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Onaping Falls (1996 census population 5,277) was a town in the Canadian province of Ontario, which existed from 1973 to 2000. It was created as part of the Regional Municipality of Sudbury, and took its name from the waterfalls (High Falls) on the Onaping River.
On January 1, 2001, the town and the Regional Municipality were dissolved and amalgamated into the city of Greater Sudbury. The town is now part of Ward 3 on Greater Sudbury City Council.
In the Canada 2011 Census, the main communities in Onaping Falls were listed for the first time as two of six distinct population centres (or ) in Greater Sudbury: Dowling (population 1,690, density 475.0 km2) Canada 2011 Census Community Profiles: Population Centre of Dowling. Statistics Canada. and Onaping-Levack (population 2,042, density 251.3 km2). Canada 2011 Census Community Profiles: Population Centre of Onaping-Levack. Statistics Canada.
The area is known for its recreational abundance; fishing, hunting, snowmobiling, cross-country and downhill skiing and most other recreational sports are common activities of the residents.
It has become famous for High Falls, where the Onaping River drops 55 metres in a single plunge. The town is at the point where the Canadian Shield meets the Sudbury Basin, caused by a meteorite strike two billion years ago. There is a lookout off Highway 144 called the A. Y. Jackson Lookout, for the famous Group of Seven artist who memorialized the view on his canvas.
The town is also home to Windy Lake Provincial Park.
With the advent of regional government in 1973, the town of Onaping Falls became a part of the Regional Municipality of Sudbury, which also included the towns of Rayside-Balfour, Nickel Centre, Walden, Valley East and Capreol. The name "Onaping Falls" was chosen electorally between three contentious names: "Mountainvale" submitted by Levack resident Mary Carol McLellan, "Onaping Falls", submitted by Onaping resident Ted Cunningham and "Dowling", submitted by Dowling council. Mr. Cunningham received $25 for submitting the chosen name.
On November 9, 1973, Onaping Falls was the site of a truck - train collision which caused more than a 1,000 gallon spill at the New Cobden Road crossing off Highway 144 about 2 miles northwest of Dowling. Traces of PCB's were found in the water table four years after the crash. MOE coughs up $500,000 - PCB clean-up starts six long years after spill, Northern Life, July 11, 1979 Page 19
The first mayor of Onaping Falls was Jim Coady, for whom the ice arena in Levack is named. Other mayors of Onaping Falls between 1973 and absorption into the City of Greater Sudbury were Bob Parker, Shirley Mirka and Jean Guy "Chummy" Quesnel.
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