Wabush is a small town in the western tip of Labrador, bordering Quebec, known for transportation and iron ore operations. Take a look below for 17 interesting and amazing facts about Wabush, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

1. Wabush is the twin community of Labrador City.

2. At its peak population in the late 1970s, the region had a population of just over 22,000.

3. A reduction in iron mining operations in the late 20th century caused a major decline in jobs and population.

4. As of 2011, Wabush’s population was 1,861. Most residents continue to work in the nearby mine: Iron Ore Company of Canada, now a unit of Rio Tinto Mines.

5. While remote, the town contains modern amenities.

6. A shopping centre includes a post office, bank, a restaurant, a bar, and a snowmobile store.

7. There is also a recreational centre, which includes a bowling alley, gymnasium, swimming pool, a teen centre, and a weight lifting room; an ice arena, a library, a legion building that serves alcoholic beverages, a furniture store, several playgrounds, a school, a church, two corner stores, and a hotel (which also includes a restaurant, a barber shop, and a bar).

8. United Rentals (an equipment rental company) has a branch location in Wabush.

9. Nearby Labrador City has a modern indoor shopping centre, which includes a Walmart, Mark’s Work Wearhouse and Canadian Tire.

10. In 2017, MHA Graham Letto and Labrador City Mayor Wayne Button stated that the municipal governments of Labrador City and Wabush are looking into the idea of amalgamation.

11. Air transportation needs for the twin communities are served by Wabush Airport and seasonally by Wabush Water Aerodrome.

12. It used to receive more frequent service by Air Gaspé, which was acquired by Quebecair in 1973.

13. The latter ended as an independent business in 1986, acquired in turn by CP Air in 1986 and Canadian Airlines in 1987.

14. Currently the area is serviced by Air Canada (Air Canada Express & Exploits Valley Air Services), Provincial Airlines, Pascan Air and Air Inuit.

15. Like most of Labrador, Wabush has a subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc) with precipitation much higher than usual for this type of climate due to the persistent Icelandic Low, which give the region some of the rainiest and snowiest weather in all of Canada.

16. Especially in summer, cloudiness is very high due to the lakes nearby and the unstable northerly airstreams that prevail, but because the town is relatively far from the open sea, sunshine is higher than even in St. John’s due to the absence of fog from the Labrador Current. Snow usually melts off in May.

17. Wabush appears in the John Wyndham post-catastrophe novel The Chrysalids under the name of Waknuk.[