Culture and Diversity in NWO

Northwestern Ontario is a region of great cultural diversity. Immigrants from around the world have made their home here alongside Canada’s First Nations and Metis people. We are truly a multiethnic, multilingual and multicultural region.

Today, this diverse mix of people provides the region with an exciting range of cultural resources. To showcase and protect these resources, many organizations and partnerships exist to promote understanding, respect and cooperation between all cultures.

The Folklore Festival , coordinated by the Thunder Bay Multicultural Association, is a wonderful example of this cooperation. Since 1972 the festival has provided an opportunity for ethno cultural groups and organizations to celebrate their cultural heritage through song, dance, crafts and cuisine. The annual event attracts more than 9,000 people every year.

Many other ethnic groups also host multicultural events throughout the year such as Pow Wows and aboriginal gatherings with the entire community welcome to attend. Northwestern Ontario’s variety of cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds, as well as its understanding between different peoples, is unrivaled in Canada.