Laurentian Hills

Laurentian Hills, Ont, incorporated as a town in 2000, population 2811 (2011c), 2789 (2006c). The Town of Laurentian Hills is located close to the Ottawa River, about 210 km northwest of Ottawa. The town came into existence with the merging of the village of Chalk River (inc 1954, pop 974 [1996c]) and the township of Rolph, Buchanan, Wylie and McKay (pop 1810 [1996c]). Prior to WWII, Chalk River was a small bush settlement. In 1944 it was chosen as the site for a heavy-water reactor to produce plutonium from uranium - the first reactor built outside the US. Subsequently the Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories developed into a complex of 5 nuclear reactors owned by Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd, a crown corporation. Most employees live in nearby DEEP RIVER.