Timmins—James Bay

Timmins—James Bay is one of Ontario's largest ridings by area, covering the northeastern corner of the province from the city of Timmins northward to the shores of James Bay and Hudson Bay. The riding stretches hundreds of kilometres, encompassing the towns of Kapuskasing, Hearst, Cochrane, Iroquois Falls, Smooth Rock Falls, Kirkland Lake, and Moosonee, as well as the historic mining town of Cobalt. It includes numerous First Nations communities along the James Bay coast, including Attawapiskat, Fort Albany, Kashechewan, and Moose Factory.

Candidates

Charlie Angus (NDP) — Angus was first elected in Timmins—James Bay in 2004 by fewer than 600 votes and re-elected with larger margins in 2006 and 2008. Born in Timmins, he moved to Toronto in his youth and co-founded the punk rock band L'Étranger in 1980 with Andrew Cash. He was also the lead singer of the Juno-nominated alt-country band Grievous Angels. In 1990, he moved to Cobalt, Ontario, with his family, and in 1995 he and his wife launched HighGrader, a magazine devoted to Northern Ontario life and culture. He is the author of several books on Northern Ontario history and culture. In Parliament, he served as the NDP's ethics critic and became a prominent voice on digital rights and Indigenous affairs.

Bill Greenberg (Conservative) — Greenberg ran as the Conservative candidate in the riding, seeking to challenge Angus's hold on the seat.

Marilyn Wood (Liberal) — Wood carried the Liberal banner in Timmins—James Bay for the 2011 election.

Lisa Bennett also stood as the Green Party candidate.

About the Riding

Timmins, the riding's largest community with a population of roughly 43,000, is a regional service centre whose economy is rooted in natural resource extraction. Gold mining has been central to the city's identity since the Porcupine Gold Rush of 1909, and major mining operations by Goldcorp (at the Porcupine Gold Mines) and Xstrata (at the Kidd Creek zinc-copper mine) remained significant employers heading into 2011. The forestry sector, including pulp and paper mills in Kapuskasing, Hearst, and Smooth Rock Falls, had experienced painful contractions with mill closures and reduced operations in the years before the election.

The riding's vast northern portion includes remote First Nations communities along the James Bay and Hudson Bay coasts, many accessible only by air or winter road. These communities faced severe housing shortages, inadequate water and sanitation infrastructure, and limited access to health care and education. The Attawapiskat housing crisis, which would draw national attention later in 2011, underscored the chronic infrastructure deficits in these communities.

Kirkland Lake and Cobalt, in the southern part of the riding, have deep roots in gold and silver mining respectively. Kapuskasing, originally a planned company town, remains an important service centre for the surrounding agricultural and forestry region. Key issues heading into the 2011 election included support for the mining and forestry sectors, infrastructure investment for remote Northern communities, health care access, and Indigenous housing and services.