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.

Laura Secord | Heroine of the War of 1812
📍 Queenston, Ontario
Laura Secord | Heroine of the War of 1812
From Ingersoll, Queenston  & Chippawa, Ontario Laura Secord (née Ingersoll) was a heroine of the War of 1812. She is known for having walked 20…
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James Cameron | Avatar Director
📍 Chippawa, Ontario
James Cameron | Avatar Director
From Kapuskasing & Chippawa, Ontario James Francis “Jim” Cameron is a filmmaker, director, producer, screenwriter, inventor, engineer, philanthropist, and deep-sea explorer. Born in 1954 in Kapuskasing,…
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Elsie Reford | Les Jardins de Métis Founder
📍 Perth, Ontario
Elsie Reford | Les Jardins de Métis Founder
Born in Perth, Ontario Elsie Reford was a pioneer of Canadian horticulture, creating one of the largest private gardens in Canada on her estate, Estevan…
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Jason Arnott | NHL All-Rookie Team
📍 Wasaga Beach, Ontario
Jason Arnott | NHL All-Rookie Team
From Wasaga Beach & Collingwood, Ontario Jason William Arnott is a veteran of 18 NHL seasons, a Stanley Cup champion, a 12-time 20-goal scorer –…
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Jim Treliving | The ‘Dragon’
📍 Virden, Manitoba
Jim Treliving | The ‘Dragon’
From Virden, Manitoba Walter Jim Treliving is the Chairman and Owner of one of Boston Pizza, a successful entrepreneur and investor for over 40 years.…
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John Dunsworth | Actor
📍 Bridgewater, Nova Scotia
John Dunsworth | Actor
From Bridgewater, Nova Scotia John Francis Dunsworth was one of Halifax’s most venerable and revered actors, best known for playing the rope of a frequently…
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Rick Lewchuk | Head of CNN Creative Team
📍 North Battleford, Saskatchewan
Rick Lewchuk | Head of CNN Creative Team
From North Battleford, Saskatchewan Rick Lewchuk leads one of the best creative and marketing teams on television. CNN’s Creative Marketing has proven it by winning…
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Valérie Plante | Mayor of Montreal
📍 Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec
Valérie Plante | Mayor of Montreal
From Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec Valérie Plante is the first-ever woman to be elected mayor of Montreal (November 2017), a leader of the Projet Montréal. On the…
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Jeff Hammond | Cinematographer
📍 Leamington, Ontario
Jeff Hammond | Cinematographer
From Leamington, Ontario Jeffrey Robert Hammond is an award-winning film director, writer, producer. He has also spent many hours in front of the camera as…
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Johnny Wilson | NHL Ironman
📍 Kincardine, Ontario
Johnny Wilson | NHL Ironman
From Kincardine, Ontario & Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec John Edward Wilson set an NHL record by appearing in 580 consecutive games between 1951 and 1960 earned the nickname…
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Carroll Baker | Singer
📍 Bridgewater, Nova Scotia
Carroll Baker | Singer
From Bridgewater & Liverpool, Nova Scotia Carroll Anne Baker is a country music singer and songwriter. Known as Canada’s First Lady Of Country Music, she…
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Eric Nagler | Children’s Entertainer
📍 Shelburne, Ontario
Eric Nagler | Children’s Entertainer
From Shelburne, Ontario Eric Nagler is a musician and television entertainer known primarily for his work on Canadian children’s television series The Elephant Show and…
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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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