Black River-Matheson

For other places with the same name, see Black River.

Black River-Matheson is a township in the Cochrane District of the Canadian province of Ontario. The municipality is astride the Black River, for which it is partly named. The Matheson railway station was serviced by the Northlander until 2012. Ontario Northland Railway services will be reinstated in 2026.

Black River-Matheson
Township (single-tier)
Township of Black River-Matheson
The Vernon L. Miller Memorial Bridge taking Highway 101 across the Black River into Matheson
Black River-Matheson
Coordinates: 48°32′N 80°28′W / 48.533°N 80.467°W / 48.533; -80.467Coordinates: 48°32′N 80°28′W / 48.533°N 80.467°W / 48.533; -80.467
Country	Canada
Province	Ontario
District	Cochrane
Government
• Type	Township
• Mayor	Doug Bender
• Governing Body	Black River-Matheson Township Council
• MP	Charlie Angus (NDP)
• MPP	John Vanthof (NDP)
Area ^[1]
• Land	1,163.45 km^2 (449.21 sq mi)
Population  (2016)^[2]
• Total	2,438
• Density	2.1/km^2 (5/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
Postal code FSA	P0K
Area codes	705, 249
Website	www.blackriver-matheson.com

Matheson was first known as McDougall's Chute after an early trapper. Renamed for Arthur J. Matheson (1842-1913), provincial Treasurer and M.P.P. for South Lanark. Became part of Timmins on January 1, 1973.^[3]

Mining, forestry and farming are some of the principal industries in the area, augmented by outdoor tourism in the summer, such as fishing and hunting. There are three elementary schools within the municipality.

Communities

The communities in the township are Holtyre, Matheson, Ramore, Shillington, Val Gagné and Wavell. The main community of Matheson is located at the intersection of highways 11 and 101.

History

Prospecting started in 1909. The Croesus Mine (1914-1918) became "one of the richest mines in Canada," according to Barnes. Gold was like "plums in pudding" and "one gold nugget was egg shaped, two inches long and one and a quarter across." A total of 16 companies operated in the Harker Holloway area from 1917 to 1925, including Harker Gold Mines. P.A. McDermott found a gold-bearing zone in 1922, which became American Barrick's Holt-McDermott Mine in 1988. Located in the Abitibi greenstone belt, the mine produced 60,000 ounces of gold in 1994.^[4]

The Great Fire of 1916 left 243 dead.^[4]

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Black River-Matheson had a population of 2,572 living in 1,078 of its 1,403 total private dwellings, a change of 5.5% from its 2016 population of 2,438. With a land area of 1,161.89 km² (448.61 sq mi), it had a population density of 2.2/km² (5.7/sq mi) in 2021.^[5]

Canada census – Black River-Matheson community profile

	2021	2016	2011
Population	2,572 (+5.5% from 2016)	2,438 (+1.2% from 2011)	2,410 (-8.0% from 2006)
Land area	1,161.89 km^2 (448.61 sq mi)	1,163.45 km^2 (449.21 sq mi)	1,163.41 km^2 (449.20 sq mi)
Population density	2.2/km^2 (5.7/sq mi)	2.1/km^2 (5.4/sq mi)	2.1/km^2 (5.4/sq mi)
Median age	46.8 (M: 46.4, F: 47.2)	48.3 (M: 48.8, F: 47.6)
Total private dwellings	1,075	1,149	1,172
Median household income		$64,640

References: 2021^[6] 2016^[7] 2011^[8] earlier^[9][10]

Population trend:^{[1][9][10][11]}

• Population in 2016: 2,438^[2]
• Population in 2011: 2,410^[1]
• Population in 2006: 2,619
• Population in 2001: 2,912 (or 2,886 when adjusted for 2006 boundaries)
• Population in 1996: 3,220
• Population in 1991: 3,451

Notable people

• Harry Brightwell, Member of Parliament; born in Matheson.^[12]
• Bob McCord, professional hockey player; born in Matheson.^[13]
• Dianne Poole, Member of Provincial Parliament; raised in Matheson.

See also

• Bolton Lake
• Canadian Forces Station Ramore
• Wahgoshig First Nation
• Timmins—James Bay Electoral District
• List of townships in Ontario
• List of communities in Ontario
• List of francophone communities in Ontario
• Matachewan, Ontario
• Cobalt silver rush
• Porcupine Gold Rush
• Red Lake, Ontario
• Greenstone, Ontario

References

1. "Black River-Matheson census profile". 2011 Census of Population. Statistics Canada. Retrieved 2012-02-21.
2. "Census Profile, 2016 Census Black River-Matheson, Township". Statistics Canada. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
3. Hamilton, William (1978). The Macmillan Book of Canadian Place Names. Toronto: Macmillan. pp. 158. ISBN 0-7715-9754-1.
4. Barnes, Michael (1995). Gold in Ontario. Erin: The Boston Mills Press. pp. 95–100. ISBN 155046146X.
5. "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Ontario". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
6. "2021 Community Profiles". 2021 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. February 4, 2022. Retrieved 2022-04-27.
7. "2016 Community Profiles". 2016 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. August 12, 2021. Retrieved 2019-06-11.
8. "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. March 21, 2019. Retrieved 2012-02-21.
9. "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. August 20, 2019.
10. "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. July 18, 2021.
11. Statistics Canada 1996 Census - Community Highlights for Black River-Matheson
12. "BRIGHTWELL, A.H. Harry, D.V.M." Library of Parliament. Retrieved March 29, 2014.
13. "Bob Lomer McCord". Hockey Hall of Fame and Museum. Retrieved March 29, 2014.

External links

• Official website