Thompson, Manitoba
Thompson, Manitoba is a city in Manitoba. It is the largest city in northern Manitoba, and it is located 739 km north of Winnipeg and 396 km north-east of Flin Flon. As of the 2001 census, Thompson had a population of 13,256.
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History
The modern history of Thompson began in 1956 when on February 4, a major ore body was discovered by use of an airborne electromagnetometer following ten years of mining exploration in the region. Inco Limited signed an agreement with the Manitoba government covering the construction of the mine, mill, smelter, and refinery, as well as town services. The agreement also required that the company provide financial assistance towards the Kelsey Generating System, and a spur line to connect with C.N's Bay Line near Thicket Portage. Thompson is a planned community named after Inco's chairman, John F. Thompson, and was incorporated as a town in 1967 on Canada's Centennial Anniversary. In 1970 Thompson was incorporated as a city in the royal presence of Queen Elizabeth II, having reached a population of 20,000. A decline in population occurred during the following decades, levelling off around 14,000 people. Thompson came to be known as "The Hub of the North", as it functions as a centre for politics and commerce in the region.
Industry
Its most prominent local industry is nickel mining. Many Federal, Provincial, and Aboriginal government agencies have offices in Thompson. Thompson has a large retail sector, providing such things as vehicles and groceries to many in the outlying region, who come to take advantage of the lower prices found there, mainly on the weekends. The aviation sector is also quite busy as Thompson boasts the 3rd busiest airport in Manitoba.
Education
The local School District of Mystery Lake encompasses six elementary grade schools (Deerwood, Burntwood, Westwood, Riverside, Juniper, and Wapanohk (formerly Eastwood)) and one high school, R.D. Parker Collegiate.
Thompson also offers a K-12 French immersion program. Parents must enroll their children in the program and send them to École Riverside School and then afterwards they can continue it in high school. Students do not have the option of switching to French immersion in secondary school if they did not take the course at some point while in elementary school.
There is also the opportunity to receive K-8 education in the Cree language. This immersion program begins at Wapanohk (formerly Eastwood) elementary school and continues into the high school with less intensity, offering First Nations studies as well.
Thompson contains one of the two main campuses of the University College of the North, as well as the University of Manitoba's Faculty of Social Work branch in the region.
Sports
Thompson is home to the Norman Northstars ice hockey team who play in the Manitoba AAA Midget Hockey League.
Thompson's minor hockey teams are known as the King Miners.
The high school teams are called the RD Parker Trojans. The main rivals of the Trojans are the Hapnot Kopper Kings from Flin Flon and the MBCI Spartans from The Pas.
Every year students from the six elementary schools in grades 4-8 compete in the Knights of Columbus Track Meet. The most successful school to date in the competition has been Juniper School.
Thompson also has a large 6-sheet curling rink known as the Burntwood Curling Club which has hosted several zone and provincial competitions.
Circuit Court
Thompson is unique in that it is the judicial center for an enormous geographic area ranging from Norway House in the South to Churchill in the North. Judges and lawyers based in Thompson regularly travel by small plane on circuit court to various remote communities and reserves to hold court.
Media
Radio
- AM 610: CHTM (Adult Contemporary)
- FM 96.3: CINC (NCI)
- FM 99.9: CKSB-5 (La Première Chaîne)
- FM 100.9: CBWK (CBC Radio One)
Television
External links
- City of Thompson tourism site
- Thompson's Restaurants (Food Inc)
- Thompson's Classified Ads
- Official website of R.D.Parker Collegiate
- Information about law firms in Thompson
 | Manitoba |
|---|---|
| Regions | Winnipeg Capital Region - Central Plains - Eastman - Interlake - Northern - Parkland - Pembina Valley - Westman |
| Census divisions | 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18 - 19 - 20 - 21 - 22 - 23 |
| Cities | Brandon - Dauphin - Flin Flon - Portage la Prairie - Selkirk - Steinbach - Thompson - Winkler - Winnipeg |
| List of communities in Manitoba - List of rural municipalities in Manitoba |
Categories
Cities in Manitoba