Labrador City

Labrador City is a town in western Labrador (part of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador), near the Quebec border.^[3] With a population of 7,412 as of 2021, it is the second-largest population centre in Labrador, behind Happy Valley-Goose Bay. Neighbouring Labrador City is Wabush, a smaller town with a population of approximately 1,964 as of 2021.^[4] Together, the "twin towns" are known as Labrador West.

Labrador City
Town
Seal Coat of arms
Motto(s):  Kamistiatusset (Naskapi) (English: "Land of the Hard-Working People")
Labrador City Location of Labrador City in Labrador
Coordinates: 52°57′N 66°55′W
Country	Canada
Province	Newfoundland and Labrador
Census division	10
Settled	1960s
Government
• Type	Labrador City Town Council
• Mayor	Belinda Adams[1]
• MHA	Jordan Brown
• MP	Philip Earle
Area
• Total	38.83 km2 (14.99 sq mi)
Elevation	555 m (1,821 ft)
Population  (2021 census)[2]
• Total	7,412
• Density	186.0/km2 (482/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-4 (AST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-3 (Atlantic Daylight Saving Time)
Postal code span	A2V
Area code	709
Highways	Route 500 (Trans-Labrador Highway)
Website	www.labradorwest.com

In the 1960s, Labrador City was founded to accommodate employees of the Iron Ore Company of Canada; iron ore mining continues to be the primary industry in the town.

The Labrador City town motto is Kamistiatusset, a Naskapi word meaning "land of the hard-working people." The Labrador City town crest is that of a snowy owl holding a scroll atop a black spade on a mound of red earth. The symbol represents iron ore mining. The spade is flanked by two caribou. Both snowy owls and caribou are native to the Labrador City area.

Government

Since a 2013 by-election, the federal riding of Labrador seat has been held by Yvonne Jones, a Liberal Party member,^[5] while New Democrat Jordan Brown has represented Labrador West in the provincial House of Assembly since 2019.^[6][7]

Economy

Labrador City was built around the rich iron ore deposits of the Labrador Trough by the Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC) in the 1960s. The Carol Project is the major iron ore mining operation for the area.^[8] In 2008, IOC and their parent company Rio Tinto announced they would spend $800 million to develop additional mines in the region. However, only a few months after announcing the second phase of their expansion, the project was shelved due to the economic recession and low demand for steel.

The town is serviced by the Wabush Airport, and the airlines flying out of the airport are Provincial Airlines, Air Inuit and Pascan Aviation. Additionally, the Quebec North Shore and Labrador Railway provides freight rail transportation to and from Sept-Îles. The Trans-Labrador Highway (Route 500) serves as the only road connection to Labrador City, connecting it with the rest of Labrador as well as the neighbouring province of Quebec, becoming Quebec Route 389 at the border.

The town contains many amenities found in larger locations thanks to investments by the mining companies who established the area including an ice arena, curling, downhill & cross country ski clubs. The White wolf snowmobile club connects with a larger trail network across the region and is home to the Cain's Quest Snowmobile Endurance Race.

The main shopping mall in the town, the 22,940-square-metre (246,923 sq ft) Labrador Mall, includes a Walmart, Canadian Tire and Mark's.^[9] The mall opened in 1978 and is the largest shopping mall in Labrador; it is also the only enclosed mall in Labrador.^{[10][11][12][13]}

There is a Masonic lodge in Labrador City, Lodge Anik No 1707 of the District Grand Lodge of Newfoundland and Labrador of the Grand Lodge of Scotland.

Demographics

Historical populations

Year	Pop.	±%
1971	7,622	—
1976	12,012	+57.6%
1981	11,538	−3.9%
1986	8,665	−24.9%
1991	9,061	+4.6%
1996	8,455	−6.7%
2001	7,744	−8.4%
2006	7,240	−6.5%
2011	7,367	+1.8%
2016	7,220	−2.0%
2021	7,412	+2.7%

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Labrador City had a population of 7,412 living in 3,070 of its 3,368 total private dwellings, a change of 2.7% from its 2016 population of 7,220. With a land area of 34.11 km² (13.17 sq mi), it had a population density of 217.3/km² (562.8/sq mi) in 2021.^[14]

Canada 2016 Census		Population	% of Total Population
Visible minority group Source:[15]	South Asian	25	0.3%
	Chinese	25	0.3%
	Filipino	250	3.5%
	Arab	1	0%
	Other visible minority	10	0.1%
	Mixed visible minority	10	0.1%
Total visible minority population		330	4.6%
Aboriginal group Source:[16]	First Nations	170	2.4%
	Métis	295	4.1%
	Inuit	125	1.7%
	Other Aboriginal	30	0.4%
Total Aboriginal population		630	8.7%
White		6,230	86.3%
Total population		7,220	100%

Attractions

• Basilica of our Lady of Perpetual Help

Climate

Wabush and Labrador City have a continental subarctic climate (Köppen: Dfc), with mild summers and severely cold winters.^[17] Precipitation is heavy year round (although higher in summer) due to the strong Icelandic Low to the east driving cold, moist and unstable air onto the region. Snowfall, as is typical for the province, is very heavy for seven months each year and depths can reach as high as 218 centimetres (85.83 in). Despite its latitude around the same as cities like Berlin, London, and Amsterdam, its annual mean temperature is 13 °C (23 °F) colder.

Climate data for Wabush Airport (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1960–present)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high humidex	7.7	5.9	14.6	16.9	35.0	37.1	39.0	35.3	32.2	22.6	13.8	7.1	39.0
Record high °C (°F)	8.0 (46.4)	6.2 (43.2)	14.7 (58.5)	17.4 (63.3)	28.8 (83.8)	33.3 (91.9)	32.6 (90.7)	30.6 (87.1)	29.5 (85.1)	21.1 (70.0)	12.2 (54.0)	7.2 (45.0)	33.3 (91.9)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	−16.2 (2.8)	−14.3 (6.3)	−6.8 (19.8)	1.3 (34.3)	9.8 (49.6)	16.7 (62.1)	19.6 (67.3)	18.2 (64.8)	12.4 (54.3)	4.5 (40.1)	−3.7 (25.3)	−11.1 (12.0)	2.5 (36.5)
Daily mean °C (°F)	−21.7 (−7.1)	−20.6 (−5.1)	−13.7 (7.3)	−4.5 (23.9)	4.1 (39.4)	10.7 (51.3)	14.1 (57.4)	13.1 (55.6)	7.8 (46.0)	1.0 (33.8)	−7.5 (18.5)	−15.9 (3.4)	−2.8 (27.0)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	−27.1 (−16.8)	−26.9 (−16.4)	−20.5 (−4.9)	−10.2 (13.6)	−1.6 (29.1)	4.7 (40.5)	8.2 (46.8)	7.9 (46.2)	3.2 (37.8)	−2.4 (27.7)	−11.3 (11.7)	−20.7 (−5.3)	−8.0 (17.6)
Record low °C (°F)	−44.1 (−47.4)	−46.8 (−52.2)	−41.6 (−42.9)	−36.4 (−33.5)	−13.4 (7.9)	−6.9 (19.6)	0.1 (32.2)	−1.2 (29.8)	−8.1 (17.4)	−22.4 (−8.3)	−33.6 (−28.5)	−42.5 (−44.5)	−46.8 (−52.2)
Record low wind chill	−62.8	−58.2	−52.6	−43.4	−32.6	−11.8	—	−6.2	−13.9	−28.1	−43.9	−59.5	−62.8
Average precipitation mm (inches)	48.7 (1.92)	38.1 (1.50)	52.3 (2.06)	47.9 (1.89)	55.0 (2.17)	88.7 (3.49)	113.5 (4.47)	119.9 (4.72)	90.8 (3.57)	80.6 (3.17)	72.2 (2.84)	52.5 (2.07)	860.1 (33.86)
Average rainfall mm (inches)	0.8 (0.03)	1.8 (0.07)	3.1 (0.12)	11.8 (0.46)	42.0 (1.65)	85.7 (3.37)	112.1 (4.41)	119.6 (4.71)	86.7 (3.41)	45.1 (1.78)	14.7 (0.58)	3.6 (0.14)	526.8 (20.74)
Average snowfall cm (inches)	70.7 (27.8)	56.7 (22.3)	71.4 (28.1)	47.7 (18.8)	13.9 (5.5)	1.2 (0.5)	0.0 (0.0)	0.3 (0.1)	3.4 (1.3)	38.9 (15.3)	80.2 (31.6)	74.8 (29.4)	458.9 (180.7)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm)	18.1	14.0	14.7	14.0	15.3	17.4	19.3	20.7	20.3	21.1	20.8	18.5	214.1
Average rainy days	0.9	0.9	1.4	3.8	12.5	16.7	19.3	20.7	19.7	11.9	4.8	1.7	114.3
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm)	19.6	15.4	16.2	12.7	9.3	0.91	0.05	0.05	2.0	13.5	20.8	20.7	128.0
Average relative humidity (%) (at 15:00 LST)	67.8	61.0	58.4	58.0	54.4	54.4	58.3	61.2	64.9	71.6	77.8	75.3	63.6
Mean monthly sunshine hours	98.0	132.2	151.3	180.1	210.6	212.5	218.0	202.7	116.6	75.4	56.9	67.3	1,721.4
Percentage possible sunshine	38.6	47.6	41.2	43.1	43.0	42.1	43.0	44.4	30.6	22.9	21.7	28.3	37.2
Source: Environment Canada[18][19]

See also

• List of cities and towns in Newfoundland and Labrador
• Wabush, neighbouring twin town of Labrador City
• Fermont, nearest town in Quebec

Notable residents

Notable former residents of Labrador City include:

• Damhnait Doyle, singer-songwriter
• Margot Kidder, actress^[20]
• Dan LaCosta, National Hockey League goaltender
• Pascal Pelletier, National Hockey League player
• Chad Penney, National Hockey League player
• Mark Nichols, 2006 Turin Olympics gold medallist curler