page_title: Thunder Bay
section_title: Culture
hierarchical_section_title: Thunder Bay / Culture
caption_attribution_description: English: a local doughnut like pastry from Thunder Bay Ontario
context_page_description: Thunder Bay is a city in and the seat of Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canada. It is the most populous municipality in Northwestern Ontario and the second most populous municipality in Northern Ontario; its population is 107,909 according to the 2016 Canada Census,
  Located on Lake Superior, the census metropolitan area of Thunder Bay has a population of 121,621 and consists of the city of Thunder Bay, the municipalities of Oliver Paipoonge and Neebing, the townships of Shuniah, Conmee, O'Connor, and Gillies, and the Fort William First Nation.
  European settlement in the region began in the late 17th century with a French fur trading outpost on the banks of the Kaministiquia River. It grew into an important transportation hub with its port forming an important link in the shipping of grain and other products from western Canada, through the Great Lakes and the Saint Lawrence Seaway, to the east coast. Forestry and manufacturing played important roles in the city's economy. They have declined in recent years, but have been replaced by a "knowledge economy" based on medical research and education. Thunder Bay is the site of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute.
context_section_description: The city of Thunder Bay was declared a "Cultural Capital of Canada" in 2003. Throughout the city are cultural centres representing the diverse population, such as the Finnish Labour Temple, Scandinavia House, the Italian Cultural Centre, the Polish Legion, and a wide variety of others.
  Shags, a combination shower and stag held to celebrate the engagement of a couple, and Persians, a cinnamon bun pastry with pink icing, originated in the city.
  Thunder Bay is served by the Thunder Bay Public Library, which has four branches.
  Events in the city include Thunder Pride, an LGBT pride parade held since 2010, and the annual Canadian Lakehead Exhibition.
caption: A Persian, local to Thunder Bay
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