What You Can Find

  • 46 immigrant stories explaining their journeys to Canada and the circumstances which eventually led them to live and work in the Red Lake District.
  • Over 750 photos of individuals and families, and related displays at the Heritage Centre.
  • Immigration documents(passports, Canadian Citizenship Certificates, etc.) shared by current and former Red Lake residents.
  • A history of Canadian immigration policies and programs to attract and exclude immigrants to the country, as well as a timeline of major world events that led to waves of immigration to Canada.

About Red Lake

Red Lake is a remote gold mining community in Northwestern Ontario, population approximately 5,000. It is located roughly 175 km north of Vermilion Bay and the Trans-Canada Highway.

Thousands of immigrants from over 45 countries have found their way to Red Lake to start a new life. Today, approximately 50% of Red Lake’s population is comprised of first generation immigrants and their descendants. 

Nationalities/Countries represented:

1. Austrian, Austria
2. Danish, Denmark
3. English, England
4. Finnish, Finland
5. German, Germany
6. Italian, Italy
7. Irish, Ireland
8. Latvian, Latvia
9. Lithuanian, Lithuania
10. Polish, Poland
11. Scottish, Scotland
12. Swedish, Sweden
13. Ukrainian, Ukraine
14. American, United 
States of America
15.Yugoslavian,Yugoslavia
It is the final phase of a multi-year immigration project which began in June 2009. The purpose of the project is to bring to life the physical and emotional journey traveled by many immigrants who found their way to live and work in the Red Lake District of Ontario. It also acknowledges the contributions these pioneers made in building the prosperous and vibrant community that Red Lake is today.

Conditions surrounding the immigrants' decisions to come to Canada, such as major world events and Canadian government strategies and policies, have also been explored and are presented on this website.

This collection of family histories and photos will continue to expand as more information is provided by the public, creating a free database on Red Lake immigration that is accessible to worldwide audiences and can be used as an educational tool.
Thank You!
to everyone who contributed to this project, and especially those who were willing to share their personal stories and photos.