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.

William Dodge Lovitt | Shipowner
📍 Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
William Dodge Lovitt | Shipowner
From Yarmouth, Nova Scotia In the late 1800s, William D. Lovitt was one of Yarmouth’s most prominent shipowners. Born in 1834 Died in 1894 William…
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Maud Lewis | Folk Artist
📍 Marshalltown, Nova Scotia
Maud Lewis | Folk Artist
From Marshalltown, near Digby, Nova Scotia Yarmouth, Nova Scotia Maud Lewis was a folk artist from Nova Scotia. She remains one of Canada’s best-known folk…
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Alice Wilson | Palaeontologist
📍 Cobourg, Ontario
Alice Wilson | Palaeontologist
From Cobourg, Ontario Alice Evelyn Wilson was the first female geologist in Canada and the first woman to become a member of the Royal Society…
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Susanna Moodie | Author
📍 Lakefield, Ontario
Susanna Moodie | Author
From Lakefield, Ontario Susanna Moodie, née Strickland, sister of Catharine Parr Traill, was an author who wrote about her experiences as a settler in Canada,…
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Catharine Parr Traill | Writer
📍 Lakefield, Ontario
Catharine Parr Traill | Writer
From Lakefield, Ontario Catharine Parr Traill, née Strickland, was a pioneer writer and naturalist who wrote about life as a settler in Canada. Born in…
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James William Carmichael | Shipbuilder
📍 New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
James William Carmichael | Shipbuilder
From New Glasgow, Nova Scotia James William Carmichael was a shipbuilder-owner, merchant, politician. Born in 1819 in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia Died in 1903 in…
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W. A. Hewitt | Hockey Innovator
📍 Cobourg, Ontario
W. A. Hewitt | Hockey Innovator
From Cobourg, Ontario William Abraham Hewitt was a leading sports journalist, administrator and innovator. Born in 1875 in Cobourg, Ontario Died in 1966 Born in…
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John Patch | Screw Propeller Inventor
📍 Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
John Patch | Screw Propeller Inventor
From Yarmouth, Nova Scotia John Patch was a sailor and fisherman who invented one of the first versions of the screw propeller. Born in 1781…
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Bruce Ridpath | 1911 Stanley Cup Champion
📍 Selwyn, Ontario
Bruce Ridpath | 1911 Stanley Cup Champion
From Lakefield (Selwyn now), Ontario David Bruce Ridpath was a professional ice hockey player and general manager. Born in 1884 in Lakefield, Ontario Died in 1925…
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Celine Dion | Singer
📍 Charlemagne, Quebec
Celine Dion | Singer
From Charlemagne QC Hailing from the small town of Charlemagne, Québec, Céline Dion has become one of the all-time greatest singers.  Eurovision 1998 Born in…
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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

Municipalities & Tourism Organizations

Your town has people worth celebrating, too

Person profiles are one of the most visited sections on our platform. A partnership puts your community’s stories in front of 132,000 travellers a year — through profiles, town pages, and Google search advertising.

Who Are You?

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