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National Post
22-05-2025
- General
- National Post
Final four residents of the 'smallest town in Canada' set to relocate
A Newfoundland community that bills itself as the smallest town in Canada will soon be empty, and former residents say they'll never forget their joyful years living there. Article content Tilt Cove, N.L., was once home to a thriving copper mine that attracted workers and their families from all over Canada. Now the community is home to just four people, all of whom agreed earlier this year to relocate. Article content Article content Shirley Severance was born in Tilt Cove in 1941. She watched the town grow when the Maritime Mining operation reopened in 1957, and she watched it shrink again in 1967 when the mine shut down for good. Article content Article content '(The company) built houses and they had a recreation centre, a curling rink and a bowling alley,' Severance said in an interview Wednesday. 'There was a hall where we used to have dances. We were teenagers, and we would go there after supper and dance to the jukebox.' Article content 'I loved it there,' Severance added. 'I miss living there.' Article content Tilt Cove is near the southeastern tip of Newfoundland's Baie Verte Peninsula, about 340 kilometres northwest of St. John's. The community is spread along the shores of small circular lake framed by rocky hills and a clearing that leads to the Atlantic Ocean. Article content Article content Visitors often take and share photos of the community's sign. 'Tilt Cove: Smallest town in Canada,' it says. 'Population: 4.' The copper mine opened in 1864 and operated intermittently until 1967. In the year before it closed for good, 436 people lived in the community, according to provincial statistics. By 1991, just 17 were left. Article content In 2023, the few remaining residents voted unanimously to take advantage of the Newfoundland and Labrador government's community relocation policy. The program offers homeowners in towns that have voted to resettle between $250,000 and $270,000 to move away. Article content The province made an offer to the four permanent homeowners in Tilt Cove in January, the Department of Municipal Affairs said in an email. Residents decided on a relocation date of March 31, but a grace period was offered until their new homes are ready, the department said. Discussions are ongoing about when electricity and other services in the town will be cut off. Article content Collette Barthe said it's sad the town has come to an end, but she understands that without the mine, there isn't much reason for anybody to stay. The 76-year-old from New Brunswick moved to Tilt Cove with her family when she was five, and they lived there until she was 16. Article content Like Severance, Barthe recalled a vibrant social life for families and their kids. There were community barbecues and Labour Day parades, she said in an interview. In the winter, the lake would freeze over and the mining company would turn it into a skating rink and place a massive Christmas tree in its centre.
CTV News
22-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
As ‘smallest town in Canada' empties out, former residents recall its vibrant past
Shirley Severance is shown standing in front of her family home in Tilt Cove, N.L., in a 2020 handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS ST. JOHN'S — A Newfoundland community that bills itself as the smallest town in Canada will soon be empty, and former residents say they'll never forget their joyful years living there. Tilt Cove, N.L., was once home to a thriving copper mine that attracted workers and their families from all over Canada. Now the community is home to just four people, all of whom agreed earlier this year to relocate. Shirley Severance was born in Tilt Cove in 1941. She watched the town grow when the Maritime Mining operation reopened in 1957, and she watched it shrink again in 1967 when the mine shut down for good. '(The company) built houses and they had a recreation centre, a curling rink and a bowling alley,' Severance said in an interview Wednesday. 'There was a hall where we used to have dances. We were teenagers, and we would go there after supper and dance to the jukebox.' 'I loved it there,' Severance added. 'I miss living there.' Tilt Cove is near the southeastern tip of Newfoundland's Baie Verte Peninsula, about 340 kilometres northwest of St. John's. The community is spread along the shores of small circular lake framed by rocky hills and a clearing that leads to the Atlantic Ocean. Visitors often take and share photos of the community's sign. 'Tilt Cove: Smallest town in Canada,' it says. 'Population: 4.' The copper mine opened in 1864 and operated intermittently until 1967. In the year before it closed for good, 436 people lived in the community, according to provincial statistics. By 1991, just 17 were left. In 2023, the few remaining residents voted unanimously to take advantage of the Newfoundland and Labrador government's community relocation policy. The program offers homeowners in towns that have voted to resettle between $250,000 and $270,000 to move away. The province made an offer to the four permanent homeowners in Tilt Cove in January, the Department of Municipal Affairs said in an email. Residents decided on a relocation date of March 31, but a grace period was offered until their new homes are ready, the department said. Discussions are ongoing about when electricity and other services in the town will be cut off. Collette Barthe said it's sad the town has come to an end, but she understands that without the mine, there isn't much reason for anybody to stay. The 76-year-old from New Brunswick moved to Tilt Cove with her family when she was five, and they lived there until she was 16. Like Severance, Barthe recalled a vibrant social life for families and their kids. There were community barbecues and Labour Day parades, she said in an interview. In the winter, the lake would freeze over and the mining company would turn it into a skating rink and place a massive Christmas tree in its centre. 'We had it all, really,' Barthe said. 'I still miss the place. I miss the people. They were more than neighbours, they were family.' Severance left in 1974 to work in a fish processing plant in the nearby town of La Scie. She ultimately had a family of her own and moved to Nova Scotia. She now lives in Alberta, close to her daughter, Debbie Severance-Simms. Severance-Simms said she has always been amazed at how many people she has met across the country with family ties to Tilt Cove. She was 12 when her family moved away and has been back many times to visit the family home. The front steps are broken and the roof has fallen in, and it's no longer safe to go inside. But it still feels good to go back, she said. This summer, her family members from Newfoundland to British Columbia are planning to return to Tilt Cove for an afternoon picnic, Severance-Simms said. They'll walk around the lake and down to the wharf, and they'll walk up to the cemetery in the hills where their great-grandparents are buried. 'We were truly blessed, all of us, whoever lived in Tilt Cove,' she said. 'Everyone was like a big family.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 22, 2025. Sarah Smellie, The Canadian Press
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
As 'smallest town in Canada' empties out, former residents recall its vibrant past
ST. JOHN'S — A Newfoundland community that bills itself as the smallest town in Canada will soon be empty, and former residents say they'll never forget their joyful years living there. Tilt Cove, N.L., was once home to a thriving copper mine that attracted workers and their families from all over Canada. Now the community is home to just four people, all of whom agreed earlier this year to relocate. Shirley Severance was born in Tilt Cove in 1941. She watched the town grow when the Maritime Mining operation reopened in 1957, and she watched it shrink again in 1967 when the mine shut down for good. "(The company) built houses and they had a recreation centre, a curling rink and a bowling alley," Severance said in an interview Wednesday. "There was a hall where we used to have dances. We were teenagers, and we would go there after supper and dance to the jukebox." "I loved it there," Severance added. "I miss living there." Tilt Cove is near the southeastern tip of Newfoundland's Baie Verte Peninsula, about 340 kilometres northwest of St. John's. The community is spread along the shores of small circular lake framed by rocky hills and a clearing that leads to the Atlantic Ocean. Visitors often take and share photos of the community's sign. "Tilt Cove: Smallest town in Canada," it says. "Population: 4." The copper mine opened in 1864 and operated intermittently until 1967. In the year before it closed for good, 436 people lived in the community, according to provincial statistics. By 1991, just 17 were left. In 2023, the few remaining residents voted unanimously to take advantage of the Newfoundland and Labrador government's community relocation policy. The program offers homeowners in towns that have voted to resettle between $250,000 and $270,000 to move away. The province made an offer to the four permanent homeowners in Tilt Cove in January, the Department of Municipal Affairs said in an email. Residents decided on a relocation date of March 31, but a grace period was offered until their new homes are ready, the department said. Discussions are ongoing about when electricity and other services in the town will be cut off. Collette Barthe said it's sad the town has come to an end, but she understands that without the mine, there isn't much reason for anybody to stay. The 76-year-old from New Brunswick moved to Tilt Cove with her family when she was five, and they lived there until she was 16. Like Severance, Barthe recalled a vibrant social life for families and their kids. There were community barbecues and Labour Day parades, she said in an interview. In the winter, the lake would freeze over and the mining company would turn it into a skating rink and place a massive Christmas tree in its centre. "We had it all, really," Barthe said. "I still miss the place. I miss the people. They were more than neighbours, they were family." Severance left in 1974 to work in a fish processing plant in the nearby town of La Scie. She ultimately had a family of her own and moved to Nova Scotia. She now lives in Alberta, close to her daughter, Debbie Severance-Simms. Severance-Simms said she has always been amazed at how many people she has met across the country with family ties to Tilt Cove. She was 12 when her family moved away and has been back many times to visit the family home. The front steps are broken and the roof has fallen in, and it's no longer safe to go inside. But it still feels good to go back, she said. This summer, her family members from Newfoundland to British Columbia are planning to return to Tilt Cove for an afternoon picnic, Severance-Simms said. They'll walk around the lake and down to the wharf, and they'll walk up to the cemetery in the hills where their great-grandparents are buried. "We were truly blessed, all of us, whoever lived in Tilt Cove," she said. "Everyone was like a big family." This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 22, 2025. Sarah Smellie, The Canadian Press Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CBC
19-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Residents of 'Canada's smallest town' are moving out
Tilt Cove had a population of four. But those residents are relocating and the town is no more 15 hours ago Duration 3:40 It was Canada's smallest town, with just four people calling it home. Tilt Cove, on the Baie Verte Peninsula, will have that title no more. The CBC's Troy Turner visited the community and talked to one of the residents saying goodbye and relocating. Social Sharing It's the little things that Don Collins will miss. Daily reminders of seclusion and isolation from his hometown in Tilt Cove, N.L. Feeding birds on his front deck. Exploring the area in his recreational vehicle. Birds and seals catching their next meal. Life for the mayor of Tilt Cove is idyllic. But that's all about to change. The people of Tilt Cove, all four of them, are relocating. "I figured I was going to be here till the last of it — till the end," Collins told CBC News. "But time takes a toll on everybody. And the older you get, the faster time goes on." Collins moved to Tilt Cove when he was six. And he hasn't left. He's been living in the same house for 45 years. It's where he and Margaret raised their family. A home he practically rebuilt in the time he's been there. Only two couples — siblings who married siblings — live in the secluded community, nestled under the copper-stained hills, a constant reminder of the mine that once flourished. Surrounded by hills on three sides, and the ocean on the other, there are only a dozen or so homes remaining in Tilt Cove. Some are old saltbox designs, some were dragged up to the pond from the nearby ocean decades ago, while others are modern bungalows, including the homes of the two remaining couples. Newfoundland and Labrador is cutting the power to the homes once the move is complete. It's a sore point for Collins, who figures the power should continue to the town given there are other part-time residents. As part of the relocation, the two families received compensation, but the province wouldn't say how much, citing privacy and confidentiality. It's not something Collins likes to talk about. "It torments after a while, because it's not something you want to do, but you're going to do it because of health reasons. And winter, the winter is difficult," he said. The two families are moving to King's Point, located in southwestern Green Bay, on the same coastline as the town they're leaving behind. They chose the area to rent their new homes because of existing family connections, amenities and proximity to health care. "We were lucky enough to strike on the place that we did get," Collins said. "I got another brother-in-law coming home and sister, and they're coming over to live in King's Point. So that way we'd still be together." As long the road is passable, he says he'll continue to come back. "It's out of the question not to be able to come back," he said. "I want to be here. This is where my ashes is going to come.… This is where I wants to die." There are three graveyards in Tilt Cove. One sits on the mountain behind the Collins' family home, high above the rest of the community. The people in those graves are something Collins thinks of often. "Every now and then, some memory will come along and I'll say, 'Oh, that's another one left behind.' Memories is the hardest, that's the hard part — the memories."
CBC
19-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Residents of 'Canada smallest town' are moving out
New | Troy Turner | CBC News | Posted: May 19, 2025 8:30 AM | Last Updated: Just now Entire population of Tilt Cove, 4, relocating to King's Point Media | Tilt Cove had a population of four. But those residents are relocating and the town is no more Caption: It was Canada's smallest town, with just four people calling it home. Tilt Cove, on the Baie Verte Peninsula, will have that title no more. The CBC's Troy Turner visited the community and talked to one of the residents saying goodbye and relocating. Open Full Embed in New Tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages. It's the little things that Don Collins will miss. Daily reminders of seclusion and isolation from his hometown in Tilt Cove, N.L. Feeding birds on his front deck. Exploring the area in his recreational vehicle. Birds and seals catching their next meal. Life for the mayor of Tilt Cove is idyllic. But that's all about to change. The people of Tilt Cove, all four of them, are relocating. "I figured I was going to be here till the last of it — till the end," Collins told CBC News. "But time takes a toll on everybody. And the older you get, the faster time goes on." Collins moved to Tilt Cove when he was six. And he hasn't left. He's been living in the same house for 45 years. It's where he and Margaret raised their family. A home he practically rebuilt in the time he's been there. Only two couples — siblings who married siblings — live in the secluded community, nestled under the copper-stained hills, a constant reminder of the mine that once flourished. Surrounded by hills on three sides, and the ocean on the other, there are only a dozen or so homes remaining in Tilt Cove. Some are old saltbox designs, some were dragged up to the pond from the nearby ocean decades ago, while others are modern bungalows, including the homes of the two remaining couples. Newfoundland and Labrador is cutting the power to the homes once the move is complete. It's a sore point for Collins, who figures the power should continue to the town given there are other part-time residents. As part of the relocation, the two families received compensation, but the province wouldn't say how much, citing privacy and confidentiality. It's not something Collins likes to talk about. "It torments after a while, because it's not something you want to do, but you're going to do it because of health reasons. And winter, the winter is difficult," he said. The two families are moving to King's Point, located in southwestern Green Bay, on the same coastline as the town they're leaving behind. They chose the area to rent their new homes because of existing family connections, amenities and proximity to health care. "We were lucky enough to strike on the place that we did get," Collins said. "I got another brother-in-law coming home and sister, and they're coming over to live in King's Point. So that way we'd still be together." As long the road is passable, he says he'll continue to come back. "It's out of the question not to be able to come back," he said. "I want to be here. This is where my ashes is going to come.… This is where I wants to die." Image | tilt cove graveyard Caption: There are three graveyards in Tilt Cove. One sits on the mountain behind the home of outgoing Mayor Don Collins, high above the rest of the community. (Troy Turner/CBC) Open Image in New Tab There are three graveyards in Tilt Cove. One sits on the mountain behind the Collins' family home, high above the rest of the community. The people in those graves are something Collins thinks of often. "Every now and then, some memory will come along and I'll say, 'Oh, that's another one left behind.' Memories is the hardest, that's the hard part — the memories."
