Welland is the place to be...
During the 2006 Census, the population of Welland was determined to be 50,331, making Welland the 86th largest city in Canada. The population rose from 48,402 in the 2001 Census.
The Niagara College of Applied Arts and Technology brings people from all over southern Ontario to the city, promoting diversity.
According to the 2001 census, 95.5% of the population is Caucasian, 1.7% Aboriginal, 1.1% Black, 0.2% Korean, and 0.3% of other Asian descent. 17.7% of inhabitants are under the age of 14, while those over 65 account for 16.9%.
In 1914, a local business called Empire Cotton Mills was bought by a Quebec-based company. They brought in twenty French families to work in the mill, giving a start to a francophone community still very alive in the city today. Presently, Welland is one of only three communities in southern Ontario (excluding eastern Ontario) where Franco-Ontarians, as a percentage of the community's population, exceed the provincial average of 4.8%. (The other two are Penetanguishene and Lakeshore.)
Another significant cultural group was established with the opening of the Plymouth Cordage plant. Many workers relocated to Welland from the company's operations in Plymouth, Massachusetts were of Italian origin. To minimise the potential effects of cultural and language barriers, Plymouth Cordage sent four foremen to Welland: one was Italian, one French, one German and one English. The neighbourhood that the company built for its employees (now Plymouth Cordage Heritage District [1]) became the first Italian ethnic neighbourhood in Welland.
The Top 5 largest ethnic groups include: English: 24.9%, French: 23.3%, Scottish: 14.4%, Italian: 13.3%, and Irish: 13.1%. There are also many people of eastern European origin from countries like Croatia, Hungary, and Poland, as well as a growing contingent of Colombians and Venezuelans.
Famous People From Welland
Ablan Leon - Founder of Leon's Furniture Company
Attack In Black - Alternative Band
Paul Beeston - Former president of Major League Baseball and former president (and now interim CEO) of the Toronto Blue Jays.
Ken Breitenbach- Former Buffalo Sabres Hockey Player (NHL)
Cal Clutterbuck - Minnesota Wild player
Chris Belanger- Former Team Canada Hockey Player
Brian Daboll - Assistant coach, New York Jets
Matt Ellis - Buffalo Sabres hockey player.
Simon Gatti - Soccer player
Daniel Girardi - New York Rangers hockey player.
Wayne Groulx - Former NHL/Austrian league Hockey player
Chris Haney- Co-inventor of "Trivial Pursuit" board game
Mike Hominuck - Player for the Edmonton Rush of the NLL.
Nathan Horton- Florida Panthers Hockey Player (NHL)
Peter Kormos - long-serving NDP Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Amy Ciupak Lalonde- Co-Star of CBC's hit show Sophie and one of the stars of Diary of the Dead (2007)
Anna Olson - Host of Sugar on Food Network Canada (Born in Georgia, now resides in Welland)
Daniel Paille - Boston Bruins hockey player.
Gilbert Parent - Former federal Speaker of the House of Commons
Tammy Plante- Playboy Playmate
Sleep the Season - Alternative Band
Mike Smrek - Former NBA player (Chicago, Los Angeles, San Antonio & Golden State)
Bill Welychka - News Anchor
Curtis Harrison - Actor, Writer
Bill Huard - Former NHL Hockey Player
Matt Johnson (ice hockey) - Former NHL Hockey Player