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Discovered in 1956 in the wilderness of the boreal forest north of the 55th parallel, the Thompson orebody led to the creation of a brand new community. Named after Dr. John F. Thompson, Inco's Chairman at the time, Thompson, Manitoba was built on a bend in the Burntwood River and was to become known as the “hub of the North.”
In no time, it grew from a mining camp into a thriving city, now the third largest in Manitoba with about 15,000 residents.
In 1961, the Northern Miner reported that Inco had provided $8.4 million to develop the site. “This money has paid for clearing the land, town planning and installation of various basic facilities,” the newspaper reported. “These include such improvements as roads and sidewalks, sewers, drainage system, water treatment plant, schools, and a civic administration building which also houses the jail and fire hall. Inco too has built a 32-bed hospital.”
Over the years, Inco has continued to serve Thompson, primarily as a facilitator. Says Dan McSweeney, Superintendent of Public and Government Affairs at Inco's Thompson Operation, “Our emphasis has always been ‘just to help out' so that people from within the community could take the initiative themselves to make things happen for Thompson. Our relationship with the community, by choice and design, is best described as a partnership.”
- Advanced a 10-year, $1.8 million (Cdn. $2.5 million) community development initiative to assist the community plan for the future.
- Established a Public Liaison Committee (PLC) in order to provide a mechanism for public outreach on environmental issues associated with our nickel operations.
- Contributed $70,000 (Cdn. $100,000) to the creation of the Burntwood Regional Health Authority’s new 40-bed personal care home.
- Work with community to help diversify the economic base of Thompson for the long-term future.
- Continue ongoing dialogue with the community on environmental issues through the PLC.
- Establish a new web site enabling Thompson residents to access sulphur dioxide emission levels on a real-time basis.
- Maintain an active contributions program to enhance the quality of life for Thompsonites.
- Play leading roles in key community organizations such as the Thompson Chamber of Commerce and Nickel Days Corporation.
- Continue partnering with the United Steelworkers of America in the Workers of Tomorrow safety program.
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