Timmins, Ont, City, pop 43 686 (2001c), 47 499 (1996c), 47 461 (1991c), area 2961.52 km², inc 1973, is located 290 km northwest of Greater Sudbury. Prospecting in the region began in 1906, with the first large GOLD discoveries made in 1909 by Benjamin Hollinger, Sandy McIntyre and others. The main population centre was SOUTH PORCUPINE until 1911, when it was destroyed by fire. Noah TIMMINS, a Mattawa merchant who first made a fortune in the COBALT silver rush and then moved north, gave his name to a new town that was officially incorporated on 1 January 1912.

For the first half-century of its existence, the town's population and prosperity fluctuated with the fortunes of the various gold mines - Hollinger, McIntyre and Dome. Since the 1960s its economic base has been diversified, with the addition of copper mining (Kidd Creek Mines) and waferboard production. Through regional amalgamation in 1973, Timmins achieved city status and claims the distinction of being, geographically (3004.39 km²), the largest city in Canada.