North Bay

North Bay is a city in Nipissing District, Ontario, that stretches along the northern shore of Lake Nipissing and connects three major railway lines. The city sits at an elevation of 197 meters above sea level and serves as a regional hub for transportation and services in northern Ontario.

The city formed in 1891 as the southern terminus of the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway, which opened access to raw materials and settlers moving into northern regions. The discovery of the Dionne Quintuplets in nearby Callander in 1934 brought hundreds of thousands of visitors to the area and reshaped the local economy for several decades.

The name comes from its location on the northern bay of Lake Nipissing, where residential and commercial districts spread around the historic railway core. Along the waterfront promenade, locals gather for walks and fishing, while the main street still carries the legacy of its railway era roots.

The airport offers regular flights to Toronto and provides an important air link for communities across northern Ontario. The city is surrounded by dense forests and numerous lakes, so visitors should plan for longer travel times between places and prepare for changing weather conditions.

Deep beneath the city surface, an underground military complex carved into granite has operated since 1963 as part of the Canadian NORAD system. This bunker monitors airspace and remains closed to visitors, yet it forms a key part of the regional infrastructure.

Location: Nipissing District

Inception: 1891

Elevation above the sea: 197 m

Shares border with: Unorganized North Nipissing District, East Ferris, Callander

Address: North Bay, ON, Canada

Website: https://northbay.ca

GPS coordinates: 46.30917,-79.46139

Latest update: December 12, 2025 05:30