Atikokan, Ontario
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Atikokan (2001 population 3,632) is a township in Rainy River District in Northwestern Ontario, Canada.
Atikokan (Ojibway for "Caribou Bones"), was founded over 100 years ago. A small town in Northern Ontario whose main sources of employment are an Ontario Power Generation thermal power plant about 20KM outside of town and two forest product mills, Fibratech and Atikokan Forest Products (Located 30 Km east at Sapawe).
Atikokan was originally established primarily as a rail stop for the Canadian National Railway. Before the 2nd World War, however, mineral exploration in the area determined the presence of a large, high grade, iron ore deposit at the bottom of Steep Rock Lake. After the war a large water diversion project on the Seine River system was undertaken to enable the draining and dredging of Steep Rock lake in order to develop open pit mining operations.
Two large mines (Steep Rock Iron Mines and Caland Ore Co.)commenced operations in the late 1950's and continued for more than 30 years. When the mines closed in the early 1980's the town of Atikokan suffered economically but continued to survive on other, natural resource based industries.
One interesting local project was the development of a 10MW hydroelectric generating station (Valerie Falls Power)on the same Seine River diversion that facilitated the opening of the mines 40 years earlier.
Atikokan is now known primarily for its beautiful canoe routes and proximity to hunting and fishing locations. It is locally known as The Canoe Capital of Canada.
Atikokan is one of the main points of entry into wilderness canoeing destination Quetico Provincial Park.
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