Courtney Searle first visited Thunder Bay in 2011 because her brother was attending Lakehead University. She was born in Toronto, but grew up in Belleville.
“My mom had been diagnosed with stage four breast cancer in 2008 and I was her main caregiver,” says Courtney. “After her treatment, surgeries, and recovery, I came to Thunder Bay to visit my brother.”
“Thunder Bay was a breath of fresh air, quite literally, as I arrived in February and breathing hurt my lungs because the air was so cold,” she jokes.
“Living away from home gave me time and space to discover who I was. With Thunder Bay being so remote, I was really able to ground myself in nature. I really love the Giant. I met an amazing community of friends, put myself through school at Confederation College, got my very first dog Remi, and eventually met Nikki, the love of my life.”
Nikki is from Thunder Bay, but she spent more than a decade in Southern Ontario after attending Western University.
Courtney and Nikki first met in Thunder Bay at church.
“I was very involved in church activities, and we became friends,” says Nikki. “After a while, we started to develop feelings for one another. However, growing up in a religious family I was never really allowed to think that way, so that was a bit of a struggle in the beginning. After some deep reflection I decided that I am many things. I can have faith, and I can love a woman.”
They decided that their relationship was worth facing the potential judgements or rifts created within their friendships and community. They have been together for seven years now and have been very happy together.
“After we got engaged we wanted to set a date for the wedding, but also wanted to buy a house, and to try to have a baby. Those three things are extremely expensive, so we’ve had to tackle one goal at a time,” says Nikki.
They accomplished the goal of buying a house in 2023 and are now on a fertility journey to try to have a baby.
“The LGBTQ+ community is really growing and thriving here,” says Nikki. “We have found a lot of support. Thunder Bay is such a hidden gem. I love how much more is going on now, like Wake the Giant and Craft Revival.”
“I have no desire to live in a big bustling city. It’s so much quieter and calmer here and I didn’t really appreciate that until I lived away.”
Nikki plays trumpet with the community orchestra, and in the summer, her and Courtney play on a softball team.
After living away, both have decided that Thunder Bay fits their lifestyle better than a big city ever could.
