Port McNeill, British Columbia
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| Town of Port McNeill | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country |  Canada |
| Province |  British Columbia |
| Region | Vancouver Island |
| Regional district | Regional District of Mount Waddington |
| Founded | 1936 |
| Incorporated | 1966 |
| Government | |
| - Governing body | Port McNeill Town Council |
| - Mayor | Town Gerry Furney |
| Area | |
| - Total | 7.74 km² (3 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 10 m (33 ft) |
| Population (2006) | |
| - Total | 2,623 |
| Time zone | PST (UTC-8) |
| Highways | 19 |
| Waterways | Johnstone Strait, Queen Charlotte Strait |
| Website: Town of Port McNeill | |
Port McNeill is a town on the north-eastern coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia ,Canada with a population of 2,623 (2006).
The area had been a basecamp for loggers for quite a while when a railroad was built and Port McNeill became a settlement in 1936. The town was named after Captain William Henry McNeill of the Hudson's Bay Company.
Public services offered include an RCMP dispatchment, Ambulance Service, Volunteer Fire Department and the District Hospital for all of the North Island. The town also offers all modern amentities including two grocery stores, two liquor stores, six restaurants, three bars/pubs, a few motels and B&B, two hardware stores, a Petro Canada gas station and ESSO gas station, a Subway restaurant, a Fields superstore and many small souvenir shops. The scuba diving is considered the best in North America, and has been ranked #2 in the world.
It is the seat of the Mount Waddington Regional District and acts as a central hub for all of North Vancouver Island. It offers the only access to the islands of Alert Bay and Sointula via BC Ferries which run daily.
Port McNeill is also the Hometown of Willie Mitchell, an NHL defenceman for the Vancouver Canucks. When entering the town off the Island Highway, there is a sign that says "Welcome to Port McNeill - Home of the NHL's Willie Mitchell".
The town is also a popular tourism destination during the summer, with a large population of animals including Black Bear, Cougar, Deer and Elk. The town also features the world's largest burl, a museum and a rich heritage of logging. With accounting for 25.7 % of the labour force, logging remains the primary employer in Port McNeill [1] and contributes approximately 8 % of the total BC timber harvest. [2] The main contractors are Western Forest Products and LeMare Lake Logging. In 2008 Port McNeill reopened their old theatre with AC/DC cover band BC/DC as one of their first acts.
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