Sudbury

Three hundred ninety kilometers (242 miles) north of Toronto, Sudbury is frequently considered the gateway to the north. The city grew up around the development of its copper, uranium and nickel mines, and a giant nine-meter (30-ft.) replica of a five-cent piece, called the Big Nickel, marks the entrance to town. Sudbury’s two prime attractions – Science North and Dynamic Earth – highlight, albeit in different ways, the realities of the region. Traditional mining has declined dramatically, and these days, the city’s Laurentian University is considered a world center for environmental research related to mining. The industry attracted a ...

Three hundred ninety kilometers (242 miles) north of Toronto, Sudbury is frequently considered the gateway to the north. The city grew up around the development of its copper, uranium and nickel mines, and a giant nine-meter (30-ft.) replica of a five-cent piece, called the Big Nickel, marks the entrance to town. Sudbury’s two prime attractions – Science North and Dynamic Earth – highlight, albeit in different ways, the realities of the region. Traditional mining has declined dramatically, and these days, the city’s Laurentian University is considered a world center for environmental research related to mining. The industry attracted a sizable multi-ethnic labor force, with the largest group – Franco-Ontarians – forming the third-largest French-speaking community in Canada outside Québec. In a region with around 300 lakes, there are countless opportunities to pursue outdoor activities, and both live theater and musical events play an important role in city life, year-round.

About the Expert

Joanna Ebbutt is the author or editor of three Insight Guides to Toronto and Canada, and coauthor of Off the Beaten Track: Western Canada. She has been writing about travel for three decades, including chasing the aurora borealis in Northern Ontario.