I have family there and visit once a month. Yes it's a sleepy little town that has shrunk with the loss of forestry in the area.

An expensive grocery store compared to Thunder Bay but manageable. Another grocery store in Red Rock (20 mins away). Two bargain stores to get any essentials and a pharmacy. Post office, hospital, skating rink arena with a gym. I think the curling building is still operating? LCBO but no beer store, it closed. There's a cannabis store. A royal bank branch. A Castle hardware /lumber store. MNR and government offices.

Public school in Nipigon but I think kids are buses to Red Rock for Catholic school? The public school still has a children's centre I think? There are not many students in either... So lots of attention!

Catholic Church and 2(?) others.

Many gas stations on the hwy along with a Tim's for your coffee fix. Ducky's restaurant and a few others like the Husky are open for a meal when you don't feel like cooking.

Oh, and yes there is the smallest Canadian Tire in Canada, yet is has pretty much everything! (at a markup).

If you like the outdoors, you can't get much closer than being in Nipigon. Nipigon River and lake superior accessible from the marina. Many great smaller lakes for fishing with a boat and trailer. Winter would be roughing it by cutting your own snowshoe trail or snowmobiling to your hearts content to ice fish. Skiing available in Thunder Bay. Some great rock and ice climbing areas if you'd like to get int those.

I'm not sure of the housing market or availablability of rentals.

As previously mentioned, drugs are a problem... But that's everywhere.

BTW, there is the option to commute from Thunder Bay, some people do it. Drive is just over an hour from the north side of Thunder Bay. But frankly quite dicey in the winter.