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White River is a tiny village on the Trans-Canada Highway in northern Ontario.

Understand[edit]

Winnie the bear

White River, population 607, was established as a railway village on the Canadian Pacific mainline in 1885. Its primary industry is forestry; the township's population has been in steep decline since Domtar closed its mill in 2007. While the village is a good jumping-off point for fishing and canoeing on the White River, and its location on the main east-west route cross country makes it difficult to miss, it's tiny enough that it might not even be on the map were it not for the notability of its most famous resident: an orphan black bear cub who left with a group of soldiers in 1914.

The soldiers? Fort Garry Horse regiment from Winnipeg, Manitoba – a cavalry unit and their horses off to fight the Great War in Europe. Their unofficial mascot? Winnie the bear, who literary travellers will immediately recognise as a character in a few A. A. Milne books.

"Oh, bother!" said Pooh, and the rest is history.

Talk[edit]

While the village has an anglophone majority, one in six speak French as a first language.

Climate[edit]

White River is northern by Ontario standards and temperatures as cold as -40° are not unheard of in winter.

Get in[edit]

There is no passenger service on the CP line to Thunder Bay

By train[edit]

  • 1 White River station, Winnipeg St N. White River railway station (Q3098077) on Wikidata White River station on Wikipedia
    • VIA Rail Canada, toll-free: +1-888-842-7245. Operates many intercity trains across Canada. VIA Rail Canada (Q876720) on Wikidata Via Rail on Wikipedia Operates a route from Sudbury three times weekly with a long list of stops at isolated, otherwise-inaccessible points. Travel time to White River from Sudbury is 8 hours, departing at 9AM.

By bus[edit]

By car[edit]

White River has Highway 17 (Trans-Canada Highway) passing through it. White River is 325 km north of Sault Ste Marie, and 385 km east of Thunder Bay.

Get around[edit]

Map
Map of White River (Ontario)

There is no local taxi service in the village.

See[edit]

Winnie-the-Pooh statue
  • Winnie-the-Pooh statue, White River Visitor Park. A colourful 25-foot statue of Winnie in a tree is visible from the south side of the Trans-Canada Highway.
  • 1 White River Heritage Museum, 200 Elgin St, +1 807 822-2657. Summer Tu-Sa 10AM-6PM, winter by appointment. Local history, including the Canadian Pacific railway and a very famous local bear. Souvenir shop. By donation.

Do[edit]

  • Swimming, boating, fishing and hunting in summer
  • Snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in winter
  • A playground and picnic area is available at the White River Tourist Information Centre (555 Elgin, phone +1 807 822-2794 or +1-888-517-1673, washrooms, snowmobiling and trail information, washrooms and RV dump station).
  • White River Air, +1 807 822-2222. Remote fishing outpost with lodging (2 bed, 1 bath) on White River, accessible only by air.

Events[edit]

  • Winnie's Hometown Festival. Third weekend in August. Parade, trade show, dance, arts and crafts show, fireworks display, games, competitions and entertainment.

Buy[edit]

There is a grocer, a Home Hardware and a Husky fuel station in the village. Winnie the Pooh memorabilia is available at the travel info centre and the heritage museum.

Eat[edit]

Drink[edit]

Sleep[edit]

Connect[edit]

Local telephone calls are seven digits. The local postal code is P0M 3G0 for the entire village; all mail is addressed to PO boxes as there is no local household delivery.

  • 1 White River Public Library, 123 Superior St, +1 807 822-1113. Public access computers and wi-fi, copy/print/fax, book and media lending. Open four or five days a week, depending on season.

Go next[edit]

Routes through White River
Thunder BayMarathon  W  E  WawaSault Ste Marie
Jct W EHornepayne  N  S  END


This city travel guide to White River is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.