Canton De Conmee

Conmee is a rural township that offers a relaxed and friendly lifestyle. Although it is located within the larger Thunder Bay District, Conmee is governed by its own municipally elected Reeve and Council who are responsible for overseeing the delivery of essential services to residents.

The municipality services a vibrant community that is renowned for its rich and varied agriculture, farming and fishing. The cost of living in Conmee is very similar to other rural communities in Northern Ontario, which are recognized as having low real estate prices and property taxes. One of the most attractive features to living in Conmee is the town’s minimum property size of five acres. This regulation ensures privacy for every resident and establishes an enviable standard of living.

The community of Kakabeka Falls, only 5 minutes away, offers additional services to Conmee residents including garages, hotels, tourist outlets, a bank and a full size grocery store. A Canada Post Outlet provides all postal services, with individual home delivery in Conmee. TbayTel and Bell Telephone provide sophisticated telecommunications and high speed internet is also available in most locations.

Despite its small size, diverse faith communities are represented in Conmee and vicinity. A Kingdom Hall of Jehovah Witnesses is located in the township and the Conmee O`Connor Baptist Church is a short five minute drive away. There is also a Catholic Church and a United Church in Kakabeka Falls, as well as several Anglican churches in surrounding townships. The First Christian Reform Church has two facilities approximately 20 minutes away. The City of Thunder Bay supports several other denominations.

Conmee is a bedroom community, meaning that it is primarily residential in character, with most of its workers commuting to the City of Thunder Bay for employment.  There are a few family farms in the township and a body shop that has just expanded into the production of custom fire trucks.  There are also several gravel pits with potential for further resource extraction.

The Kaministiquia River traverses the length of Conmee and provides access to fishing and boating activities, attracting large numbers of recreationalists. There are several series of rapids on the river that are enjoyed by a local kayaking club and others from all over North America. Ontario Power Generation has a power generating station located just above the Kakabeka Falls, and there has been interest shown from several companies for the production of hydro electric power from the River.

The Conmee Council is open to proposals for new business in the township. Conmee has large tracts of privately owned land that would be suitable for light industry. With the new Green Energy Act and the close proximity of the Kaministiquia River, there is the possibility of energy generation for industrial use. Solar and wind power generation are also a possibility.

The TransCanada Highway, the rail system, the Port of Thunder Bay and the Thunder Bay airport all provide transportation systems critical to business success. Highway 11/17 traverses the length of the Township and provides quick and easy access to the village of Kakabeka Falls and the City of Thunder Bay, offering local businesses an excellent transportation infrastructure. The Canadian National Railway tracks also travel through the Township, and although the historical train station has been removed, there is the possibility of re-establishing a depot for a business that would require rail transportation.

Conmee is home to a wide range of skilled workers and is close enough to the education facilities in Thunder Bay to provide a good source of trained employees. Conmee also allows “home occupations” and “home industries” for people looking to set up small home offices and light manufacturing or agricultural related activities.

Visit Conmee at www.conmee.com.

For elementary school, students in Conmee Township are bussed to the Kakabeka Falls Public School, a short ride away. Kakabeka School is part of the Lakehead School Board District and has an active Parent and Teacher’s Association. There is also a private school operated by the First Christian Reform Church located in a neighbouring township.

At the high school level, students are bussed to the City of Thunder Bay and are generally picked up and dropped off by the school bus at their own home.

Post secondary education is provided by either Confederation College or Lakehead University in Thunder Bay. There is a Northern School of Medicine campus located at Lakehead University. Both the college and the university provide a wide range of programs including diplomas, apprenticeships, undergraduate degrees, and post-graduate studies.

Conmee Township is blessed with open green spaces, lakes, rivers and streams. Residents enjoy many outdoor activities such as fishing, hiking, horseback riding and swimming. Fishing is a popular pastime here and the waterways offer plentiful brook trout and splake, a cross between a lake trout and steelhead trout. There is easy access to Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world, for deep water fishing including salmon fishing.

Conmee also borders deep forests which offer many miles of bush and trails for moose, deer, bear and partridge hunting. During the winter months, the local forests and lakes are perfect for snowshoeing, snowmobiling, ice fishing and skating. Conmee has a skating rink that is maintained by volunteers in the township. A neighbouring township provides a hockey arena and runs a Rural Minor Hockey League for all ages.

The nearby Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park has a beach with a fantastic swimming area, campgrounds and walking trails that are turned into cross-country ski trails in the winter. Other neighbouring townships host family events throughout the year such as a Strawberry Festival, the Hymers Fall Fair, and the Murillo Agricultural Fair.

For golf enthusiasts, there are four golf courses located within a 20 minute drive of Conmee.  Residents also partake in the year-round activities provided in the City of Thunder Bay such as “Concerts in the Park”, the marina and waterfront, swimming pools and beaches.