The Department of Geography and the Environment at Lakehead University is proud to be a member of the Canadian Association of Geographers – Prairie Division. While Northwestern Ontario is not generally associated with Prairie ecosystems, landscapes and cultures, Thunder Bay and the surrounding area has deep ties with our Western neighbours.
- We are within the traditional territory of Anishinaabe and Métis peoples whose language and cultural traditions link the Great Lakes region to the Prairies.
- In 2022 more than 6.2 million tonnes of grain and more than 1.2 million tonnes of potash from the Prairies moved through the Port of Thunder Bay (Port Cargo Statistics 1952-Present).
- The Thunder Bay district has 40,000 acres of farmland, with about 7,000 people employed within the local agri-food sector (FarmNorth). Farming in the area is very diverse and has been supported in part by the Lakehead University Agricultural Research Station (LUARS) since 1991.
- There are areas of Prairie and Savannah ecosystems scattered across Northwestern Ontario including just west of Thunder Bay in the Stanley area (Tallgrass Ontario).
We hope you’ll come visit our beautiful area to share your research and perhaps explore the many connections we have with other members of the Prairie Division of the Canadian Association of Geographers.
