 21 northern terminus; southern end of Highway 21 [[wrong-way concurrency]]; Highway 26 western terminus
}}
{{ONint
| km = 242.9
| road = {{jcon|Grey|1|dir=north|2nd Avenue West}}
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| km = 244.1
| road = {{jcon|Grey|17B|dir=north}} / 9th Avenue West
| notes = End of Owen Sound Connecting Link
}}
{{ONint
| location = Georgian Bluffs
| lspan = 3
| type = concur
| km = 246.8
| road = {{jcon|Hwy|21|dir=south|town=Southampton|town2=Goderich}}<hr/>{{jcon|Grey|18|dir=south}}
| notes = End of Highway 21 concurrency; formerly {{jcon|Hwy|70|dir=north|nosh=y}}
}}
{{ONint
| km = 248.0
| road = {{jcon|Grey|17|dir=north}}
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| km = 257.0
| road = {{jcon|Grey|170||dir=east|Cruickshank Street|town=Copperkettle}}
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| division = Bruce
| location = South Bruce Peninsula
| km = 261.4
| road = {{jcon|Bruce|10|Bruce Street|dir=south}}<hr/>{{jcon|Bruce|8|Queen Street|dir=west|town=Sauble Beach}}
| notes = [[Hepworth, Ontario|Hepworth]]; formerly {{jcon|Hwy|70|dir=south|ot=y}}
}}
{{ONint
| division_special = [[Bruce County|Bruce]]–[[Grey County|Grey]] boundary
| location_special = [[South Bruce Peninsula]]–[[Georgian Bluffs]] boundary
| km = 270.6
| road = {{jcon|Grey|17|dir=east|fulltext=y}}
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| division = Bruce
| dspan = 5
| location = South Bruce Peninsula
| lspan = 3
| km = 273.2
| road = {{jcon|Bruce|1|dir=east|Frank Street|town=Keppel Croft}}
| notes = [[Wiarton, Ontario|Wiarton]] Connecting Link
| nspan = 2
}}
{{ONint
| km = 274.5
| road = {{jcon|Bruce|13|dir=west|Jenny Street|town=Oliphant}}
| notes = none
}}
{{ONint
| km = 276.7
| road = {{jcon|Bruce|9|dir=north|town=Colpoy's Bay}}
| notes =
}}
{{ONint
| location = Northern Bruce Peninsula
| lspan = 2
| km = 303.6
| road = {{jcon|Bruce|9|dir=south|Ferndale Road|town=Lion's Head}}
| notes = [[Ferndale, Bruce County, Ontario|Ferndale]]
}}
{{ONint
| km = 356.3
| road = Big Tub Road / Front Street
| notes = [[Tobermory, Ontario|Tobermory]] Ferry Docks
}}
{{jctferry|exit
| type = toll
| river = [[Georgian Bay]]
| bridge = {{jct|state=ON|extra=ferry}} [[MS Chi-Cheemaun|MS ''Chi-Cheemaun'']] ferry between Tobermory and South Baymouth — {{convert|45.0|km|abbr=on}}
}}
{{ONint
| division = Manitoulin
| dspan = 4
| location = Tehkummah
| lspan = 2
| km = 356.3
| exit =  
| espan = 3
| road = Water Street / Given Road
| notes = [[South Baymouth]] Ferry Docks; the entire route from this location northerly to McKerrow was designated as Highway 68 prior to 1980.
}}
{{ONint
| km = 369.2
| road = {{jcon|Hwy|542|dir=west|town=Sandfield|town2=Mindemoya|town3=Gore Bay|town4=Tehkummah}}
| notes =
}}

{{ONint
| location = Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands
| lspan = 2
| km = 420.3
| road = {{jcon|Hwy|540|dir=west|town=Gore Bay}}
| notes = [[Little Current, Ontario|Little Current]]
}}
{{Jctbridge|exit
| km = 421.2
| bridge = [[Little Current Swing Bridge]] over the [[North Channel (Ontario)|North Channel]]
}}
{{ONint
| division = Sudbury
| dspan = 3
| location = Espanola
| lspan = 2
| exit =  
| espan = 3
| km = 465.8
| road = Foster Drive
| notes = Espanola Connecting Link
| nspan = 2
}}
{{ONint
| km = 469.7
| road = Tudhope Street
| notes = none
}}
{{ONint
| location = Baldwin
| km = 472.4
| road = {{jcon|Hwy|17|tch=y|city=Sault Ste. Marie|city2=Sudbury}}
| notes = [[McKerrow, Ontario|McKerrow]]
}}
{{jctbtm|col=7|keys=closed,concur,incomplete,toll,trans,unbuilt}}

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
{{Attached KML|display=title, inline}}
{{commons category|Ontario Highway 6}}
*[https://www.google.ca/maps?saddr=ON-17&daddr=45.5686257,-82.0124221+to:44.9028928,-81.2533943+to:44.5693832,-80.9286541+to:43.5766117,-80.2862491+to:43.321255,-79.9300789+to:Walker+St/Norfolk+6&hl=en&ll=44.551335,-80.628662&spn=4.493867,9.876709&sll=43.34915,-80.139771&sspn=0.286608,0.617294&geocode=FYVEwgIdDTAg-w;FXFStwId-pYc-ynnIL_huHUyTTHix1uEyGyKLA;FewprQId7iso-ynbYnocN8MsTTF-v_phMssdcA;FScTqAIdciAt-ykFa2Qrd_wpiDFUqHaj34u5bw;FSPtmAId1-02-ymZRfv_j5AriDE8iiYXWxnAVw;FacHlQIdIl08-ykbXtvzxYIsiDH0SPta6PMv3w;FaTcjAId30U4-w&t=h&mra=dpe&mrsp=5&sz=11&via=1,2,3,4,5&z=7 Highway 6: Length and route]

{{Ontario King's Highways}}

[[Category:Ontario provincial highways|006]]
[[Category:Roads in Hamilton, Ontario]]
[[Category:Transport in Guelph]]
[[Category:Roads in Wellington County, Ontario]]
[[Category:Transport in Grey County]]
[[Category:Transport in Owen Sound]]

Kenora

2025-10-26T14:22:47Z

2607:FEA8:96DF:D400:80C3:4FA6:E4:E69E: /* top */

{{Short description|City in Ontario, Canada}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=February 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{About|the city|other uses|Kenora (disambiguation)}}
{{Redirect|Rat Portage|the nearby First Nations reserve|Rat Portage 38A}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Kenora
| official_name = City of Kenora
| native_name = 
| other_name =
| settlement_type = [[List of cities in Ontario|City]] ([[List of municipalities in Ontario#Single-tier municipalities|single-tier]])
| image_skyline = Kenora ON skyline.JPG
| image_caption =
| image_flag =
| image_seal =
| image_shield =
| nickname = K-Town
| motto = North America's premier boating destination
| image_map =
| map_caption =
| pushpin_map = Canada Ontario
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_mapsize =
| coordinates = {{coord|49|46|N|94|29|W|region:CA-ON|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = Canada
| subdivision_type1 = [[Provinces and territories of Canada|Province]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Ontario]]
| subdivision_type2 = District
| subdivision_name2 = [[Kenora District|Kenora]]
| established_title = Incorporated (town)
| established_date = 1882 as Rat Portage
| established_title2 = Renamed
| established_date2 = 1905 as Kenora
| established_title3 = [[Amalgamation (politics)|Amalgamated]] (City)
| established_date3 = 2000<ref name=history>[http://www.kenora.ca/portal/tourism/about/history.aspx?id=100 City of Kenora - History Milestones] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313130238/http://www.kenora.ca/portal/tourism/about/history.aspx?id=100 |date=2012-03-13 }} and [http://www.kenora.ca/portal/tourism/about/history.aspx?id=99 City of Kenora - History and Culture] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071021033443/http://www.kenora.ca/portal/tourism/about/history.aspx?id=99 |date=2007-10-21 }} both accessed 9 November 2007</ref>
| government_type = 
| government_footnotes =
| leader_title = Mayor
| leader_name = Andrew Poirier
| leader_title1 = Governing Body
| leader_name1 = [[Kenora City Council]]
| leader_title2 = [[House of Commons of Canada|MP]]
| leader_name2 = [[Eric Melillo]] ([[Kenora—Kiiwetinoong]], [[Conservative Party of Canada|CPC]])
| leader_title3 = [[Legislative Assembly of Ontario|MPP]]
| leader_name3 = [[Greg Rickford]] ([[Kenora—Rainy River (provincial electoral district)|Kenora—Rainy River]], [[Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario|PC]])
| total_type = Total
| area_footnotes = <ref name=SCref21>{{SCref |year=2021 |unit=csd |code={{#property:P3012}} |access-date=2025-01-03}}</ref>
| area_total_km2 =
| area_land_km2 = 211.65
| area_water_km2 =
| area_water_percent =
| area_urban_km2 = 15.25
| area_urban_footnotes = <ref name="sc2021-PC">{{cite web |title=Kenora Ontario [Population centre] Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&SearchText=kenora&DGUIDlist=2021S05100406&GENDERlist=1,2,3&STATISTIClist=1,4&HEADERlist=0 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca |publisher=Government of Canada - Statistics Canada |access-date=2025-01-03}}</ref>
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name="climate"/>
| elevation_m = 409.70
| elevation_max_m =
| elevation_min_m =
| population_footnotes = <ref name=SCref21/>
| population_total = 14865
| population_as_of = 2021
| population_density_km2 = 70.7
| population_urban = 10974
| population_density_urban_km2 = 719.6
| population_note =
| population_urban_footnotes = <ref name="sc2021-PC"/>
| timezone = [[Central Time Zone|CST]]
| utc_offset = −06:00
| timezone_DST = CDT
| utc_offset_DST = −05:00
| postal_code_type = [[Canadian postal code#Forward sortation areas|Forward sortation area]]
| postal_code = [[List of P postal codes of Canada|P9N]]
| area_code = [[Area code 807|807]]
| website = {{Official URL}}
}}

'''Kenora''' ({{IPAc-en|k|ə|ˈ|n|ɔːr|ə}}), previously named '''Rat Portage''' ({{langx|fr|Portage-aux-Rats}}), is a city situated on the [[Lake of the Woods]] in [[Ontario]], Canada, close to the [[Manitoba]] boundary, and about {{convert|208|km|abbr=on}} east of [[Winnipeg]] by the [[Trans-Canada Highway]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Kenora {{!}} The Canadian Encyclopedia|url=https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/kenora|access-date=2021-06-09|website=thecanadianencyclopedia.ca}}</ref> It is the seat of [[Kenora District]].

The history of the name extends beyond the time of French settlers arriving in the region. The name Rat Portage had its origin in the [[Ojibwe language|Ojibwe]] name ''Wazhashk-Onigam'', which, roughly translated, means [[portage]] to the country of the [[muskrat]]s. A shortened and somewhat corrupted version, Rat Portage, was adopted by the [[Hudson's Bay Company]] in naming their post, then located on Old Fort Island on the [[Winnipeg River]]. When the post was moved to the mainland and a town grew up around it, the name Rat Portage was assumed by the community.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-06-13 |title=Rat Portage Becomes Kenora |url=https://themusekenora.ca/rat-portage-becomes-kenora/ |access-date=2022-03-02 |website=The Muse - Lake of the Woods Museum {{!}} Douglas Family Art Centre |language=en-CA}}</ref>

The town of Rat Portage was renamed in 1905 by using the first two letters of itself and the neighbouring towns of Keewatin and Norman to form the present-day City of Kenora.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.northernontario.travel/sunset-country/how-kenora-got-its-name |title=How Kenora Got Its Name|date=30 March 2017|access-date=August 23, 2020}}</ref> In 2001, the towns of Kenora (including Norman) and Keewatin as well as the Township of Jaffray Melick amalgamated under the ''[[Municipal Act]]''.

Kenora is the administrative headquarters of the [[Anishinabe of Wauzhushk Onigum]], [[Obashkaandagaang Bay First Nation|Obashkaandagaang Bay]], and Washagamis Bay [[First Nations in Canada|First Nations]] [[band government]]s.

==Toponymy==

The name "''Kenora''" was coined by combining the first two letters of ''Ke''ewatin, ''No''rman and ''Ra''t Portage.<ref name="Barnes1">{{cite book|last1=Barnes|first1=Michael|title=Gold in Ontario|date=1995|publisher=The Boston Mills Press|location=Erin|isbn=155046146X|pages=22}}</ref>

The traditional [[Ojibwe language|Ojibwe]] name of Kenora is '''Wazhashk-Onigamiing''',<ref>Translate Ojibwe - English Ojibwe Dictionary, "Kenora" [https://www.translateojibwe.com/en/dictionary-english-ojibwe/kenora https://www.translateojibwe.com/en/dictionary-english-ojibwe/kenora]</ref><ref>Brock Pitawanakwat, Anishinaabemodaa Pane Oodenang – A Qualitative Study of Anishinaabe Language Revitalization as Self-Determination in Manitoba and Ontario 2009, University of Victoria, [https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/thesescanada/vol2/002/NR60734.PDF?is_thesis=1&oclc_number=766382249 https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/thesescanada/vol2/002/NR60734.PDF?is_thesis=1&oclc_number=766382249]</ref> meaning ''place of the muskrat portage'', corresponding to the older English name of the settlement, ''Rat Portage''. The nearby First Nation band of the [[Anishinabe of Wauzhushk Onigum]] retains this name as well.

== History ==
Kenora is situated on the traditional territory of the [[Ojibwe|Ojibway]] people.<ref name=":1" /> The first European, [[Jacques de Noyon]], sighted [[Lake of the Woods]] in 1688.<ref>Upham, W. (1918). [Review of Final Report of the International Joint Commission on the Lake of the Woods Reference]. Minnesota History Bulletin, 2(8), 570–572. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20160281</ref> Among the earliest Europeans in the Lake of the Woods area was explorer and fur trader [[Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye|Pierre Gaultier de Varennes et de La Vérendrye]].<ref name=":1" />

[[Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye|Pierre de La Vérendrye]] established a secure [[Kingdom of France|French]] trading post, [[Fort Saint Charles]], to the south of present-day Kenora near the current Canada/U.S. border in 1732, and France maintained the post until 1763 when it lost the territory to the [[Kingdom of Great Britain|British]] in the [[French and Indian War|Seven Years' War]]. Until then, it was the most northwesterly settlement of [[New France]]. In 1836 the [[Hudson's Bay Company]] established a post on Old Fort Island, and in 1861, the Company opened a post on the mainland at Kenora's current location.{{citation needed|date=June 2021}}

In 1878, the company surveyed lots for the permanent settlement of ''Rat Portage'' ("portage to the country of the muskrat")<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ontariotowns.net/Kenora/History.cfm |title=History of Kenora, Ontario, Canada|archive-date=March 15, 2015|website=ontariotowns.net|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150315082518/http://www.ontariotowns.net/Kenora/History.cfm |access-date=December 2, 2018}}</ref> — the community kept that name until 1905, when it was renamed ''Kenora''.<ref name=Barnes1 />

[[File:KenoraOjibwaTepee.jpg|thumb|left|[[Ojibwe|Ojibway]] tipi, Kenora, 1922.]]
Kenora was once claimed as part of the Province of Manitoba, and there are early references to Rat Portage, Manitoba. There was a long-lasting argument between the two provinces known as the Ontario-Manitoba boundary dispute. Each province claimed the town as part of their territory and the dispute lasted from 1870 to 1884. Although Ottawa had ruled the town part of Manitoba in 1881, the issue was finally taken up with the [[Judicial Committee of the Privy Council]] which eventually decided in Ontario's favour.<ref name=secede>{{Cite news |title=Residents of Ontario town want to join Manitoba |publisher=[[CTV News Channel (Canada)|CTV]] |date=10 August 2005 |url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1123686168881_24/?hub=Canada |access-date=2010-05-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311003254/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1123686168881_24/?hub=Canada |archive-date=11 March 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Kenora officially became part of the province of Ontario in 1889.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kenorapubliclibrary.org/museum/history/History.aspx?id=3241 |title=Lake of the Woods History |publisher=Lake of the Woods Museum |access-date=2010-05-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726215036/http://www.kenorapubliclibrary.org/museum/history/History.aspx?id=3241 |archive-date=2011-07-26}}</ref> Boundaries were drawn up for the provinces and the [[Northwest Angle]] on Lake of the Woods which definitively drew the borders between Ontario, Manitoba, and the U.S. state of [[Minnesota]].

Gold and the railway were both important in the community's early history: gold was first discovered in the area in 1850, and by 1893, 20 mines were operating within {{Convert|24|km|0|abbr=on}} of Rat Portage, and the first Canadian ocean-to-ocean train passed through in 1886 on the [[Canadian Pacific Railway]]. Among the entrepreneurs attracted to the town was the Hon. JEP Vereker, a retired British army officer and youngest son of the 4th [[Viscount Gort]].<ref>{{Cite news|title=Kenora was once home to a peer of the realm|url=http://www.kenoradailyminerandnews.com/2013/06/05/kenora-was-once-home-to-a-peer-of-the-realm|newspaper=Kenora Daily Miner and News|access-date=2013-06-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304110926/http://www.kenoradailyminerandnews.com/2013/06/05/kenora-was-once-home-to-a-peer-of-the-realm|archive-date=2016-03-04|url-status=live}}</ref>

Later, a highway was built through Kenora in 1932, becoming part of Canada's first coast-to-coast highway in 1943, and then part of the [[Trans-Canada Highway]], placing the community on both of Canada's major transcontinental transportation routes. The original barrier to the completion of the highway concerned the crossing of the Winnipeg River at two locations. The single-span arch bridges are among the longest of their type in North America.{{citation needed|date=August 2025}}

During the [[Prohibition in the United States|Prohibition era]] in the United States, the Lake of the Woods served as a smuggler's route for the transport of alcohol.{{citation needed|date=August 2025}}

In December 1883, there was a large fire in Rat Portage, rendering 70 of the town's then population of 700 homeless.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Chronicle of the week|journal=The Week: A Canadian Journal of Politics, Literature, Science and Arts|date=27 Dec 1883|volume=1|issue=4|pages=62|url=https://archive.org/stream/weekcanadianjour01toro#page/n32/mode/1up|access-date=23 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130626195923/http://archive.org/stream/weekcanadianjour01toro#page/n32/mode/1up|archive-date=26 June 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[Stanley Cup]] was won by the [[Kenora Thistles]] hockey team in 1907. The team featured such Hall of Famers as [[Billy McGimsie]], [[Tommy Phillips]], and [[Art Ross]], for whom the [[Art Ross Trophy]] is named. Kenora is the smallest town to have won a major North American sports title.{{citation needed|date=August 2025}}

Rat Portage is mentioned in [[Algernon Blackwood]]'s famous 1910 story, "The Wendigo".{{citation needed|date=August 2025}}

On November 22, 1965, around 400 Aboriginal protesters, inspired by the [[Selma to Montgomery marches]] against white supremacy and racial discrimination in the [[Southern United States]], undertook a quarter-mile march against anti-indigenous racism along Main Street to Legion Hall, where they expressed their grievances to the city's mayor and councillors. This march became widely referred to as Canada's first civil rights march.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Rutherford |first1=Scott |date=Spring 2017 |title="We Have Bigotry All Right—but No Alabamas": Racism and Aboriginal Protest in Canada during the 1960s |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5250/amerindiquar.41.2.0158 |journal=American Indian Quarterly |volume=41 |issue=2 |pages=158–179 |doi=10.5250/amerindiquar.41.2.0158 |jstor=10.5250/amerindiquar.41.2.0158 |s2cid=165143516 |access-date=1 April 2022|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

[[File:Husky the Muskie, Kenora, Ontario (0082).jpg|thumb|Husky the Muskie]]
In 1967, the year of the [[Canadian Centennial]], Kenora erected a sculpture known as [[Husky the Muskie]]. It has become the town's mascot and one of its most recognizable features.<ref name="history" />

A [[1973 Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce bank robbery|dramatic bank robbery]] took place in Kenora on May 10, 1973. An unknown man entered the [[Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce]] heavily armed and wearing a "[[dead man's switch]]", a device utilising a clothespin, wires, battery and dynamite, where the user holds the clothespin in the mouth, exerting force on the clothespin. Should the user release the clothespin, two wires attached to both sides of the pin complete an electrical circuit, sending current from the battery, detonating the explosives. After robbing the bank, the robber exited the CIBC, and was preparing to enter a city vehicle driven by undercover police officer Don Milliard. A sniper, Robert Letain, positioned across the street, shot the robber, causing the explosives to detonate and kill the robber. Most of the windows on the shops on the main street were shattered as a result of the blast. Later, Kenora Police submitted DNA samples from the robber's remains to a national database to identify him; however, the suspect was never positively identified.{{citation needed|date=August 2025}}

The importance of the logging industry declined in the second part of the 20th century, and the last log boom was towed into Kenora in 1985. The tourist and recreation industries have become more important.{{citation needed|date=August 2025}}

==Geography==

===Neighbourhoods===
In addition to the former towns of Keewatin and Jaffray Melick, the city includes the neighbourhoods of Norman, Rabbit Lake, Rideout, Pinecrest, Minto, and Lakeside.

Keewatin forms the westernmost section of the City of Kenora. Norman was a small community halfway between the village of Keewatin and Rat Portage. The Village of Keewatin was founded in 1877 while the Village of Norman was founded in 1892; both communities amalgamated with Rat Portage in 1905 to form the Township of Kenora. Keewatin eventually separated and was founded as a Township in 1908.

The Jaffray Melick neighbourhood is the north-easternmost section of the City of Kenora. The Township of Jaffray was founded in 1894 and the Township of Melick in 1902; the two townships were amalgamated in 1908 as Jaffray and Melick, and renamed Jaffray Melick in 1911. Compared to Keewatin, Norman, and Rat Portage, Jaffray Melick is the most rural community, with few retail stores and one golf course, Beauty Bay, on Black Sturgeon Lake.

===Climate===
Kenora has a [[humid continental climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''Dfb'') with warm summers and cold, dry winters.<ref name="geography" /> Its climate is influenced by continental air masses. Winters are cold with a January high of {{convert|-11|C}} and a low of {{convert|-21|C}}. Temperatures below {{convert|-20|C}} occur on 45 days.<ref name="climate" /> The average annual snowfall is {{convert|158|cm|abbr=on|0}}, which is lower than places to the east as it is influenced by the dry air of continental high-pressure zones, resulting in relatively dry winters.<ref name="geography">{{cite web |url= http://www.ubcpress.ca/books/pdf/chapters/ecology/chapter2.pdf |title= Physical Geography of Ontario |access-date= 30 September 2012 |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071217184751/http://www.ubcpress.ca/books/pdf/chapters/ecology/chapter2.pdf |archive-date= 17 December 2007 }}</ref> Summers are warm with a July high of {{convert|24|C}} and a low of {{convert|15|C|0}} and temperatures above {{convert|30|C|0}} occur on 5.3 days.<ref name="climate" /> The average annual precipitation is {{convert|662|mm|abbr=on|0}}, with most of it being concentrated in the summer months with June being the wettest month and February the driest.<ref name="climate" />

During the winter Kenora will get precipitation mostly in the form of snow, other forms of winter precipitation include ice, sleet, and freezing rain. Snow cover usually lasts from November to March, about 154 days or 42% of the year.<ref name="Longest snow cover season days">{{cite web|url=http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/winners/categorydata_e.html?SelectedCategory=30&submit=Submit |title=Longest snow cover season (days) |publisher=Environment Canada |access-date=22 December 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120050314/http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/winners/categorydata_e.html?SelectedCategory=30&submit=Submit |archive-date=20 January 2013 |df=dmy }}</ref> The city frequently gets late spring and summer thunderstorms, only on occasion severe, averaging 24 days a year with thunderstorm activity.<ref name="Most thunderstorm days">{{cite web|url=http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/winners/categorydata_e.html?SelectedCategory=35&submit=Submit |title=Most thunderstorm days |publisher=Environment Canada |access-date=10 October 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120050234/http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/winners/categorydata_e.html?SelectedCategory=35&submit=Submit |archive-date=20 January 2013 |df=dmy }}</ref>

The highest temperature ever recorded in Kenora was {{convert|40.6|C}} on 11 July 1936.<ref name= "July 1936">{{cite web
| publisher = [[Environment Canada]]
| url = http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=%7C&dlyRange=1883-02-01%7C1939-03-31&mlyRange=1883-01-01%7C1939-12-01&StationID=3959&Prov=ON&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2016&selRowPerPage=25&Line=0&searchMethod=contains&Month=7&Day=14&txtStationName=kenora&timeframe=2&Year=1936
| title = July 1936
| work = Canadian Climate Data
|date = 31 October 2011| access-date = 25 March 2016
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160809041608/http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=%7C&dlyRange=1883-02-01%7C1939-03-31&mlyRange=1883-01-01%7C1939-12-01&StationID=3959&Prov=ON&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2016&selRowPerPage=25&Line=0&searchMethod=contains&Month=7&Day=14&txtStationName=kenora&timeframe=2&Year=1936
| archive-date = 9 August 2016
| url-status = live
}}</ref> The coldest temperature ever recorded was {{convert|-43.9|C}} on 20 January 1943.<ref name= "climate"/>

{{Weather box
| location = [[Kenora Airport]], 1991−2020 normals, extremes 1899−present{{efn|Temperature data was recorded in the city of Kenora from October 1899 to March 1939, and at [[Kenora Airport]] from August 1938 to present.}}
| metric first= Y
| single line = Y
| collapsed =
| Jan maximum humidex = 9.0
| Feb maximum humidex = 10.7
| Mar maximum humidex = 27.1
| Apr maximum humidex = 30.0
| May maximum humidex = 39.3
| Jun maximum humidex = 41.2
| Jul maximum humidex = 43.2
| Aug maximum humidex = 41.6
| Sep maximum humidex = 41.6
| Oct maximum humidex = 28.9
| Nov maximum humidex = 19.7
| Dec maximum humidex = 8.7
| year maximum humidex = 43.2
| Jan record high C = 9.1
| Feb record high C = 8.8
| Mar record high C = 23.8
| Apr record high C = 30.6
| May record high C = 35.4
| Jun record high C = 37.2
| Jul record high C = 40.6
| Aug record high C = 35.0
| Sep record high C = 34.6
| Oct record high C = 26.7
| Nov record high C = 19.4
| Dec record high C = 9.4
| year record high C = 40.6
| Jan high C = −11.4
| Feb high C = −7.8
| Mar high C = −0.1
| Apr high C = 8.6
| May high C = 16.3
| Jun high C = 21.9
| Jul high C = 24.4
| Aug high C = 23.4
| Sep high C = 17.4
| Oct high C = 8.8
| Nov high C = −0.6
| Dec high C = −8.2
| year high C = 7.7
| Jan mean C = −15.8
| Feb mean C = −12.7
| Mar mean C = −5.2
| Apr mean C = 3.5
| May mean C = 11.0
| Jun mean C = 17.0
| Jul mean C = 19.6
| Aug mean C = 18.7
| Sep mean C = 13.1
| Oct mean C = 5.2
| Nov mean C = −3.8
| Dec mean C = −12.0
| year mean C = 3.2
| Jan low C = −20.1
| Feb low C = −17.6
| Mar low C = −10.3
| Apr low C = −1.7
| May low C = 5.7
| Jun low C = 12.0
| Jul low C = 14.9
| Aug low C = 13.9
| Sep low C = 8.6
| Oct low C = 1.7
| Nov low C = −6.9
| Dec low C = −16.0
| year low C = −1.3
| Jan record low C = −43.9
| Feb record low C = −43.3
| Mar record low C = −36.1
| Apr record low C = −27.2
| May record low C = −12.2
| Jun record low C = −1.1
| Jul record low C = 3.9
| Aug record low C = -1.7
| Sep record low C = −6.7
| Oct record low C = −20.0
| Nov record low C = −31.3
| Dec record low C = −41.1
| year record low C = −43.9
| Jan chill = −57.5
| Feb chill = −54.3
| Mar chill = −46.7
| Apr chill = −37.7
| May chill = −20.5
| Jun chill = −4.2
| Jul chill = 0.0
| Aug chill = 0.0
| Sep chill = −12.6
| Oct chill = −22.2
| Nov chill = −46.8
| Dec chill = −51.5
| year chill = −57.5
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 26.6
| Feb precipitation mm = 21.4
| Mar precipitation mm = 26.5
| Apr precipitation mm = 39.9
| May precipitation mm = 91.1
| Jun precipitation mm = 119.3
| Jul precipitation mm = 110.0
| Aug precipitation mm = 91.4
| Sep precipitation mm = 93.9
| Oct precipitation mm = 67.3
| Nov precipitation mm = 38.2
| Dec precipitation mm = 28.3
| year precipitation mm = 753.9
| rain colour = green
| Jan rain mm = 0.8
| Feb rain mm = 2.8
| Mar rain mm = 7.9
| Apr rain mm = 23.9
| May rain mm = 86.7
| Jun rain mm = 119.2
| Jul rain mm = 110.0
| Aug rain mm = 93.3
| Sep rain mm = 93.5
| Oct rain mm = 53.2
| Nov rain mm = 12.3
| Dec rain mm = 1.2
| year rain mm = 604.8
| snow colour = green
| Jan snow cm = 31.2
| Feb snow cm = 22.5
| Mar snow cm = 21.0
| Apr snow cm = 16.7
| May snow cm = 4.6
| Jun snow cm = 0.1
| Jul snow cm = 0.0
| Aug snow cm = 0.0
| Sep snow cm = 0.5
| Oct snow cm = 15.4
| Nov snow cm = 31.0
| Dec snow cm = 32.4
| year snow cm = 175.3
| unit precipitation days = 0.2 mm
| unit rain days = 0.2 mm
| unit snow days = 0.2 cm
| Jan precipitation days = 13.6
| Feb precipitation days = 11.0
| Mar precipitation days = 10.6
| Apr precipitation days = 9.6
| May precipitation days = 13.5
| Jun precipitation days = 14.5
| Jul precipitation days = 13.5
| Aug precipitation days = 12.2
| Sep precipitation days = 14.2
| Oct precipitation days = 14.0
| Nov precipitation days = 13.9
| Dec precipitation days = 15.5
| year precipitation days = 156.2
| Jan rain days = 0.60
| Feb rain days = 1.0
| Mar rain days = 3.0
| Apr rain days = 6.0
| May rain days = 12.7
| Jun rain days = 14.5
| Jul rain days = 13.5
| Aug rain days = 12.5
| Sep rain days = 14.0
| Oct rain days = 10.3
| Nov rain days = 3.3
| Dec rain days = 0.92
| year rain days = 92.3
| Jan snow days = 14.2
| Feb snow days = 11.0
| Mar snow days = 9.0
| Apr snow days = 5.3
| May snow days = 1.6
| Jun snow days = 0.13
| Jul snow days = 0.0
| Aug snow days = 0.0
| Sep snow days = 0.50
| Oct snow days = 6.0
| Nov snow days = 13.2
| Dec snow days = 15.7
| year snow days = 76.5
| time day = 15:00
| Jan humidity = 71.6
| Feb humidity = 62.0
| Mar humidity = 54.9
| Apr humidity = 45.4
| May humidity = 48.7
| Jun humidity = 53.6
| Jul humidity = 54.4
| Aug humidity = 55.0
| Sep humidity = 60.4
| Oct humidity = 66.0
| Nov humidity = 73.7
| Dec humidity = 77.2
| year humidity = 60.2
| source 1 = [[Environment Canada]]<ref name= "climate">{{cite web| publisher = [[Environment Canada]]| url = https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1991_2020_e.html?searchType=stnProv&lstProvince=ON&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=178000000&dispBack=0| title = Kenora Airport| work = Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020| access-date = Jun 11, 2024}}</ref><ref name="July 1936"/> Extremes for Kenora 1899-1939<ref name= "Kenora 1899-1939">{{cite web|publisher=[[Environment Canada]]|url=http://climate.weather.gc.ca/historical_data/search_historic_data_stations_e.html?searchType=stnName&timeframe=1&txtStationName=kenora&searchMethod=contains&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=1936&Year=2016&Month=6&Day=14&selRowPerPage=25|title=Kenora 1899-1939|work=Canadian Climate Data|access-date=March 28, 2016|date=2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809043238/http://climate.weather.gc.ca/historical_data/search_historic_data_stations_e.html?searchType=stnName&timeframe=1&txtStationName=kenora&searchMethod=contains&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=1936&Year=2016&Month=6&Day=14&selRowPerPage=25|archive-date=August 9, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
In the [[2021 Canadian census|2021 Census of Population]] conducted by [[Statistics Canada]], Kenora had a population of {{val|14967|fmt=commas}} living in {{val|6510|fmt=commas}} of its {{val|7637|fmt=commas}} total private dwellings, a change of {{percentage|{{#expr:14967-15096}}|15096|1}} from its 2016 population of {{val|15096|fmt=commas}}. With a land area of {{convert|211.65|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|14967|211.65|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2021.<ref name=SCref21/>

{{Historical populations
| align = none
| cols = 3
| footnote = The population change between 1996 and 2001 reflects Kenora's amalgamation in 2000.
|1891|1806
|1901|5202
|[[Canada 1911 Census|1911]]|6158
|1921|5407
|1931|6766
|1941|7672
|1951|8695
|1961|10904
|1971|10952
|1981|9817
|1991|9782
|[[1996 Canadian census|1996]]|10063
|[[2001 Canadian census|2001]]|15838
|[[2006 Canadian census|2006]]|15177
|[[2011 Canadian census|2011]]|15348
|[[2016 Canadian census|2016]]|15096
|[[2021 Canadian census|2021]]|14967
}}

The median household income in 2005 for Kenora was $59,946, which is slightly below the Ontario provincial average of $60,455.<ref name="cp2016"/>

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Ethnic groups<ref name="cp2016">{{cite web|url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=3560010&Geo2=PR&Code2=35&Data=Count&SearchText=Kenora&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&TABID=1 |title= Community Profiles from the 2016 Census|date= 8 February 2017|publisher= Statistics Canada }}</ref>
|-
! colspan=2 | Canada 2016 Census!! Population !! % of Total Population
|-
| rowspan=7 | [[Visible minority]] group || [[Filipino Canadian|Filipino]] || 140 || 0.9
|-
| [[South Asia]]n || 45 || 0.3
|-
| [[Black Canadians|Black]] || 45 || 0.3
|-
| [[Chinese Canadian|Chinese]] || 40 || 0.3
|-
| [[Latin American Canadian|Latin American]] || 20 || 0.1
|-
| [[Japanese Canadians|Japanese]] || 20 || 0.1
|-
| Other or mixed visible minority || 50 || 0.3
|-
| colspan=2 | Total visible minority population|| 355 || 2.4
|-
| rowspan=3 | [[Aboriginal peoples in Canada|Aboriginal]] group Source:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www12.statcan.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/hlt/97-558/pages/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo=CSD&Code=35&Table=1&Data=Count&Sex=1&Age=1&StartRec=201&Sort=2&Display=Page&CSDFilter=5000 |title=Aboriginal Peoples - Data table |publisher=Statistics Canada |access-date=2012-07-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130708214351/http://www12.statcan.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/hlt/97-558/pages/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo=CSD&Code=35&Table=1&Data=Count&Sex=1&Age=1&StartRec=201&Sort=2&Display=Page&CSDFilter=5000 |archive-date=2013-07-08 |url-status=live }}</ref> || [[First Nations in Canada|First Nations]] || 1,610 || 10.9
|-
| [[Métis people (Canada)|Métis]] || 1,495 || 10.1
|-
| [[Inuit]] || 10 || 0.1
|-
| colspan=2 | Total Aboriginal population || 3,150 || 21.3
|-
| colspan=2 | [[European Canadian|European]] || 11,285 || 76.3
|-
| colspan=2 | ''Total population'' || ''14,790'' || ''100''
|}

==Economy==

[[Forestry]], [[tourism]] and [[mining]] are the three largest sectors of the Kenora economy. The population balloons in the spring and summer to almost double the normal population when summer residents move in. The Lake of the Woods and numerous smaller lakes situated all around Kenora are the major draw for cottagers who summer here. Many are from the neighbouring province of Manitoba and the state of Minnesota.

===Tourism===
Kenora, a site of natural attractions, has visitors from all over the world year round. In the summer months visitors come to the area to undertake activities including swimming, biking, fishing, hiking, and boating.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}} Kenora's tourist industry is also active during the winter months as visitors come not only to observe its natural environment but also to partake in ice fishing, snowboarding, skiing (both downhill and cross country) and snowmachining.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}}

Kenora has two travel information centres. One is the newly renovated (2011) pavilion, located on the Harbourfront. The second information centre, called the Discovery Centre, opened July 22, 2011, and serves visitors year-round from its location at 931 Lake View Drive (just off of Highway 17 West, also known as the Trans Canada highway).{{citation needed|date=February 2019}}

==Arts and culture==
The Lake of the Woods Museum and Douglas Family Art Centre are located at The MUSE.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://themusekenora.ca/ |access-date=2022-04-02 |website=The Muse - Lake of the Woods Museum {{!}} Douglas Family Art Centre |language=en-CA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Patrons honoured at Douglas Family Art Centre opening |url=https://kenoraminerandnews.com/news/local-news/patrons-honoured-at-douglas-family-art-centre-opening |access-date=2022-04-02 |website=kenoraminerandnews |language=en-CA}}</ref>

Harbourfront, a park on the shore of Lake of the Woods, hosts the city's annual winter and summer festivals, as well as concerts.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

[[Husky the Muskie]], a {{convert|40|ft|m}} statue of a fighting [[muskellunge]], is located in McLeod Park.

The city's downtown core has a public arts project, with 20 murals depicting the region's history painted on buildings in the business district.

The city is home to a major international freshwater [[Largemouth bass|bass]] fishing tournament.

Kenora is sometimes stereotyped as an archetypal "[[hoser]]" community, evidenced by the phrase "Kenora dinner jacket"<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.canadianaconnection.com/cca/headlines.html | title = True North strong and plaid | work = Globe & Mail | access-date = 23 September 2006 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061005064441/http://www.canadianaconnection.com/cca/headlines.html | archive-date = 5 October 2006 | url-status = live }}</ref> as a nickname for a hoser's [[Mackinaw cloth|flannel shirt]].

[[St. Alban's Cathedral (Kenora)|St. Alban's Anglican Cathedral]] is in Kenora.

The now-defunct [[Kenora Thistles]] ice hockey won the [[Stanley Cup]] in 1907, making Kenora the smallest city to have ever won the trophy.<ref>* {{Citation|last1=Danakas|first1=John|last2=Brignall|first2=Richard|title=Small Town Glory: The Story of the Kenora Thistles' Remarkable Quest for the Stanley Cup|year=2006|publisher=James Lorimer & Company|location=Toronto|isbn=978-1-55028-961-9}}</ref> Many local contemporary ice hockey clubs pay homage to the team by using its name, including the town's amateur, junior, and senior-level men's team.<ref>* {{Citation|last=Milton|first=Steve|title=Kenora Thistles Have Lots Of History – But Not Much Ice Time|newspaper=[[Hamilton Spectator]]|location=Hamilton, Ontario|date=April 11, 2014|url=https://www.thespec.com/sports-story/4462359-kenora-thistles-have-lots-of-history-but-not-much-ice-time/|access-date=February 16, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190217084907/https://www.thespec.com/sports-story/4462359-kenora-thistles-have-lots-of-history-but-not-much-ice-time/|archive-date=February 17, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Government==
[[File:Kenora ON 2.JPG|thumbnail|right|Kenora City Hall]]
Kenora is represented in the [[House of Commons of Canada|House of Commons]] by [[Conservative Party of Canada|Conservative]] [[Member of Parliament (Canada)|MP]] [[Eric Melillo]], and in the [[Legislative Assembly of Ontario]] by [[Member of Provincial Parliament (Ontario)|MPP]] [[Greg Rickford]] of the [[Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario]].

[[Dave Canfield]] served as mayor from 2000 until 2006, when he was defeated by [[Len Compton]] in the [[2006 Ontario municipal elections|2006 municipal election]]; Compton did not run in the [[2010 Ontario municipal elections|2010 municipal election]], however, and Canfield was re-elected as his successor.<ref>"Former mayor to lead council of veterans, newcomers". ''Kenora Daily Miner'', October 26, 2010.</ref> The current mayor is Andrew Poirier.

Some residents of Kenora, citing dissatisfaction with the level of government service provided to the region by the provincial government, have proposed that the region secede from Ontario to join the province of [[Manitoba]].<ref>{{cite news |author= |date=August 4, 2005 |title=Ontario city wants to secede, join Manitoba |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ontario-city-wants-to-secede-join-manitoba-1.552123 |work=[[CBC News]] |location= |publisher= |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111194240/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ontario-city-wants-to-secede-join-manitoba-1.552123 |archive-date=November 11, 2020 |access-date=May 12, 2025}}</ref>

==Infrastructure==

===Transportation===
[[File:Kenora ON 1.JPG|thumb|Main Street/Highway 17 in Kenora]]

[[Via Rail]] offers passenger service to [[Redditt, Ontario|Redditt]] on the [[Canadian National Railway|CN]] transcontinental rail line, approximately 30 minutes and {{convert|20|km|0|abbr=on}} north of Kenora. The [[Canadian Pacific Railway|CP]] transcontinental rail line passes directly through town.

[[Kenora Airport]] is located {{convert|5|NM|lk=in}} east northeast of the city centre.<ref>{{CFS}}</ref>

[[M.S. Kenora]] is a cruise located at the waterfront.

[[Ontario Highway 17|Highway 17]] passes through Kenora's urban core, and the [[Ontario Highway 17A|Highway 17A]] Kenora By-Pass goes around the city. Both routes are designated as part of the [[Trans-Canada Highway]]. [[Ontario Highway 658|Highway 658]] extends northerly from Kenora to Redditt.

[[Kenora Transit]] operates three routes, from Monday to Saturday, 7:00am to 6:30pm.<ref>[http://www.kenora.ca/portal/living/public/transport.aspx?id=1223&TierSlicer1_TSMenuTargetID=1223&TierSlicer1_TSMenuTargetType=1&TierSlicer1_TSMenuID=238 Kenora Transit] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080229045713/http://www.kenora.ca/portal/living/public/transport.aspx?id=1223&TierSlicer1_TSMenuTargetID=1223&TierSlicer1_TSMenuTargetType=1&TierSlicer1_TSMenuID=238 |date=2008-02-29 }}. Accessed 14 January 2008.</ref>

===Health care===
Kenora's hospital, Lake of the Woods District Hospital, has three facilities in the city: the hospital itself, Morningstar Rehabilitation Centre, and Mental Health and Addictions services, located in St. Joseph's Health Centre.{{citation needed|date=September 2018}}

=== Housing ===
Since Kenora is one of two judicial districts in [[Northwestern Ontario]],<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=http://www.lawtimesnews.com/201304082121/headline-news/cdlpa-head-worried-about-northern-ontario-justice-system|title=CDLPA head worried about northern Ontario justice system|last=Bruineman|first=Marg.|date=April 8, 2013|work=Law Times|access-date=January 4, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170105175815/http://www.lawtimesnews.com/201304082121/headline-news/cdlpa-head-worried-about-northern-ontario-justice-system|archive-date=January 5, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> it has disproportionate housing shortage as people from across the region with little to no social support in Kenora are unable to find places to stay after release from prison or while waiting in the city before their court dates.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/kenora-homelessness-1.3691554|title='Ovewhelmed' courts and 'unsustainable' policing costs cause for concern in Kenora district|date=July 25, 2016|newspaper=[[CBC News]]|access-date=January 4, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170105084306/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/kenora-homelessness-1.3691554|archive-date=January 5, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> The situation worsened in 2013, when the judge in the [[Rainy River District]] moved and the position and its responsibilities was transferred to Kenora.<ref name=":0" />

=== Military ===
The federal government maintains an armoury (Kenora Armoury at 800-11th Avenue North) in Kenora for the [[116th Independent Field Battery, RCA]].

==Education==
Two school boards and 2 community colleges function in the Kenora area.

The [[Keewatin-Patricia District School Board]] operates one high school ([[Beaver Brae Secondary School]]) and four elementary schools (Keewatin Public School, Evergreen School, King George IV School, and Valleyview School).

The [[Kenora Catholic District School Board]] operates one high school (Saint Thomas Aquinas High School) and three elementary schools (École Ste. Marguerite-Bourgeois, Pope John Paul II School and St. Louis School). The elementary school, officially named Pope John Paul II, amalgamated approximately 350 students from the former Mount Carmel and Our Lady of the Valley schools. École Ste. Marguerite-Bourgeois is a [[French immersion]] school.

[[Confederation College]] has a Kenora campus and serves post-secondary and adult education needs in the city and surrounding area. Seven Generations Post Secondary Institute also offer post secondary courses, focusing on Indigenous teachings.

Housed within the college is [[Contact North]], which offers Kenora residents local access to university and college programs not directly offered by the college campus. Contact North is Ontario's most extensive distance education network providing access to education and training opportunities in remote locations of Northern Ontario through a network of access centres. Contact North works with 13 colleges and universities.

There is also an Indigenous college and education facility called Seven Generations, located in the building that once housed Lakewood Junior High School before becoming Seven Generations Education Institute. It prepares Indigenous and non-Indigenous students for work within the community and surrounding region.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.7generations.org/?page_id=106|title=History|publisher=Seven Generations Education Institute|access-date=June 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180301000502/http://www.7generations.org/?page_id=106|archive-date=March 1, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Geological significance==
One of Earth's earliest [[supercontinents]], a large landmass comprising several of today's [[continents]], predating [[Pangaea]] by 2.4 billion years, has been termed ''[[Kenorland]]'' by geologists, named after the [[Algoman orogeny|Kenoran orogeny]] (also called the Algoman orogeny),<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Salminen|first1=Johnna|title=Ancient Supercontinents and the Paleogeography of Earth|last2=Pehrsson|first2=Sally|last3=Evans|first3=David A.D.|last4=Wang|first4=Chong|publisher=Elsevier|year=2021|isbn=978-0128185346|editor-last=Pesonen|editor-first=Lauri J.|pages=466|chapter=Neoarchean-Paleoproterozoic supercycles|editor-last2=Salminen|editor-first2=Johanna|editor-last3=Elming|editor-first3=Sten-Ake|editor-last4=Evans|editor-first4=David A.D.|editor-last5=Veikkolainen|editor-first5=Toni}}</ref> which in turn was named after the town of Kenora, Ontario.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Gower|first1=Charles F.|last2=Clifford|first2=Paul M.|date=1981|title=The structural geometry and geological history of Archean rocks at Kenora, north-western Ontario—a proposed type area for the Kenoran Orogeny|url=https://doi.org/10.1139/e81-103|journal=Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences|volume=18 |issue=6 |pages=1075–1091 |doi=10.1139/e81-103 |bibcode=1981CaJES..18.1075G |url-access=subscription}}</ref> In Kenora, rocks and geomagnetic evidence have been found which support Kenorland's creation approximately 2.72 billion years ago (2.72 Ga) as a result of a series of accretion events and the formation of new continental crust,<ref>{{Harvnb|Halla|2005|loc=Introduction, p. 22}}</ref> demarcating the earliest identifiably known land on Earth.

==Media==
The major news source in Kenora is the ''[[Kenora Miner and News]]''.

===Radio===
* FM 89.5 - [[CJRL-FM]] ("89.5 The Lake"), [[adult contemporary]]
* FM 93.5 - [[CKSB-10-FM|CKSB-7-FM]], [[Ici Radio-Canada Première]] (relays CKSB-10-FM, [[Winnipeg]])
* FM 98.7 - [[CBQT-FM|CBQX-FM]], [[CBC Radio One]] (relays CBQT-FM, [[Thunder Bay]])
* FM 101.3 - [[CKWO-FM]], ("101.3 The Gap"), Wauzhushk Onigum Nation (also serves the Kenora area), [[First Nations in Canada|First Nations]] [[community radio]]
* FM 104.5 - [[CKQV-FM|CKQV-FM-2]] ("Q104"), [[classic hits]] (relays CKQV-FM, [[Vermilion Bay, Ontario|Vermilion Bay]])

===Television===
Kenora was Canada's smallest (and North America's second smallest) television market, served by only one television station, [[CJBN-TV]] channel 13, a [[Global Television Network|Global]] affiliate that ceased broadcasting in January 2017. The Kenora region is not designated as a mandatory market for [[Digital television in Canada|digital television conversion]]. The [[Winnipeg]] outlets of [[CBC Television]] ([[CBWT-DT]]), [[Ici Radio-Canada Télé|Radio-Canada]] ([[CBWFT-DT]]), [[CTV Television Network|CTV]] ([[CKY-DT]]), [[Global Television Network|Global]] ([[CKND-DT]]) and [[Citytv]] ([[CHMI-DT]]) are piped in via cable.

==Notable people==
{{Div col}}
*[[Gary Bergman]], former NHL and Team Canada 1972 player
*[[Glory Annen Clibbery]], actress
*[[Ralph Connor]], writer
*[[Tim Coulis]], former NHL player
*[[Abigail Dent]], silver medalist in women's rowing at the 2024 Olympic Games
*[[Phil Eyler]], politician
*[[Si Griffis|Silas Griffis]], member of the [[Hockey Hall of Fame]]
*[[Peter Heenan]], municipal/provincial/federal politician
*[[Robert Hilles]], poet
*[[Tom Hooper (ice hockey)|Tom Hooper]], member of the Hockey Hall of Fame
*[[Wab Kinew]], 25th premier of Manitoba since October 18, 2023
*[[Kyle Koch]], former CFL offensive guard (Toronto Argonauts)
*[[Victor Lindquist]], Olympic hockey gold medal winner (1932)
*[[Shane Lunny]], designer and producer, business founder
*[[Eric Melillo]], MP
*[[Bob Nault]], former MP and Indian Affairs Minister
*[[Dennis Olson (ice hockey)|Dennis Olson]], ice hockey player
*[[Tom Phillips (ice hockey)|Tom Phillips]], member of the Hockey Hall of Fame
*[[Mike Richards (ice hockey)|Mike Richards]], ice hockey player
*[[Greg Rickford]], MPP and Ontario Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines
*[[Rick St. Croix]], former NHL goaltender and assistant coach for the [[Toronto Maple Leafs]]
*[[John Edward Schwitzer]], former town engineer, later [[Canadian Pacific Railway]] assistant chief engineer, known for [[Big Hill]] project
*[[Jacques Schyrgens]], painter
*[[Mike Smith (decathlon)|Mike Smith]], silver medalist in the decathlon at the 1991 World Championships{{Div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{Refbegin}}
* {{Cite book
| last1 = Halla | first1 = J.
| chapter = Neoarchean sanukitoids (2.74–2.70 Ga)
| editor1-last = Halla | editor1-first = J.
| editor2-last = Nironen | editor2-first = M.
| editor3-last = Lauri | editor3-first = L. S.
| editor4-last = Kurhila | editor4-first = M. I.
| editor5-last = Käpyaho | editor5-first = A.
| editor6-last = Sorjonen-Ward | editor6-first = P.
| editor7-last = Äikäs | editor7-first = O.
| title = Eurogranites 2005: Proterozoic and Archean Granites and Related Rocks of the Finnish Precambrian
| year = 2005 | publisher = University of Helsinki
| chapter-url = http://www.helsinki.fi/geo/staff/kurhila/Eurogranites2005.pdf | access-date = March 12, 2016
}}
{{Refend}}

==Notes==

{{notelist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Kenora}}
* {{wikivoyage-inline|Kenora}}
*{{official|http://www.kenora.ca}}

{{Geographic location
| Centre = Kenora
| North = [[Unorganized Kenora District|Unorganized Kenora]] ([[Redditt]])
| Northeast =
| East = [[Unorganized Kenora District|Unorganized Kenora]]
| Southeast =
| South = [[Kenora 38B, Ontario|Kenora 38B]] ''[[Lake of the Woods]]''
| Southwest = [[Rat Portage 38A, Ontario|Rat Portage 38A]]
| West = [[Unorganized Kenora District|Unorganized Kenora]]
| Northwest = [[Ochiichagwe'Babigo'Ining Ojibway Nation|The Dalles 38C]]
}}
{{Kenora District}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Kenora| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Ontario]]
[[Category:Hudson's Bay Company trading posts]]
[[Category:Portages in Canada]]
[[Category:Single-tier municipalities in Ontario]]