History of Ethnic Diversity in Lively

History of Ethnic Diversity in Lively and the wider Walden area

The history of ethnic diversity in Lively and the wider Walden area is closely tied to the resource industries (mining and logging) of the Greater Sudbury region and the waves of immigration that accompanied their growth.

Here is a breakdown of the key elements of ethnic diversity in the area:

1. Indigenous and Early European Presence

  • Indigenous Peoples: Long before European settlement, the region, originally called N’Swakamok (where the three roads meet) in the Ojibwe language, was home to the Anishinaabeg (specifically the Ojibwe) people for thousands of years. The Atikameksheng Anishnawbek Nation continues to be a part of the community.

  • Early European Settlers: The first European presence was established by French Jesuits in the mid-19th century. The subsequent construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) in the 1880s brought the first major influx of workers.

2. Mining-Driven Diversity (Late 19th Century – Mid-20th Century)

The discovery of nickel and copper in the Sudbury Basin drove a massive demand for labor, leading to a vibrant multi-ethnic community, which included the smaller settlements that would later form Walden (like Lively, Waters, and Denison).

  • Dominant European Groups: The initial large waves of immigration included people of:

    • French Canadian origin (who became a major cultural and linguistic force in the wider region).

    • Irish origin.

    • British origins (English, Scottish, Welsh).

  • Central and Northern European Immigrants: Subsequent waves of immigration, particularly for the mines, brought significant numbers from various European countries, including:

    • Finnish (e.g., they settled notably in the Beaver Lake area, focusing on farming and dairy co-operatives).

    • Italian.

    • Ukrainian and Polish.

    • German.

    For example, the historical mining settlements of Victoria Mines and Mond in the Walden area were noted for their diverse populations, with Finnish, Ukrainian, Polish, Italian, French, and British residents.

3. The Modern Lively and Walden Era

  • Lively’s Founding: The town of Lively was established in the 1950s as a company townsite for employees of INCO’s Creighton Mine facilities. It became part of the Town of Walden in 1973 (the name being an acronym of Waters, Lively, and Denison).

  • Ethnic Composition in Lively (Contemporary Data): Lively, as a community within Greater Sudbury, reflects the region’s overall composition but is noted to have a strong local identity. A 2021 Census breakdown for the Greater Sudbury area (which includes Lively and Walden) shows the most frequently reported ethnic or cultural origins are:

    1. French

    2. Irish

    3. Canadian

    4. English, Scottish, and other European groups.

  • Growing Racialized Diversity: The Greater Sudbury area, like many Canadian communities, has seen increasing diversity in recent decades. In the 2021 Census, the largest racialized groups were Black, South Asian, and Chinese. While these groups are concentrated across the Greater Sudbury area, they contribute to the diversity of all communities, including Lively and Walden.

In summary, the ethnic diversity of Lively and Walden evolved from the land’s Indigenous roots, through the French-Canadian and British settlement, and was significantly broadened by the successive waves of European immigrants (especially Finnish, Italian, and Ukrainian) who came to work in the area’s thriving mining and logging industries.