Timmins
Around Timmins
Photo: P199 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Town and around · Ontario · 41k people
Timmins
Locals say Porcupine · “City with a Heart of Gold”
Where the north begins and gold flows
GoldForest GreenDeep Blue
Welcome to Timmins, the heart of the Porcupine! Whether you're here for the gold rush history or the endless boreal forest, you'll find friendly faces and plenty of outdoor adventures. Grab a poutine and hit the trails – this is a place where the seasons shape your days.
Clubs for Timmins
No clubs for Timmins yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Timmins. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Timmins. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat World's largest polar bear habitat.
- Timmins Museum: National Exhibition Centre Local history and art.
- Hollinger Park Central park with a lake and trails.
- Gillies Lake Conservation Area Popular for swimming and walking.
- Porcupine Lake Great for fishing and boating.
- Kap-Kig-Iwan Provincial Park Waterfalls and hiking near Kapuskasing.
- Outdoors Ice fishing on Porcupine Lake
- Outdoors Snowmobiling on OFSC trails
- With kids Visit the Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat
- With kids Swim at Gillies Lake
- Evenings Catch a Timmins Rock game
- Evenings Live music at local taverns
- Locals love Ice fishing huts
- Locals love Snowmobile trails
Through the year
- Rock on the River July Summer music festival at Hollinger Park.
- Porcupine Lake Ice Fishing Derby February Annual ice fishing competition.
- Kapuskasing Winter Carnival February Family fun with ice sculptures and activities.
- Hearst Beef Festival June Celebrates local beef with food and entertainment.
- Timmins Snowarama January Snowmobile rally and fundraiser.
Timmins has a humid continental climate with long, cold winters and short, warm summers. The best time to be out is summer for outdoor activities, while winter offers world-class snowmobiling and ice fishing. Best: Summer (June-August) for hiking and boating; winter for snowmobiling and ice fishing.
Talk like a local
- “The Porcupine”
- The Timmins area.
- “Bush”
- Wilderness or forest.
- “Muskeg”
- A bog or swamp.
- “Casse-croûte”
- A snack bar or small restaurant.
Getaways
- Rouyn-Noranda Arts and culture in Quebec.
- Greater Sudbury Science North and big-city amenities.
- Amos A taste of Quebec's Abitibi region.
Local flavour
Teams
- Timmins Rock NOJHL
- Cochrane Crunch NOJHL
- Hearst Lumberjacks NOJHL
- Kapuskasing Flyers NOJHL
Also rooting for Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators
Eat and drink
- Poutine A Canadian staple with local variations, often topped with wild game or local cheese.
- Tourtière A French-Canadian meat pie, common in the region's Francophone communities.
- Bannock
Where people go
- Ice fishing huts Winter tradition on frozen lakes.
- Snowmobile trails Extensive networks through the boreal forest.
- Polar bear habitat Cochrane's Polar Bear Habitat is a unique attraction.
- Boreal forest lakes Remote, clear‑water lakes for canoeing and fishing.
Heritage and traditions
Timmins and the surrounding communities take pride in their frontier spirit, shaped by the Porcupine Gold Rush and a strong Francophone heritage, set against the vast boreal forest and a deep love for winter life.
This time of year in Timmins
- Moose hunting Fall Hunters take to the bush for moose, a tradition for many families.
Say it like a local: “Câline” — A mild exclamation of surprise or frustration.
Festivals
- Fête de la Saint-Jean-Baptiste June French-Canadian celebration on June 24 with bonfires, music, and community gatherings in Hearst and Kapuskasing.
- Timmins Multicultural Festival June Showcases the region's diverse cultures with food, dance, and crafts.
Landmarks with a story
- St. Anthony's Cathedral (Timmins) Roman Catholic cathedral and seat of the Diocese of Timmins, a landmark of the city's religious heritage.
- Cochrane Railway and Forest Industry Museum Housed in a historic railway station, it tells the story of the railway and lumber industries.
- Hollinger Mine Site Once one of the largest gold mines in North America, now a heritage site with interpretive panels.
- Kapuskasing's Historic Downtown A planned town built around the pulp mill, featuring early 20th-century architecture.
Food traditions
- Maple syrup production In spring, families visit sugar shacks to collect sap and boil it down for syrup – a tradition brought by French-Canadian settlers.
- Wild rice harvesting Indigenous communities gather manoomin (wild rice) from local lakes in late summer, a practice passed down for generations.
- Fish fry (pickerel) In summer, locals enjoy shore lunches of freshly caught walleye fried over an open fire – a staple of camp life.
- Cretons A French-Canadian pork spread served on toast for breakfast, common in Hearst and Kapuskasing.
- Pâté chinois A shepherd's pie-like dish with ground beef, corn, and potatoes – comfort food in Francophone households.
Music and arts
- Franco-Ontarian folk music Traditional fiddle tunes and songs are kept alive at community gatherings and festivals.
- Indigenous drumming and singing Cree and Ojibwe drum groups perform at powwows and cultural events.
- Country music scene Local bars and festivals feature country bands, reflecting the rural northern lifestyle.
- Snow sculpture art During winter carnivals, artists carve elaborate ice and snow sculptures.
A little history
- 1909 Porcupine Gold Rush
- 1905-06 Treaty 9 (James Bay Treaty)
- 1910s Construction of the National Transcontinental Railway
- 1911 Great Fire of 1911
- 1920s Franco-Ontarian settlement
Rivalries
- Timmins Rock vs Cochrane Crunch NOJHL hockey rivalry.
- Hearst Lumberjacks vs Kapuskasing Flyers NOJHL hockey rivalry.
- Timmins vs Kapuskasing Friendly competition in local sports.
- Game day Minor hockey
- Game day Curling
- Outdoors Cross-country skiing
- Outdoors Snowshoeing
- With kids Making maple taffy on snow
- With kids Playing road hockey
The region is largely bilingual, with many residents speaking a mix of English and French, especially in Hearst and Kapuskasing. English speakers have a distinct Northern Ontario accent with a slight drawl and frequent use of 'eh'.
Only here
- The Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat is the only facility in the world dedicated to the care of polar bears.
- The Chapleau Crown Game Preserve is the largest game preserve in the world, covering over 7,000 square kilometres.
- Timmins is known as the 'City with a Heart of Gold' due to its gold mining history.
- The Kapuskasing Winter Carnival features an ice palace that is one of the largest in Canada.
New here? A few tips
- Learn some French, especially if you're moving to Hearst or Kapuskasing, where French is the primary language.
- Invest in a good winter jacket, boots, and winter tires—winters are long and cold.
- Try local foods like poutine, tourtière, and maple syrup products.
- Get involved in winter activities like ice fishing or snowmobiling to make friends.
- Be prepared for the isolation—towns are far apart, so plan your errands.
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Nearby
Every areaCochrane DistrictOntarioBig skies, deep forests, and northern hearts.AbitibiQuebecWhere the forest meets the gold.Timiskaming DistrictOntarioLakes, pines, and northern skies.Rouyn-NorandaQuebecWhere the north begins, and hearts stay warm.TémiscamingueQuebecBig skies, deep lakes, and the quiet hum of the north.Greater SudburyOntarioRock solid, nickel strong.AmosQuebecHeart of the Abitibi
Timmins. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.