North Bay, a lively little town on the north-east shore of Lake Nipissing, in a pleasant setting about 300 km (186 mi.) from Toronto, is popular with visitors for its long sandy beach, good lake fishing, wide range of leisure facilities, and, not least, the riches and beauties of the hinterland in the north-east of the
province.
The town was once on the fur traders' route from the Ottawa River to Georgian Bay, and still plays an important part in the trade today, staging public auctions five times a year - January, March, April, June and December - where the skins of beaver, marten and other valuable Canadian fur animals are offered for sale.