Translation Services in Sarnia – Economic Profile

Sarnia, a city with a population of about 80,000 people, is located where the three upper Great Lakes merge into St. Clair River. Sarnia is the largest city on Lake Huron and has always been a center for trade and transportation on the lakes.

Thanks to the nearby salt caverns and the oil springs, Sarnia is today a petrochemical center. The discovery of the oil springs in the 1850s was the first of its kind in North America and led to massive growth in the petroleum industry in Sarnia. With the establishment of Polymer Corporation in 1942, Sarnia became an important petrochemical hub.

Today, large oil companies such as Shell Canada, Imperial Oil, and Suncor Energy as well as chemical companies including Nova Chemicals, Bayer, Ethyl Corporation, and Royal Group Technologies maintain operations in Sarnia. Other important employers in Sarnia include companies such as RMH Teleservices International Inc., TransAlta Energy Corporation, and UBE Automotive North America Sarnia Plant Inc.

The city was rated among the top five in Canada in which to establish an export oriented business and among the top ten cities in which to live.

Sarnia offers wide ranging activities for visitors such as recreational programs, amateur and professional sporting events, major entertainment, live theatre, cultural events, casinos, horse racing, fishing, sports tournaments, cross country skiing, skating, winter carnivals, the Celebration of Lights, and many more. In addition, Sarnia features long sandy beaches and a famous sailing port which is also a major tourist attraction drawing about 3,000 sailors each year.

The city also features a vibrant cultural life and an active musical scene. The famous “Sarnia Bayfest” is an annual concert that has featured rock bands such as Aerosmith, Blink 182, The Guess Who, and many more.

Sarnia is home to two prestigious institutions of higher education. Lambton College specializes in Applied Arts and Technology while the University of Ontario opened a Research and Development Park in Sarnia.

Sarnia’s population is overwhelmingly White Canadian and features small communities of Chinese, South Asians, Blacks, Filipino and Latin Americans.

The city’s rich natural resources and its favorable location on the Great Lakes have turned Sarnia into a center of commerce. Combined with a strong petrochemical industry this has led to significant demand for translation and interpreting services.