Sudbury (Ontario)

Sudbury (official name Greater Sudbury) is a city of approximately 166,000 people, in Northern Ontario, Canada. It is Northern Ontario's largest city in both area and population, and a major retail and service centre for the region.

Understand

Sudbury, officially "Greater Sudbury" (or Grand Sudbury in French), is an amalgamated city of smaller cities and towns spread over a large region. By land area, Sudbury is the largest city in Ontario and the fifth largest in Canada. The name Sudbury can refer to both the greater area encompassing urban communities, rural countryside and wilderness as well as the former city which includes the City's downtown. More than half of the region's population lives in the former city; the remaining residents call smaller communities home. The city is now the economic and service hub for the eastern half of Northern Ontario.

International visitors to Sudbury will feel right at home with vibrant Italian, Finnish, Ukrainian, French, Polish and Aboriginal communities. You can expect to hear many of these languages spoken regularly, though almost all residents speak English as well, and all city services are available in French and English. Road signs and street names are also posted in both official languages. The city celebrates its multicultural heritage on the 🌍 Bridge of Nations, a downtown structure featuring the flags of every nation represented among the city's population.

History

The rough landscape was long considered inhospitable. For thousands of years, this was the territory of the Atikameksheng Anishnawbek (descendants of the Ojibway, Algonquin and Odawa Nations). Unlike the Ojibway territory further south, shorter growing seasons north of the great lakes forced families to adapt to the resources available in each season, fishing the many lakes and rivers in the summer months, and hunting deer and moose through the winter. The wigwam was the typical dwelling used in this area, and constructed using birch bark which made the structures lightweight and easy to disassemble and relocate as necessary.

Many early settlers in the area were of French descent, and the Jesuits founded Sainte-Anne-des Pins in 1883 to serve missionaries travelling further west and new communities along the transcontinental Canadian Pacific Railway corridor under construction at the time. The church was influential as Francophone immigrants arrived to the area in the following years, and Sudbury remains an important city for Franco-Ontarian culture.

Few people likely expected the area to change drastically once construction of the railway was complete; crews would move their camps to the next site, and leave the communities to grow at the same pace as other railway towns on the Canadian Shield, perhaps taking advantage of the new railway to serve the timber industry. However, blasting during railway construction revealed significant concentrations of ore. The first mine, 🌍 Murray Mine, extracted nickel and copper starting in 1889. The town was established in 1894 and named after Sudbury, Suffolk, England. By the 1900s, mining dominated the region's economy, and the town grew according to the boom-and-bust demand for nickel.

Most ore resources are found around the rim of the "Sudbury Basin"(locally, "The Valley"). It wasn't until the 1970's that geologists confirmed these uniquely rich mineral resources are the result of a meteorite impact 1.8 billion years ago. The Valley is actually the world's third largest impact crater; more recent evidence suggests that it may have been created by an asteroid or comet up to 15 km (9.3 mi) wide.

Sudbury was known as "the Nickel capital of the world" for most of the twentieth century, but the economy began to diversify starting in the 1980s. The majority of residents are now employed in the service sectors, by local universities, or the local and provincial governments. The city has a somewhat outdated reputation as an environmental wasteland, due to lasting environmental damage from the mining industry, but various reclamation projects since the 1970s have given many parts of the city a rugged natural beauty that capitalizes on the region's many lakes, forests and rocky hills.

Climate

Sudbury's weather is typical of locations on the Canadian Shield, with hot summers and cold winters. The city is particularly renowned for its outdoor recreation opportunities, with both summer and winter activities being quite popular.

Visitor information

Get in

By plane
  • 🌍 Sudbury Airport (YSB  IATA), 5000 Air Terminal Drive, Garson, ☏ +1 705-693-2514, fax: +1 705-693-2937. The airport is located about 25 minutes from downtown by car. Metered taxis are available at the airport. GOVA Zone (on-demand transit) provides service to Garson; transfer to route 102 bus to reach New Sudbury Centre in Sudbury. Reservations must be made at least 90 minutes ahead, and the bus is quite infrequent; check for up-to-date schedules. 

Airlines

Three airlines provide scheduled service to Sudbury. Flying into Sudbury from any destination outside Northern Ontario will likely require a connection through Toronto.

By train
See also: Rail travel in Canada
  • VIA Rail Canada, toll-free: +1-888-842-7245. This rail operator offers services that enable travelers to reach Canada's west coast and east coast. (updated Mar 2022) VIA Rail operates the following two routes that stop in or near Sudbury:
    • 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.
      • 🌍 Capreol Station, 8 Front Street, Capreol, ☏ +1-705-858-1020, fax: +1-705-858-0333. Station is 30km north of downtown. Travel time from Toronto is 7.25 hours. (updated Feb 2021)
      • 🌍 Sudbury Jct station, 2750 Lasalle Blvd. East (10 km from downtown Sudbury, at the very east end of Lasalle Blvd., past Falconbridge Road, close to the old CN station). F 11:30PM-Sa 7:30AM, Su 4:30AM-10:30AM, M 11:30PM-Tu 7:30AM, W 4:30AM-10:30AM. Travel time from Vancouver is 3 days 10.75 hours, from Kamloops is 3 days 1 hour, from Jasper is 2 days 14.25 hours, from Edmonton is 2 days 7 hours, from Saskatoon is 1 day 19.75 hours, and from Winnipeg is 1 day 4.25 hours. 
    • Between Sudbury and White River
      • 🌍 Sudbury station, 233 Elgin St. Tu 8AM-9:45AM, W 11AM-4:45PM, Th 7:30AM-1:15PM, F 9AM-4:45PM, Sa 8AM-9:45AM, Su 12:30PM-4:15PM. Travel time to Sudbury from White River is 8.75 hours. 

By car

Sudbury is served by three major provincial highways.

  • Highway 17 (Trans-Canada Highway) leads west to Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay and western Canada, and east to North Bay, Ottawa and the province of Quebec. A 20-km stretch of Highway 17 within the city boundaries is freeway, but Sudbury has no freeway connections to other communities.
  • Highway 69 leads south to Parry Sound, where it becomes the Highway 400 freeway to Toronto. (Highway 69 is very slowly being upgraded to freeway standards, with upgraded sections added to Highway 400 as they are completed) A branch of the Trans-Canada Highway follows this route, traveling between Sudbury and Kanata on Highway 69 and 400, then Highway 12, then Highway 7, then Highway 417.
  • Highway 144 leads north to Timmins.

Some quiet roads are in poor shape, however much effort has been put into repairing them.

By bus
  • 🌍 Ontario Northland, 1663 The Kingsway (corner of Second Ave. and The Kingsway) (Sudbury ONTC Bus Terminal), ☏ +1-705-222-6682, toll-free: +1-800-461-8558, fax: +1-705-222-6689. 6AM-9:30PM daily. Operates buses primarily in Northern Ontario. (updated Feb 2021) Routes operating to buses to Sudbury:
    • Between Toronto and Sudbury including stops in Barrie, Orillia (some trips), and Parry Sound. Travel time to Sudbury from Toronto is 5.25-6.75 hours, from Barrie is 3.5-5.25 hours, from Parry Sound is 2-2.5 hours.
    • Between Hearst and Sudbury including stops in Kapuskasing, Cochrane and Timmins. Travel time to Sudbury from Hearst is 9 hours, from Kapuskasing is 7.75 hours, from Cochrane is 6.25 hours, and from Timmins is 4.5 hours. Trips on some days travel only between Timmins and Sudbury.
    • Between Ottawa and Sudbury including stops in Kanata, Arnprior, Renfrew, Pembroke, Petawawa, Mattawa, and North Bay. Travel time to Sudbury from Ottawa is 7 hours, from Arnprior is 6 hours, from Pembroke is 4.75 hours, and from Petawawa is 4 hours, from North Bay is 1.5 hours,
    • Between Sault Sainte Marie and Sudbury including stops in Blind River, Elliot Lake, and Espanola. Travel time to Sudbury from Sault Sainte Marie is 4.75 hours, from Elliot Lake is 2 hours, and from Espanola is 1.25 hours. Travelers can travel to Sudbury from Winnipeg, Manitoba riding routes with transfer in Thunder Bay and Sault Saint Marie.
  • FlixBus. Service from Toronto, Parry Sound, and Barrie. (updated Apr 2024)

Get around

By public transit

GOVA, ☏ +1-705-674-4455. Offers bus service within the city, operating from a central downtown terminal. The urban core of the city is served by lines that generally operate on the half hour during peak travel times, and on the hour late at night and on Sundays. More remote areas of the city are not served as frequently, but some bus service is available. (updated Sep 2022)

You can take the bus from one end of town to the other (about 60 km) for $2.80. Multi-ride passes are also available, in addition to unlimited 31-day passes.

By taxi

See
  • 🌍 Science North (Science Nord), 100 Ramsey Lake Rd, ☏ +1 705 523-4629, toll-free: +1-800-461-4898. 10AM-4PM. A science education centre built atop an ancient earthquake fault on the shore of Lake Ramsey. Its distinctive snowflake shape has become one of Sudbury's famous landmarks. Features include an IMAX theatre, a butterfly gallery, a robotics lab, and interactive exhibits on geology, animal biology and other areas of science. $18 per person. (updated Sep 2021)
  • The grounds of Science North are also home to the William Ramsey, a boat which offers cruise tours of the beautiful Lake Ramsey, which was once the world's largest lake contained entirely within the boundaries of a single city. (It lost this status in 2001, when the newly merged city of Greater Sudbury enclosed a larger lake.)
  • 🌍 Dynamic Earth, 122 Big Nickel Mine Rd, ☏ +1 705 523-4629, toll-free: +1-800-461-4898. This immersive, hands-on science centre focuses on earth science and mining. It offers a guided underground tour, multimedia theatres, exhibits, and an outdoor science park. It is operated by Science North on a separate site, and is home to the Big Nickel, Sudbury's most famous landmark. 
  • 🌍 Bell Park. A park and amphitheatre on the shore of Lake Ramsey. It is connected by a lakefront boardwalk to the Science North grounds. 
  • Northern Ontario Railroad Museum, 26 Bloor St. Capreol, ☏ +1 705 858-5050. Rail transport museum including locomotives and rolling stock, museum, model railroad, and locomotive simulator. (updated Jan 2024)
  • Pioneer heritage museums in the city show how Northern Ontario's earliest settlers lived. These include the Flour Mill Heritage Museum, the Copper Cliff Museum, the Anderson Farm Museum, and the Capreol Heritage Centre/Prescott Park.

Ecotourism

Sudbury is a ruggedly beautiful city, with many forests, lakes and rocky hills throughout the area.

  • 🌍 A.Y. Jackson Scenic Lookout, Highway 144, ☏ +1 705 855-3326. Named for the Canadian "Group of Seven" artist, provides a spectacular view of High Falls on the Onaping River off Highway 144, 43 km northwest of downtown Sudbury. There is also a travel information centre and a picnic area. 
  • 🌍 Lake Laurentian Conservation Area, ☏ +1 705 674-3271. A large parkland area in the south end of the city, with 55km of hiking, jogging, biking and ski trails for exploration. 

Culture

Do

Fun in the Sun: Sudbury is a city of lakes, in fact holding over 300 lakes within its borders, including Lake Wanapitei, the largest city-contained lake in the world, and Lake Ramsey, the central lake within the city. No matter where in town you happen to be, it's never more than a short walk to a beach. The City of Greater Sudbury has five supervised beaches with professional lifeguards during the summer, but there are uncountable smaller beaches with nothing but sand and water.

Watersports: Fishing is a popular activity in the summer. Species of trout, splake, pike, pickerel, muskie and bass can be found in most of Sudbury's lakes. Be sure to inquire about seasons and licenses before heading out on the water. Some lakes (especially the urban lakes) have strict guidelines for operating watercraft. Be sure to ask about them before launching a boat.

Snowmobiling: Sudbury has one of the largest systems of groomed trails in the world. The Sudbury Trail Plan connects to the trail systems of other communities, creating a network of 1300 km of trails. Contact the Sudbury Trail Plan Association for more information (☏ +1 705-693-7669), as they are considered the authority on trail closures, maintenance, and the monitoring of lake ice.

Hiking: The Trans-Canada Trail runs through Sudbury. The trail twists along the shores of Junction Creek through much of the city. Put on some good shoes and stroll through Sudbury's "urban wilderness".

Enjoy the View: Huge rocky hills cut through Sudbury, dividing the city into its boroughs. These hills remain largely undeveloped to this day. One can hike to the top of these "mountains" and enjoy a panoramic view of the city. Geology buffs can scour the black bedrock for shatter cones: the remnants of a meteorite impact millions of years ago which created the Sudbury Basin.

Golfing: Greater Sudbury offers a wide selection of 9- and 18-hole golf courses including Blackstone Golf Course +1-800-440-2887, Buck Ridge Golf Course +1 705-853-2825, Lively Golf and Country Club +1 705-692-5502, Pine Grove Golf Course +1 705-560-1090, Timberwolf Golf Club +1-877-689-8853 and Twin Stacks Golf Course +1 705-694-2131.

Winter Sports: Winters are very long in Sudbury, but they certainly aren't boring. Be sure to try some of the following winter activities:

  • Skiing: There are two downhill skiing facilities in Sudbury; the Adanac Ski Hill and Lively Ski Hill. Ski rentals are available at both locations. If cross-country is more your style, the 23 km Naughton Ski Trails run through a quiet forest. The tracks are groomed regularly and the trail is illuminated at night. Call the Walden Ski Club for passes. There are numerous other groomed ski trails in and around town as well.
  • Ice Fishing: Fishing is not limited to the summer. All you need is a hook, some fishing line and an ice auger to enjoy this popular winter pastime. There is usually enough ice on Sudbury lakes to support a truck, so don't worry about falling through the ice! Be sure to enquire about licenses before heading out. Local bait shops can issue temporary fishing permits. Ice fishing huts must be off of the ice by March 1st.
  • Skating: Science North has cleared and polished an ice skating surface from their grounds to the Bell Park beach area (about 1.5 km). Use of this ice surface is free of charge. There are numerous hockey rinks and skating ovals in and around town, so grab your hockey sticks and try to join a game!
Also, have fun at the local rink at Carol Richard Park, in Val Caron! Join up with other locals to play some good, old-fashioned rink hockey, or if no one is playing, feel free to skate around. There is a small kids rink outside of the boards of the main rink, meant for toddlers and pre-teens (or for those inexperienced at skating, or who may not want to play hockey on the larger rink), and there is also a playground area, too. As well, there is a shack to get changed (and warm up), and it is surrounded by the beautiful wilderness, of snow-covered trees and a nice neighbourhood
  • Sliding: Sudbury's rocky terrain is excellent for sliding. If you have small children, this is a great activity that the whole family can enjoy. Hills range from small hills to near-suicidal mountains complete with jumps. Sliding areas are not well advertised, so the best way to find them is to befriend a local, or look for a place on the side of the highway where cars are parked for no apparent reason. Another great place to go sliding is Queen's Athletic Field in downtown Sudbury. It has a large oval skating surface, and a medium-sized sliding hill, appropriate for both younger and older kids. There's also a nice warm hut for putting skates on.
  • Hockey: Sudbury Wolves-A member of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), a junior league that supplies players for the NHL and minor league teams. The Wolves play at the downtown arena during the months of October to April.

Other things to do:

Learn

Sudbury is home to three major postsecondary institutions.

  • Laurentian University is a bilingual university which offers primarily undergraduate programs, although some graduate degrees are available as well. The Northern Ontario School of Medicine, shared between Laurentian and Thunder Bay's Lakehead University, opened in September 2005.
  • Cambrian College is an English college of applied arts and technology.
  • Collège Boréal is a French college of applied arts and technology with several satellite campuses in other Ontario communities.

Buy

Sudbury is Northern Ontario's major retail centre. Shopping areas include the Rainbow Value Centre, the Rio-Can Power Centre on the Kingsway, the New Sudbury Centre at the corner of Barrydowne and Lasalle +1 705-566-9080 and the Southridge Mall at Regent and Paris Streets. There are also many "big box" stores on Notre Dame between downtown Sudbury and the North End.

Eat

Downtown
  • 🌍 Alexandria's (Alexandria's Restaurant & Lounge), 211 Shaughnessy St, ☏ +1 705-688-1453. 
  • 🌍 The Doghouse, 212 Romanet Ln, ☏ +1 705-675-2275. 
  • 🌍 Gonga's Grill, 233 Brady St. 
  • 🌍 Gus's, 336 Elm St. 
  • 🌍 Harmony Café, 140 Durham St. 
  • 🌍 La Casa Mexicana, 49 Elgin St. 
  • 🌍 Pasta e Vino, 118 Paris St. 
  • 🌍 Peddlers Pub, 63 Cedar St. 
  • 🌍 Respect is Burning, 82 Durham St. Great (mostly Italian) food with an individual twist in a lively setting. 
  • 🌍 Sapporo Ichibang, 67 Cedar St, ☏ +1 705 673-2233. M-F 11AM-9PM, Sa 4–9PM. Yes, you can get good sushi in Sudbury. And other Japanese and Korean dishes. (updated Aug 2023)

New Sudbury/The Kingsway
  • 🌍 Apollo's Restaurant & Tavern, 844 The Kingsway. Family run Greek restaurant, great food, quieter, more romantic setting. 
  • 🌍 Gonga's Grill, 467 Falconbridge Rd. 
  • 🌍 Herc's, 875 Notre Dame Ave. 
  • 🌍 Jak's Diner, 1100 Barrydowne Rd. 
  • 🌍 Kings Buffet, 1051 The Kingsway. Chinese food a la carte or from the buffet. 
  • 🌍 M.I.C. Real Canadian Eatery, Falconbridge Road. Another very popular sports bar. 
  • 🌍 Mr. Prime Rib, 777 Barrydowne Rd. 
  • 🌍 The Kouzzina, 1463 Lasalle Blvd. Greek and Italian restaurant with great food. 
  • 🌍 Sun Wah, 1540 Lasalle Blvd. 
  • Teklenburg's, 1893 Lasalle Blvd. 

South End/Four Corners
  • 🌍 Buzzy Brown's (Cedar Point Plaza). Sports bar with good food. 
  • 🌍 Eddie's, 1769 Regent St. S. 
  • 🌍 Gloria's, 469 Bouchard St. 
  • 🌍 Indian Summer, 1543 Paris St. Authentic Indian cuisine to eat in or take away. 
  • 🌍 Ristorante Verdicchio, 1351D Kelly Lake Rd, ☏ +1 705 523-2794. Fine Italian dining, well worth the splurge for special occasions. Reservations recommended. 
  • 🌍 Tommy's Not Here, 1889 Regent St, ☏ +1 705 522-2822. Possibly the finest dining in town, reservations recommended. A little more expensive than the chain restaurants, but definitely worth it. Closed July through early September. 
  • 🌍 Tony V's, 1323 Martindale Rd. 

Drink

Every neighbourhood has at least one watering hole. You could literally spend your whole vacation hopping from one tavern to the next.

  • 🌍 The Laughing Buddha, 194 Elgin St. Great food. Hidden gem, beautiful patio, excellent food. 
  • 🌍 Peddler's Pub, 63 Cedar St. Widely regarded as Sudbury's best pub, Peddler's is downtown. An excellent selection of imported beer awaits you in this Irish-style pub. 
  • 🌍 Rhythm & Cues, 1855 Lasalle Blvd, ☏ +1 705 525-1117. Great, vibrant venue on the prominent Lasalle Boulevard in New Sudbury. Play pool, select your favourite songs on the rockin' jukebox. 
  • 🌍 The Towne House, 206 Elgin St. Feel like rocking out to local talent? The Towne House Tavern is where you're most likely to find Northern Ontario's best bands, as well as touring indie rock bands. 
  • 🌍 Wacky Wings, 187 Shaughnessy St. A classic sports bar with a log cabin interior. Gather here for all major sports events on TV. Over 100 flavours of wings. 
  • 🌍 Zig's Bar, 54 Elgin St, ☏ +1 705 673-3873. Home of Sudbury's only LGBT bar and nightlife. Frequented by the non-LGBT community as well, Zig's provides its customers with many unique drinks and delightful staff. Most up-to-date and dance-able music than any other bar, Zig's is accepting of all who enter. 

Sleep

Budget

Mid-range

Splurge

Go next
  • Killarney — 110 km (68 mi) south west of Sudbury, the town serves visitors to the backcountry of Killarney Provincial Park or wilderness lodges throughout this part of Ontario's near north.
  • French River — located amongst the French and Pickerel River systems south of Sudbury, providing opportunities camping, cottaging, canoeing, kayaking and fishing in a historic waterway.
  • North Bay — east of Sudbury, North Bay serves as the "Gateway to the North", hosting small galleries, museums, and festivals in addition to year-round activities on the trails and hills around Lake Nipissing.
  • Timmins — the next destination for anyone heading due north, nearly 300 km (190 mi) from Sudbury. Timmins is another mining region, with an interesting history surrounded by the Northern Ontario wilderness.
  • White River — Via Rail operates the Lake Superior train from Downtown Sudbury to White River. The train runs through isolated and pristine wilderness in Northern Ontario. You can request a special stop and get out in the middle of nowhere for your hunting and camping pleasure. Just catch the train on its way back to return. The fare is $55 one way for an adult, and the train departs 3 times weekly. Contact Via Rail for details.


Routes through Sudbury
Winnipeg ← Hornepayne ←  W  E  → Parry Sound → Toronto
Sault Ste Marie ← Espanola ←  W  E  → West Nipissing → North Bay
END ←  N  S  → French River → Barrie
END ← Timmins ←  N  S  → END



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