Every small town has a story. We've mapped 984 of them.

people of small towns

You know their names. You've never been to their towns.

235 notable Canadians. The small towns that shaped them.

235+

profiles

984

Towns

200+

years of history

Alex Chicken · Moose Factory Bobby Orr · Parry Sound Roberta Bondar · Sault Ste. Marie L.M. Montgomery · Cavendish Joni Mitchell · Fort Macleod David Suzuki · Vancouver Wayne Gretzky · Brantford Buffy Sainte-Marie · Piapot Stompin’ Tom · Skinners Pond k.d. lang · Consort

What small towns mean to the people who grew up there

In their own words

Written for 1000 Towns of Canada

picture of david suzuki
ESSAY FOR 1000TOWNS

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We lost something, a strong sense of community and connection to place.

David Suzuki

   Scientist & TV Host

   Leamington, Ontario
picture of brett wilson
Personal address to 1000towns

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Wonderful place to raise the family in the 1950s — fond memories about Battleford and all things prairie.

W. Brett Wilson

   Dragons’ Den Panelist

   Battleford, Saskatchewan
Yann Martel
Personal address to 1000towns

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I’ve lived in small places, big places, centric places, eccentric places. I see the blessing and the curse in all of them.

Yann Martell

  Life of Pi Author

   Port Hope, Ontario

235 Profiles and Counting

From small towns across Canada

Celebrities, entrepreneurs, artists, athletes — the people who call small-town Canada home.

Walter Gretzky | Wayne’s Father
📍 Paris, Ontario
Walter Gretzky | Wayne’s Father
Walter Gretzky is a Canadian who is best known as the father of ice hockey legend Wayne Gretzky.
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Mickey Ion | Hockey Referee
📍 Paris, Ontario
Mickey Ion | Hockey Referee
From: Paris, Ontario Frederick James “Mickey” Ion was a professional lacrosse player and ice hockey referee.   Born in 1886 in Paris, Ontario Died in 1964 in Seattle,…
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James Cockburn | Father of Confederation
📍 Cobourg, Ontario
James Cockburn | Father of Confederation
From Cobourg, Ontario James Cockburn was serving as Canada’s first Speaker in the House of Commons. He participated in the Founding of Canada Conference in…
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Yann Martel | Life of Pi Author
📍 Port Hope, Ontario
Yann Martel | Life of Pi Author
Yann Martell – for #1000Towns specially “I only studied in Port Hope for two years at school. And I’ve moved around so much in my…
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Tom Thomson | Artist
📍 Owen Sound, Ontario
Tom Thomson | Artist
From Claremont & Owen Sound, Ontario Thomas John “Tom” Thomson was an influential artist of the early 20th century. Born in 1877 in Claremont, Ontario Grew…
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Bobby Orr | Hockey Defenseman
📍 Parry Sound, Ontario
Bobby Orr | Hockey Defenseman
From Parry Sound, Ontario Robert Gordon “Bobby” Orr is one of the greatest hockey players of all time. Orr used his ice skating speed, scoring,…
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Jody Raffoul | Rock Singer
📍 Leamington, Ontario
Jody Raffoul | Rock Singer
From Leamington, Ontario Jody Raffoul is a rock singer and songwriter. Born in Leamington, Ontario Jody Raffoul is from a small town in Southern Ontario.…
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Hiram Capron | Paris Founder
📍 Paris, Ontario
Hiram Capron | Paris Founder
From Paris, Ontario Hiram Capron was the founder of the town of Paris in Ontario. An immigrant from the United States, he purchased large plots…
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Todd Brooker | Ski Racer
📍 Collingwood, Ontario
Todd Brooker | Ski Racer
From Paris, Collingwood, & Blue Mountain, Ontario Todd Brooker is an alpine ski racer and a ski TV commentator. Born in 1959 in Paris, Ontario Learned to…
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Alexander Graham Bell | Telephone Inventor
📍 Brantford, Ontario
Alexander Graham Bell | Telephone Inventor
From Brantford & Paris, Ontario, Baddeck, Nova Scotia Alexander Graham Bell was a scientist, inventor, engineer, and innovator who is credited with patenting the first…
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Farley Mowat | Writer, Environmentalist
📍 Port Hope, Ontario
Farley Mowat | Writer, Environmentalist
From: Port Hope, Ontario Farley McGill Mowat is one of Canada’s most widely read authors. His works were translated into 52 languages, and he sold…
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Alan Barillaro | Animator, Oscar Laureate
📍 Chippawa, Ontario
Alan Barillaro | Animator, Oscar Laureate
From Chippawa, Ontario Nicolas Alan Barillaro is an animator, director and writer at Pixar Studio. Best known for his work on the short film Piper…
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♥ There’s a small town in all of us

Even if you’ve never lived in a small town, you’ve been shaped by one — through a grandparent’s stories, a childhood visit, or a place that just felt like home. We’d love to hear your story.

#TheSmallTownInMe

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Any changes to the place info will be reviewed by 1000 Towns of Canada.