Thunder Bay is a city in Northwest Ontario and is the hub for administrative, commercial and medical sciences. The 2011 census estimate of population is 121,596 and very densely populated compared to other cities in that region. The crime rate is also on the rise as per the rate of homicides per capita in the city. It is well located along main continental routes and the Thunder Bay Transit provides major public transportation.
We compared the prices of car insurance provided by some insurance companies in the city. We also surveyed the rate of car insurance in major neighborhoods in Thunder Bay using a sample profile.
Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Quotes in Thunder Bay
| Rank | Auto Insurance Company | Annual Rate* |
| 1 | The Cooperators | $1,442 |
| 2 | Desjardins Insurance | $1,492 |
| 3 | Travellers (Dominion Product) | $1,504 |
| 4 | Travelers (Chieftain Product) | $1,524 |
| 5 | Belairdirect | $1,614 |
| 6 | Johnson | $1,685 |
| 7 | Coachman | $1,811 |
| 8 | Wawanesa Insurance | $1,890 |
| 9 | Economical | $1,977 |
| 10 | Echelon | $1,998 |
| 11 | Pembridge | $2,084 |
| 12 | CAA | $2,113 |
| 13 | Allstate | $2,187 |
| 14 | Aviva | $2,204 |
| 15 | Intact | $2,323 |
Most Expensive Auto Insurer in Thunder Bay
The above table shows a comparison of car insurance rates provided by major insurance companies. The Intact Insurance Company has the highest quote at an annual cost of $2323. The difference between their quote and the lowest quote was by $881 which is a variation of 38% in pricing. The Aviva Insurance Company had the next highest quote at an annual cost of $2204 and that was $119 cheaper than the quote by Intact.
Cheapest Auto Insurer in Thunder Bay
As per the comparison of car insurance rates, The Co-operators Insurance Company had the lowest quote at an annual rate of $1442. The Desjardins Insurance Company had the next lowest rate at an annual cost higher by $50.
Car Insurance in Thunder Bay Neighborhoods
| Neighborhoods | Car Insurance can be as low as* |
| Intercity | $946 |
| Intola | $946 |
| The Waterfront District BIA | $946 |
| Northwood | $946 |
| Vickers Heights | $946 |
| West Fort William | $946 |
| Kivikoski | $946 |
| Downtown Fort William | $946 |
| Fort William | $946 |
| Port Arthur | $946 |
| Jumbo Gardens | $1120 |
| North Mcintyre | $1120 |
| Current River | $1120 |
| Marina Park | $1120 |
Rates For Car Insurance in Thunder Bay Neighborhoods
The above table is for a comparison of car insurance rates in some neighborhoods in Thunder Bay. Around 4 areas had a higher rate of insurance compared to other areas. These areas had similar quotes at an annual cost of $1120. The areas are Jumbo Gardens, North McIntyre, Current River, and Marina Park.
The remaining 10 neighborhoods in the city had a lower cost of car insurance at an annual price of $946 which was $174 cheaper than other areas. The areas are Intercity, Intola, The Waterfront District BIA, Northwood, Vickers Heights, and West Fort William. Also, included are Kivikoski, Downtown Fort William, Fort William, Fort William, and Port Arthur.
Road Safety In Thunder Bay
The city of Thunder Bay has a Roads Section department that is responsible for the roadways within city limits. They take care of the maintenance, inspection, and repairs of roads, traffic control signs, and bridges across the city. This department aims to provide an efficient, reliable, and safe transportation network in the city. The target is to resurface or reconstruct 16 km of roadways. The traffic signals, street lighting, underground infrastructure, and pavements will also get an upgrade. The department initiates many programs to facilitate the roads by performing the following.
- Rehabilitation and repairs of bridges
- Repair of road surfaces that are paved, sidewalks, and arterial roads.
- Culverts for driveways
- Maintenance of gravel road, shoulder, safety devices, and signage
- In summer the maintenance includes dust control, street sweeping, grading, and patching of gravel and lane repairs.
- Winter preparations such as salting and sanding, snow removal using snowplow for the safety of pedestrians and vehicles.
Traffic Signs
The Roads Section also takes care of street lighting and traffic control including the signals. Thunder Bay has 107 signals and 4 can be activated by pedestrians. The designing and programming of these signals and street lighting are done by the Engineering and Operations Division of the city.
Some Highlights Of Traffic Control Measures In Thunder Bay
- Traffic painting, crack repairs, asphalt patching, shoulder maintenance, and road cleaning on 1994 km of paved roads.
- Performs grading and maintenance of 205 km of gravel roads.
- Maintain around 21,176 traffic signs across the city. Also, monitor 114 traffic lights and 12800 street lights.
Busiest Intersections In Thunder Bay
The growing number of motorists in the city has increased traffic congestion. The statistics for motor vehicle collisions in Thunder Bay have also increased in recent years. The following intersections were the busiest and most prone to accidents. Some of the intersections did not report high traffic but still had been sites for multiple collisions.
- Harbour Expressway and Memorial Avenue
- Junot Avenue and Golf Links Road
- Central Avenues and Memorial
- Balmoral Street and Harbour
- Harbour Expressway and Golf Links Road
- Strand and Dawson
- James and Golf Links
- May Street South and Arthur Street East
- Memorial Avenue and Central Avenue
- Waterloo Street North and Victoria Avenue East
- Red River Road and High Street North
- Oliver Road and Balmoral Street
Active Transportation Plan For Thunder Bay
The city of Thunder Bay has an active transportation plan to promote walking and biking for a commute. The following road redesigning was completed in 2016.
- Vickers Street has new green lanes
- Hudson Avenue and Arundel Street has new cross ride markings
- Gore Street has new bike lanes
- Windsor Street has new stop signs from Rockwood Avenue to Algonquin Avenue
Thunder Bay Police Service Traffic Management Plan 2016 – 2017
The Thunder Bay Police Service actively monitors the traffic control in the city. Their traffic enforcement & safety plan aims at improving road safety, traffic management, and law enforcement within the city. This is done to enhance the safety and mobility of all road users. The Police also work very closely with the Engineering department on many projects. They also actively participate in the execution of many road improvement projects. These may include the planning for the use and design of the city roads. The Thunder Bay Police also monitors all road closures, use of over-dimensional vehicles, and by-law changes.
* Methodology
For the survey, we assumed that the auto insurance premiums are for a 35-year-old man. He owns a car Honda Civic model in 2012. The credit rating is good and he has basic liability coverage. The annual mileage ranges from 5,000 to 8,000 with no traffic tickets for the last 5 years.
Insurance quotes shown here are examples only. The lowest cost insurance provider depends on numerous factors related to the car, driver, location, and driving conditions. There’s no guarantee that the lowest rate provider in these examples produces the lowest rate for every driver.
About the Author: Ashley Miller
