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| Emo | |
|---|---|
| Township (single-tier) | |
| Township of Emo | |
 | |
  Emo | |
| Coordinates: 48°38′N 93°50′W / 48.633°N 93.833°W / 48.633; -93.833 | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Ontario |
| District | Rainy River |
| Settled | 1880s |
| Incorporated | 1899 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Township |
| • Mayor | Harold McQuaker |
| • Federal riding | Thunder Bay—Rainy River |
| • Prov. riding | Kenora—Rainy River |
| Area | |
| • Land | 203.09 km (78.41 sq mi) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 1,204 |
| • Density | 6.6/km (17/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Postal code | P0W 1E0 |
| Area code | 807 |
| Website | www.emo.ca |
Emo is a small rural township, located along the Rainy River near the southwestern corner of northern Ontario, Canada, on the U.S. border directly north of the state of Minnesota. Emo had a population of 1,333 in the Canada 2016 Census and a population of 1,204 in the 2021 census.
It is known for its stock car races, its picturesque, family-friendly waterfront park, the annual Rainy River Agricultural Fair (cattle industry is key in the area) and the Emo Walleye Classic fishing tournament.
History
Emo was officially created on July 1, 1899, and celebrated its centennial in 1999. Emo's first reeve was Alexander Luttrell, an Irishman who named the town after a namesake village in Ireland near where he was born. The council was composed of Charles Fisher, John Dungey, Benjamin Phillips, and Thomas Shortreed.
The post office, Emo River, dates from 1887.
Climate
Emo has a four-season humid continental climate with extreme temperature differences between summer and winter. The daily mean difference between January and July is as much as 34 °C.
| Climate data for Emo | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 7.5 (45.5) |
13.0 (55.4) |
20.0 (68.0) |
32.0 (89.6) |
32.5 (90.5) |
37.0 (98.6) |
36.0 (96.8) |
35.0 (95.0) |
33.5 (92.3) |
29.0 (84.2) |
22.0 (71.6) |
9.0 (48.2) |
37.0 (98.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −9.4 (15.1) |
−5.3 (22.5) |
1.5 (34.7) |
10.7 (51.3) |
18.4 (65.1) |
22.9 (73.2) |
25.3 (77.5) |
24.5 (76.1) |
18.1 (64.6) |
10.3 (50.5) |
0.2 (32.4) |
−7.8 (18.0) |
9.1 (48.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −16.1 (3.0) |
−12.3 (9.9) |
−5.0 (23.0) |
3.5 (38.3) |
10.8 (51.4) |
15.5 (59.9) |
18.4 (65.1) |
17.4 (63.3) |
11.7 (53.1) |
4.8 (40.6) |
−4.4 (24.1) |
−13.2 (8.2) |
2.6 (36.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −22.7 (−8.9) |
−19.2 (−2.6) |
−11.7 (10.9) |
−3.7 (25.3) |
3.1 (37.6) |
8.6 (47.5) |
11.4 (52.5) |
10.4 (50.7) |
5.2 (41.4) |
−0.7 (30.7) |
−9.0 (15.8) |
−18.7 (−1.7) |
−3.9 (24.9) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −49.0 (−56.2) |
−49.0 (−56.2) |
−43.0 (−45.4) |
−27.5 (−17.5) |
−11.0 (12.2) |
−3.5 (25.7) |
−0.5 (31.1) |
−3.5 (25.7) |
−7.5 (18.5) |
−20.0 (−4.0) |
−44.0 (−47.2) |
−46.0 (−50.8) |
−49.0 (−56.2) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 32.5 (1.28) |
24.4 (0.96) |
31.6 (1.24) |
45.4 (1.79) |
78.3 (3.08) |
130.0 (5.12) |
110.0 (4.33) |
85.0 (3.35) |
82.6 (3.25) |
62.2 (2.45) |
51.9 (2.04) |
35.5 (1.40) |
769.4 (30.29) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 32.2 (12.7) |
20.9 (8.2) |
21.3 (8.4) |
12.9 (5.1) |
1.3 (0.5) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
1.3 (0.5) |
10.0 (3.9) |
36.5 (14.4) |
33.9 (13.3) |
170.3 (67) |
| Average precipitation days | 10 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 138 |
| Source: Environment Canada | |||||||||||||
Local government
Emo is located in the Rainy River District. The current serving (acclaimed) mayor is Harold McQuaker, while Lisa Teeple, Harrold Boven, Phil Whatley, and Gerald Weiringa serve as councillors. Elections are held every four years, in October.
Amenities
Emo is about halfway between two bridges to the United States, one at Fort Frances (approximately a 30-minute drive) and the other at Rainy River (about 40 minutes by road). It is identified in many cycling resources as an excellent overnight stopping point because of the facilities (shelter, showers and bathrooms) available in the waterfront park.
There are many volunteer groups and a strong sense of community in Emo. In Emo's Lion's Park, a picturesque riverfront area, a new play structure was funded through volunteer fundraising efforts, and a 2005-2006 fiscal year grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation . The park is also home to the Emo Spray Park, a $500,000 community-driven project completed in July 2010. A safe way for kids to engage in water play, the spray park attracts thousands of visitors in the summertime.
The spring brings the opening of the walleye fishing season, and the annual Emo Walleye Classic.
The Emo Speedway draws race participants and fans from the central United States, Northwestern Ontario and Manitoba. The track is a 600-metre, high-banked dirt oval track which operates every Saturday from May through Mid-September.
Emo is also home to four different religious denominations, including Knox United Church of Canada, as well as Baptist, Catholic, and Christian Reformed churches.
The Emo Food Bank and Thrift Shop, located in what was formerly the Anglican Church, helps hundreds of area residents in need every year.
Initially located in private homes of local women, the town library was moved to the schoolhouse in 1940 and to its own building in the 50s.
Demographics
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 1,275 | — |
| 1996 | 1,366 | +7.1% |
| 2001 | 1,331 | −2.6% |
| 2006 | 1,305 | −2.0% |
| 2011 | 1,252 | −4.1% |
| 2016 | 1,333 | +6.5% |
| 2021 | 1,204 | −9.7% |
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Emo had a population of 1,204 living in 472 of its 521 total private dwellings, a change of -9.7% from its 2016 population of 1,333. With a land area of 202.28 km (78.10 sq mi), it had a population density of 6.0/km (15.4/sq mi) in 2021.
Canada census – Emo community profile| 2021 | 2016 | 2011 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,204 (−9.7% from 2016) | 1,333 (+6.5% from 2011) | 1,252 (-4.1% from 2006) |
| Land area | 202.28 km (78.10 sq mi) | 203.09 km (78.41 sq mi) | 203.54 km (78.59 sq mi) |
| Population density | 6/km (16/sq mi) | 6.6/km (17/sq mi) | 6.2/km (16/sq mi) |
| Median age | 41.2 (M: 41.2, F: 41.2) | 40.5 (M: 39.3, F: 41.1) | 41.4 (M: 40.3, F: 41.9) |
| Private dwellings | 521 (total) 472 (occupied) | 554 (total) | 483 (total) |
| Median household income | $94,000 | $75,593 |
Emo Walleye Classic
The Emo Walleye Classic is a two-day catch and release fishing tournament held annually in Emo, during the final week of May each year. It takes place on the Rainy River, which marks the border between Minnesota and Ontario.
Upwards of sixty Canadian and American teams of two participate each year, each paying a participation fee ($500 in 2015). An organizing committee and many local volunteers assist at the event, and many local businesses and individuals sponsor the event.
On each morning of the tournament, anglers head upstream and downstream from the Emo waterfront to their chosen fishing spots. The weigh-ins are held in the evenings at the Emo/LaVallee Community Centre where results are posted live. On the final day of the tournament, the top ten teams from day one are brought into the arena with their boats.
Classic history
The tournament began in 2002 with forty-four participating teams, and has grown since then, with thirty-eight teams competing in 2013. The first winners were Harvey Cochrane and Oliver Gibbons who won as a result of the leading team having three fish over the legal size. In 2008 Doug McBride of Devlin, Ontario, and Steve Ballan of Fort Frances, Ontario, became the first team to win the tournament twice.
Past winners
- 2020: Tournament cancelled due to COVID-19
- 2019: Dan Pollard and Josh Pollard; Weight: 15.69 lbs
- 2018: Les Morrison and Oliver Gibbons; Weight: 19.53 lbs
- 2017: Les Morrison and Oliver Gibbons; Weight: 22.03 lbs
- 2016: Ted Heyens and Kelvin Caul; Weight: 23.94 lbs
- 2015: Bill Godin and Ralph Galusha; Weight: 13.70 lbs
- 2014: Bill Godin and Ralph Galusha; Weight: 17.84 lbs
- 2013: Les Morrison and Oliver Gibbons; Weight: 20.16 lbs
- 2012: Paul Allan and Hason Rostek; Weight: 17.13 lbs
- 2011: Rod Woodgate and Dylan Swire; Weight: 19.67 lbs
- 2010: Bill Godin and Ralph Galusha; Weight: 11.32 lbs
- 2009: Ted Heyens and Kelvin Caul; Weight: 24.98 lbs
- 2008: Doug McBride and Steve Ballan; Weight: 24.89 lbs
- 2007: Bill Godin and Ralph Galusha; Weight: 19.47 lbs
- 2006: Todd Grennier and Eric Lessman; Weight: 16.12 lbs
- 2005: Doug McBride and Steve Ballan; Weight: 25.82 lbs
- 2004: Dale Hartlin and Dan Pollard; Weight: 20.28 lbs
- 2003: Todd Baker and Greg Stahn; Weight: 19.22 lbs
- 2002: Harvey Cochrane and Oliver Gibbons; Weight: 15.00 lbs
Records
- Biggest fish
2005 Tournament - Day 2 - Doug McBride and Steve Ballan: 10.02 lbs
- Biggest catch
2005 Tournament - Day 2 - Doug McBride and Steve Ballan: 15.06 lbs
- Highest tournament two-day total
2005 Tournament - Doug McBride and Steve Ballan: 25.82 lbs
Gay Pride Controversy
In 2020, Borderland Pride requested that the township of Emo recognize June as Pride Month and fly the Pride flag outside their municipal office. The town council voted 3–2 against this request, with Emo mayor Harold McQuaker commenting “There’s no flag being flown for the other side of the coin ... there’s no flags being flown for the straight people”. This resulted in Borderland Pride protesting by staging their own Pride Parade in Emo.
In 2024, the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal ruled against the township and ordered them to pay $15,000 in compensation to Borderland Pride, with $5,000 of the fine coming from Harold McQuaker. The tribunal also ordered McQuaker and the Chief Administrative Officer of the municipality to complete a "Human Rights 101" training course, which is offered by the Ontario Human Rights Commission, within 30 days. Borderland Pride had previously offered to donate a third of their settlement to the Emo Public Library if they agreed to host a “drag story time event”.
In an interview with the Toronto Sun, Harold McQuaker described his fine as "extortion" and stated that he would not pay the fine, perform the human rights training, or host a drag story time event at the Emo Public Library, adding “if anybody needs training it’s the LGBTQ2+ to quit pushing their weight around and make demands that people can’t live with.”
Borderland Pride subsequently received a court order to have Harold McQuaker's bank account garnished, and the fine was removed directly from his bank account at CIBC, the only bank currently operating in Emo. Borderland Pride boasted about the garnishment in a Facebook post, stating “Sure, sex is great, but have you ever garnished your mayor’s bank account after he publicly refused to comply with a Tribunal’s order to pay damages?”
See also
References
- ^ "2016 Community Profiles". 2016 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. August 12, 2021. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
- ^ "Census Profile, 2016 Census - Emo, Township". Statistics Canada. 8 February 2017. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
- Our Town's Past Archived 2011-07-09 at the Wayback Machine: Official Visitor's info from the township
- Hamilton, William (1978). The Macmillan Book of Canadian Place Names. Macmillan. p. 146. ISBN 0-7715-9754-1.
- "Emo Radbourne, Ontario Travel Weather Averages (Weatherbase)".
- "Emo Radbourne, Ontario". 25 September 2013. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
- "Emo-Devlin United Churches".
- Statistics Canada: 2001, 2006, 2011 census
- "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Ontario". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
- "2021 Community Profiles". 2021 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. February 4, 2022. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
- "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. March 21, 2019. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
- "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. August 20, 2019.
- "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. July 18, 2021.
- ^ Emo Walleye Classic Homepage - www.emowalleye.com
- "Borderland Pride Website".
- "Tiny Canadian town fined $10,000 for not flying Pride flag (The Telegraph)".
- "CBC - Protest shows Pride support in Emo, Ont".
- "CBC - Ontario Human Rights Tribunal fines Emo Township for refusing Pride proclamation".
- "Tiny Canadian town fined $10,000 for not flying Pride flag (The Telegraph)".
- "WARMINGTON: Mayor says he refuses to be bullied or pay fine for not flying Pride flag (Toronto Sun)".
- "Toronto Sun - WARMINGTON: Mayor who stood up to Pride group has bank account garnished".
External links
| Places adjacent to Emo, Ontario | ||||||||||||||||
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Emo
