The land that would come to be the communities of Wabush and Labrador City was first explored by AP Low in 1896. In the 1930’s, ore deposits were more thoroughly examined and, with the development of a railway from Knob Lake to Sept-Iles in the 1950’s, created a gateway to the trench for the mining industry.

Labrador West is a place born from the defining spirit of the Smallwood Era, a time when industrialization and efficiency were a strategy for creating prosperity in the Province. The Carol Project at Labrador City was the first mining development in the region.

Labrador City began as a temporary work camp in 1960, which followed a master plan designed by the Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC). It became incorporated as the Local Improvement District of Labrador City in1961. Camp-style housing was later replaced with single-family homes as the campsite became a community.

In 1962, a mining camp at Wabush Lake laid the foundation of what would later become the Town of Wabush, and was incorporated in 1967 as a Local Improvement District. The Town of Wabush was designed in part by Fiset and Deschamps, the architects of the Montreal Expo ’67 master plan.

Within an industrial environment and camp origins, both Towns have proven their unique sense of place, an asset for retaining residents and developing a multigenerational population. In the early 1980’s, the privately-owned company towns of Labrador City and Wabush because municipalities, each with its respective elected officials, administrators, governance, and tax schemes.

Today, Labrador West is known across the country as the Iron Ore Capital of Canada.

Sixty years ago, the potential to develop the many untapped natural resources of Labrador was the driving force behind many people relocating to “The Big Land.” The area was quickly developed from forests and mountains to two isolated industrial towns with some of the most modern and advanced facilities of the day.

Today, there are new generations of people living in Labrador West, and Iron Ore is not the only draw that keeps people here. It truly is a dichotomy of pristine wilderness and industrial development.

To newcomers, Labrador West is a mosaic of the pleasantly unexpected. With an economy largely based on the mining industry, we offer diverse work opportunities within large-scale operations, contracted companies or the service industry.

Labrador is one of the world’s last frontiers, and this beautiful and majestic land has remained virtually untouched since its creation. Labrador West, in particular, has become a favourite visitor destination for families, bus tours, amateur astronomers and geologists, sports enthusiasts, and adventure tourists.

Labrador West is the most accessible area of Labrador during all twelve months of the year. In the summer season, stroll through our serene walking trails, hike to see our crystal clear waterfalls, breathe in the sweet scent of our lush evergreens, and taste our wild berries fresh off the marsh. Go camping, fishing, hunting, hiking and boating.
For the winter enthusiast, snowmobile on 450 kilometres of powder-fresh groomed trails in Canada’s newest snowmobile destination. Try dog sledding or alpine and world-class Nordic skiing. And you can experience it all against the backdrop of the spectacular northern lights, which are seen all year round.

Friendly spirits, warm hospitality, and exciting activities and attractions are all reasons to explore this region.