About Sarnia

Sarnia became a prominent deep water port during the 1920s when many of the shipping facilities that exist today were constructed. Sarnia is capable of accommodating ships from all over the world. In fact, the waterway between Detroit & Sarnia is the busiest in the world with one 100 million tons of shipping passing along this route each year. Ships pass up and down the river at the rate of about one every seven minutes.

The early growth of Sarnia was stimulated by a wealth of adjoining stands of timber, by discovery of oil nearby and by the arrival of The Great Western Railway in 1858 and the Grand Trunk Railway in 1859. These rail lines were later linked directly to the United States by the opening of a rail tunnel under the St. Clair River at Sarnia in 1891. A second tunnel was recently opened (1995) providing rail access to the United States accommodating double decked rail cars. A convenient link for vehicular traffic was provided when the Bluewater Bridge was opened in 1938 connecting Point Edward Ontario with Port Huron Michigan. A twinning of this structure is now underway with completion set for 1997. This will provide easy access to major American markets. An excellent highway network links Sarnia-Lambton with all major centers in the United States and with Mexico.

The area enjoys a moderate climate with summer temperatures averaging near 27C (80F) and winter temperatures averaging near -6C (22F) which are ideal for the pursuit of both summer and winter leisure activities.

Sarnia is an exciting place to live and visit. Chatelaine Magazine named Sarnia as one of the 10 best cities to live in Canada because of our thriving industry, magnificent parks, beaches and marinas.
In the premier edition of "Places To Retire" in Canada, Sarnia-Lambton was described as " offering an enviable quality of life with an average housing price of $107,000.00, one of the warmest climates in Canada, miles of sandy beaches, new first class theatres and recreational complexes and more than 20 golf courses for its population of 129,000." "Sarnia-Lambton is a pleasing mix of urban and rural, green space and waterfront, industry and recreation. It is above all, a city that values people and quality of life: Come take a look - you'll like what you see!