The Timmins Advantage

Located in Northeastern Ontario, Timmins is situated within the Abitibi Greenstone Belt and the Great Clay Belt.  These areas are known for having some of the largest deposits of a variety of metals and minerals in addition to possessing immense agricultural potential.

The city has the largest population of all communities in the region and benefits as the service hub for communities along the Highway 11 corridor and James Bay coast due to the level and variety of services available that are otherwise inaccessible without further travel.

The community is easily accessible from Southern Ontario, Western Quebec and the Northeastern United States, and is within a day’s drive of at least nine (9) U.S. border crossings.  The Timmins Victor M. Power Airport (YTS) provides a convenient gateway to national and international destinations and markets.

Timmins is also located in a geographically – and meteorologically – stable environment.  The low occurrence of severe weather events, seismic events, and natural disasters translates into operational continuity that businesses can count on. 

The community has a young, highly skilled and educated workforce. Approximately 51% of the population identify as bilingual (French and English) and roughly 31% of residents aged 25-64 have graduated from a trade school, technical college, or university.¹

Due to the unique nature of the predominant industries in Timmins, the labour force has developed unique – yet transferrable – skillsets that can be applied across multiple sectors.

The community also has three (3) post-secondary institutions that provide education, and technical skills and training programs. Université de Hearst, Northern College and college Boreal offer programming throughout the year across various disciplines including heavy equipment, carpentry and masonry, mechanics, mining, and truck driving.

The city of Timmins is a welcoming and safe community that offers every aspect of a balanced lifestyle.  Timmins has the ideal landscape for commerce, working, learning and raising a family.  The city offers an urban-rural setting with a small-town feel, where people are friendly, business is flourishing and there are plenty of essential services and modern amenities to offer a comfortable lifestyle.  Timmins has the landscape and state-of-the-art sporting and fitness facilities for all outdoors, leisure sports, and recreational needs.  Getting around Timmins is quick and easy!  The average commute for most residents is 11 minutes and people often have the ability to walk or bike to work.  The community’s affordability makes it an attractive location for families and a prime location for commercial and industrial development.

Timmins is home to an immense selection of affordable industrial and commercial sites and properties to meet the needs of any business.  Available options range from serviced and unserviced lots; including vacant properties, industrial parks, and buildings available for lease or purchase.  It should be noted that the conduit for hydro, natural gas and other key services are readily available at the curb of both City owned industrial parks.

Timmins has access to superior telecommunications and hydroelectric infrastructure. 

The community’s telecommunications infrastructure is built on a fibre optic backbone that connects the region to the world.  Timmins is serviced by an extensive 2,200 km long haul fibre network with a coverage area that services 200,000 km².  The backbone of this fibre optic network includes a 1,000 km core “fibre ring” (Timmins – Chapleau – Sudbury – North Bay – Timmins) providing redundancy to telecom infrastructure.

Hydroelectricity is generated by Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and distributed by Hydro One Networks, Inc.  OPG is one of the largest electricity producers in North America.  Timmins is serviced by Hydro One which owns and operates Ontario’s 30,000-kilometre high-voltage transmission network that delivers electricity to large industrial customers and municipal utilities.  The reliability of the electricity system is overseen by the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO).  The IESO consistently receives high marks for its performance, expertise, and commitment to reliability.

Timmins has access to a multitude of energy solutions including: electricity, natural gas, propane and green alternatives.

Hydroelectricity is a renewable resource that accounts for approximately one third of OPG’s electricity production.  This production is reliable, scalable, and is designed to meet base electricity needs and peak demands.  Additionally, Hydro One continues to undertake projects in Northern Ontario, including the replacement and refurbishment of existing infrastructure: such as wood poles and adding new circuits to meet demand for hydroelectricity in Ontario.

Timmins is also serviced by two natural gas providers being: Enbridge Union Gas and Certarus.  Enbridge Union Gas provides natural gas to consumers, businesses and industrial clients in Timmins.  Certarus provides compressed natural gas to industrial clients in Timmins and remote locations.

There are two propane providers that service Timmins.  Nasco Propane and Superior Propane provide their products and services to consumers, businesses and industrial clients in Timmins and the surrounding region.

Timmins also affords the opportunity for businesses to adopt and harness green forms of alternative energy solutions.  These solutions may include: solar, geothermal and biomass.

The Timmins Economic Development Corporation (TEDC) acts as a concierge service when working with site selectors and potential investors.  Whether it be funders, municipal departments, provincial or federal ministries, the team will bring all parties to the table to address business development needs to find the best solutions.

Mayor and Council are familiar with development processes and work cooperatively with city departments to ensure the efficiency of the processes. The planning process in Timmins is simple and straightforward.  Pertinent City of Timmins departments meet bi-weekly as part of the Community Development Committee which has a mandate of facilitating business development.  Planning follows an established process and each step has requirements that must be met before approval is received.  Staff provide hands-on assistance and support to incoming businesses to ensure that all proposals are reviewed and processed in a timely manner.