Municipality Of Red Lake

Though the community of Red Lake is less than a century old, people have lived in the area for hundreds of years. Early inhabitants were the Cree and Sioux Nations but approximately 300 years ago the Ojibway people became the dominant culture.

Nowadays the population of Red Lake is over 4,000 and is spread throughout the town sites of Red Lake, Madsen, Starratt-Olsen, Balmertown, Cochenour and McKenzie Island. The municipality is strategically located in the upper northwest corner of Ontario, where residents enjoy the natural beauty of the area’s pristine lakes, rivers, streams, forests and clear blue skies.

Small-town life in Red Lake offers residents minimal commutes, ample housing, excellent education, low crime rates and an abundance of recreational and cultural facilities. The municipal government of Red Lake is committed to developing a sustainable community that provides high quality opportunities in all areas of life.

The Red Lake Margaret Cochenour Memorial Hospital is an 18-bed facility and is served by the Red Lake/Ear Falls Ambulance Service. Offering 24/7 emergency services, the hospital is equipped to meet basic health care needs and secondary services are available through local health providers or visiting specialists.

The newly constructed Goldcorp Red Lake Regional Medical Centre hosts a Family Health Team which offers services from physicians, nurse practitioners, a dietician and registered nurses.  This medical centre also provides non-emergency care, with minimal waiting time.

The Municipality of Red Lake website www.redlake.ca provides more information about living in Red Lake and its health care, local infrastructure and municipal services.

Visit www.myredlake.com to find all the information you will need when considering making Red Lake your new home.

Red Lake was established in the 19th century as an outpost for fur trading between the local Ojibway and the European settlers. As the fur industry struggled in the late 19th century, an exciting new gold mining industry took its place.

Mining continues to have a major economic influence in the Red Lake area. Goldcorp Red Lake Gold Mines is the largest employer in the region employing close to 1,000 people. www.goldcorp.com

Forestry has also played a significant role in the local economy. Timber and wood by-products are harvested in the area and shipped across Northwestern Ontario.

With over 100 fishing and hunting camps in the Red Lake region, tourism factors significantly in the regional economy. Eco-tourism is currently growing in popularity and presents new opportunity for employment and innovation. Additional employment exists in the hospitality, retail and service sectors which cater to the major industries in Red Lake as well as local residents.

For additional employment opportunities, go to www.myredlake.com

Child care is provided by three municipally-run facilities, offering a full range of services from full day to half-day and after-school care as well. In addition, the Red Lake EarlyON Child and Family Centre offers information and support to parents of children under the age of 6, as well as a variety of programs and opportunities for socialization.  For additional information visit:  www.fireflynw.ca/early-on

The Red Lake area is fortunate to be serviced by excellent school facilities, very well qualified staff and a wide range of programming and services, provided by a public and a Catholic separate school system as well as a French Elementary School and a Post-Secondary School. Local schools are:

• St. John’s Separate School
• Red Lake-Madsen Public School
• Golden Learning Centre
• École catholique des Étoiles-du-Nord
• Red Lake District High School
• Red Lake Adult Learning Centre
• Confederation College

The Boards of Education have been able to organize their schools to offer small class sizes. Staff is assigned to assist special needs students, assessment services are provided and innovative programming initiatives have been repeatedly demonstrated.

For more information about educational facilities, visit www.myredlake.com

The Municipality of Red Lake’s goal is to attract new investments and grow existing business in our community.

The Municipality of Red Lake is committed to improving the economic well-being of Red Lake residents through the growth and expansion of local businesses and the attraction of new businesses to the area. We work closely with the local community development corporation: Chukuni Communities Development Corporation and the Red Lake Chamber of Commerce.   The goal is to strengthen the Red Lake business environment by making the Municipality an attractive place to live, work and operate a business.

Best known for its endless wilderness, Red Lake showcases the very best of the boreal forest and the Canadian Shield, making it the perfect location for enjoying the outdoors. There are hundreds of clean and clear fresh-water lakes scattered throughout the area, surrounded by deep forests. Together with stunning sunsets and dancing northern lights, the scenery here creates images you won't soon forget.

The Municipality of Red Lake is considered the gateway to Woodland Caribou Provincial Park.  Nestled within the unscathed boreal forest, this park boasts numerous lakes and rivers and is every paddler’s paradise.  Red Lake is also the gateway to the newly name UNESCO World Heritage Site:  Pimachiowin Aki, whose boundaries overlap within the Woodland Caribou Provincial Park.

Numerous municipal parks are located throughout Red Lake offering individuals and families safe and pleasant surroundings in which to relax, play, or explore the unique history of the area. Picnic areas are available at beaches equipped with BBQ pits, horseshoe pits and play areas for children. In addition, many natural beaches and picnic areas are located along the shores of our beautiful area lakes.

Many residents are avid fishermen and hunters or those who enjoy snowmobiling, hiking and boating right at their doorsteps. Others prefer organized indoor and outdoor recreation including swimming, team sports, curling and fitness classes.

Red Lake recreational amenities:

• Splash pad
• Tennis courts (one with lights)
• Baseball diamonds (one with lights)
• 18 hole golf course
• Soccer fields
• Public beaches
• Indoor arena
• Community centres
• Indoor curling rink
• Outdoor skating rinks
• Cross-country ski trails
• Groomed snowmobile trails
• Bowling alley
• Regulation-size indoor swimming pool (with exercise, sauna and weight rooms)
• Regulation size squash courts (including climb-max, lifecycle and weight room)

Red Lake enjoys a long and continuous history of float plane transportation. Red Lake’s annual event, held the third week in July is the Norseman Festival.  This festival is based on the historic Canadian-made float plane known as the Norseman. This festival attracts enthusiasts worldwide.  The festival offers a variety of family events and entertainment, a softball tournament, food and craft vendors, headlining concerts in the park and a show of spectacular fireworks. 

The Winter Carnival hosted annually during the Family Day weekend offers a variety of family activities and entertainment throughout the weekend including, cardboard box races, dog sleds, and curling bonspiels and hockey tournaments held right on the natural ice in Howey Bay.

Held during the second weekend in June Red Lake’s Kinsmen (Keesic) Beach is host to the Red Lake Community Pow Wow.  This event is open to all and is a true reflection of the local culture and heritage of our Anishinaabe people.

The Red Lake Fall Classic Walleye Fishing Tournament is held during the September long weekend and hosts 130 boats.  This annual fishing tournament fills up fast and attracts anglers from all across Canada.

From music festivals and fishing derbies to winter activities, curling bonspiels and other sporting events, Red Lake offers plenty of recreational activities that everyone can enjoy. For more information visit www.myredlake.com

We moved to Red Lake over 6 years ago, what an adventure this has been and what a big change from what we are used to coming from Costa Rica. The Red lake community welcomed us and helped us settled in this unknown northern town as soon as we came in, we made friends very easily our friends here had become our family away from home. Everyone has welcome and shown interest to learn our culture, language, food, etc. as much as possible even how to Salsa dance, they've made us feel special as immigrants and that we are an important addition to this community.

The weather of course was a big shock, but in Red Lake we really experience the winter to its fullest, ice fishing, skiing, curling, hockey, toboggan, even thou we lived in southern Ontario for a couple years before Red Lake, we never experienced true Canadian living like we do here. Summer is definitely short but very full of outdoor activities, every day after work its like cottage living, go for a walk and finish it up with a refreshing swim in the lake, or just go for a relaxing boat ride and great fishing; nothing better than catching your own fresh dinner; also, weekends competing in the baseball tournaments, volleyball, soccer, camping in your own backyard, wildlife is very close around us, it reminds us of our home country it makes us feel like home even thou we are thousands of miles away, we love it here and look forward to spending many years to come.

Deikel Orocu Arce

Industrial & Computer Sciences Engineer

working as the IT-Finance Administrator at the Red Lake Hospital

Edgar Arce Saenz (Tutty), Underground miner.

In Red Lake we really experience the winter to its fullest; ice fishing, skiing, curling, hockey, and tobogganing. Even though we lived in southern Ontario for a couple years before coming to Red Lake, we never experienced true Canadian living like we do here. Summer is definitely short but very full of outdoor activities. Every day after work it’s like cottage living. We go for a walk and finish it up with a refreshing swim in the lake, or just go for a relaxing boat ride and great fishing; nothing better than catching your own fresh dinner. At weekends, we compete in baseball tournaments, volleyball, soccer, camping in our own backyard and wildlife is very close around us. It reminds us of our home country and makes us feel at home even though we are thousands of miles away. We really love it here and look forward to spending many years to come.

Edgar Arce Saenz (Tutty)

Underground Miner