Labrador City is a town in western Labrador (part of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador), near the Quebec border. With a population of 7,412 as of 2021, it is the second-largest population centre in Labrador, behind Happy Valley-Goose Bay. Neighbouring Labrador City is Wabush, a smaller town with a population of approximately 1,964 as of 2021. Together, the "twin towns" are known as Labrador West.
In the 1960s, Labrador City was founded to accommodate employees of the Iron Ore Company of Canada; iron ore mining continues to be the primary industry in the town.
The Labrador City town motto is Kamistiatusset, a Naskapi word meaning "land of the hard-working people." The Labrador City town crest is that of a snowy owl holding a scroll atop a black spade on a mound of red earth. The symbol represents iron ore mining. The spade is flanked by two caribou. Both snowy owls and caribou are native to the Labrador City area.
Government
Since the 2025 election, the federal riding of Labrador seat has been held by Philip Earle, a Liberal Party member while Progressive Conservative Joseph Power has represented Labrador West in the provincial House of Assembly since 2025."Cabinet ministers Letto and Hawkins among 9 defeated Liberals". CBC News Newfoundland and Labrador, May 17, 2019.
Jordan Brown is currently the Mayor of Labrador City.
Economy Labrador City was built around the rich iron ore deposits of the Labrador Trough by the Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC) in the 1960s. The Carol Project is the major iron ore mining operation for the area. In 2008, IOC and their parent company Rio Tinto announced they would spend $800 million to develop additional mines in the region. However, only a few months after announcing the second phase of their expansion, the project was shelved due to the economic recession and low demand for steel.
The town is serviced by the Wabush Airport, and the airlines flying out of the airport are Provincial Airlines, Air Inuit and Pascan Aviation. Additionally, the Quebec North Shore and Labrador Railway provides freight rail transportation to and from Sept-Îles. The Trans-Labrador Highway (Route 500) serves as the only road connection to Labrador City, connecting it with the rest of Labrador as well as the neighbouring province of Quebec, becoming Quebec Route 389 at the border.
The town contains many amenities found in larger locations thanks to investments by the mining companies who established the area including an ice arena, curling, downhill & cross country ski clubs. The White wolf snowmobile club connects with a larger trail network across the region and is home to the Cain's Quest Snowmobile Endurance Race.
The main shopping mall in the town, the Labrador Mall, includes a Walmart, Canadian Tire and Mark's.Page 2 | List of companies in Labrador City, Newfoundland Canada The mall opened in 1978 and is the largest shopping mall in Labrador; it is also the only enclosed mall in Labrador.History of Labrador City , LabradorWest.com, Retrieved February 7, 2011Labrador Mall , Westcliff.ca, Retrieved February 7, 2011(22 November 2010). Concerns turn to action, The Aurora
There is a Masonic lodge in Labrador City, Lodge Anik No 1707 of the District Grand Lodge of Newfoundland and Labrador of the Grand Lodge of Scotland.
Demographics
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Labrador City had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.
Canada 2016 Census Population % of Total Population Visible minority groupSource: South Asian 25 Chinese 25 Filipino 250 Arab 1 Other visible minority 10 Mixed visible minority 10 Total visible minority population 330 Aboriginal groupSource: First Nations 170 Métis 295 Inuit 125 Other Aboriginal 30 Total Aboriginal population 630 White 6,230 Total population 7,220 100%
Attractions
Basilica of our Lady of Perpetual Help
Climate Wabush and Labrador City have a continental subarctic climate (Köppen: Dfc), with cool to mild summers and severely cold winters. Precipitation is heavy year round (although higher in summer) due to the strong Icelandic Low to the east driving cold, moist and unstable air onto the region. Snowfall, as is typical for the province, is very heavy for seven months each year and depths can reach as high as . Despite its latitude around the same as cities like Berlin, London, and Amsterdam, its annual mean temperature is colder.
See also List of cities and towns in Newfoundland and Labrador Wabush, neighbouring twin town of Labrador City Fermont, nearest town in Quebec
Notable residents
Notable former residents of Labrador City include:
Damhnait Doyle, singer-songwriter Margot Kidder, actress Dan LaCosta, National Hockey League goaltender Pascal Pelletier, National Hockey League player Chad Penney, National Hockey League player Mark Nichols, 2006 Turin Olympics gold medallist curler
References
External links
Labrador West website The Aurora newspaper (published by Transcontinental) Labrador City - Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador, vol. 3, p. 221-222.