Longlac

Longlac is a small town of a couple of thousand people in Northern Ontario. It is one of two places in Ontario located on both the Trans-Canada Highway and The Canadian rail line (the other being Greater Sudbury).

Understand
Longlac is part of the amalgamated Municipality of Greenstone, which covers about 3200 km², stretching along Highway 11 185 km from end to end. Greenstone, which was formed in 2001 by the amalgamation of a group of remote mining and forestry communities on the Canadian Shield. Greenstone (population about 4600 in 2016) includes the communities of Beardmore, Caramat, Geraldton, Jellicoe, Longlac, Macdiarmid, Nakina and Orient Bay.

History
The region’s recorded history began with the fur trade in the 18th century. The Geological Survey of Canada noted gold in quartz fragments around Little Long Lac in 1917. In 1921 the Hudson’s Bay Co. post moved across the lake to the railway at Calong, near the centre of today’s town. By 1934, a gold rush absorbed the area from Long Lac to Nipigon, a belt 100 km long and 40 km wide. The village of Longlac was established soon after. The arrival of Pulpwood Supply Co. in 1937 gave a major impetus to the economy. The company floated pulpwood through lakes and rivers south to Lake Superior. In 1942, the highway arrived from Geraldton.

The Little Long Lac Mine produced over 600,000 ounces of gold from 1934 to 1953.

Climate
Greenstone experiences a humid continental climate, with long, brutally cold winters and warm summers.

By car
Longlac has Highway 11 (Trans-Canada Highway) passing through it.
 * From Thunder Bay, it's 305 km. Go east on the combined Highway 11 and 17 to Nipigon, and north on Highway 11.
 * From North Bay, it's 800 km north and west on Highway 11.

By bus

 * Operates a bus route between Thunder Bay and Longlac including stops in Nipigon and Geraldton. Travel time to Longlac from Thunder Bay is 4.25 hours, from Nipigon is 2.75 hours, and from Geraldton is 30 minutes.

By train

 * Train operator:
 * Operates The Canadian between Toronto and Vancouver with stops in both directions in medium to large cities and tourist destinations such as Sudbury, Winnipeg, Portage la Prairie, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Jasper, and Kamloops.

By plane
Geraldton (Greenstone Regional) Airport is 50 km away, 9 km north of Geraldton. It serves private aircraft only.

The nearest airport with scheduled service is Thunder Bay International Airport.

Do
The waterfront development offers facilities for boaters, swimmers, picnickers, and campers. There are tennis courts, baseball diamonds, a skate park, and playgrounds.

Annual events include a popular trade show, the Summerfest festival in July, and the Moosecalac winter carnival in February.

Go next
The next gas station eastbound on Highway 11 is in Hearst, 208 km away. Fill your tank before leaving town.