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The Thunder Bay Chill were established in 2000 by founder Tony Colistro.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thunderbaychill.com/about-us|title=About Us|work=[[Thunder Bay Chill]]}}</ref> They played their first home match on May 27, 2000 against the [[Wisconsin Rebels]], losing 4-0.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thunderbaychill.com/page/show/2345990-2000|title=Chill Play 1st Ever Home Game - May 27, 2000 VS. Wisconsin Rebels|date=May 27, 2000|work=[[Thunder Bay Chill]]}}</ref> In 2002, they were named the PDL Organization of the Year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thunderbaychill.com/page/show/2345989-2006-2001|title=2006-2001 Memories|work=[[Thunder Bay Chill]]}}</ref>
In 2007, the Chill won their first Heartland Division title.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thunderbaychill.com/page/show/2345988-2007|title=Chill win Heartland Division for the First Time!|work=[[Thunder Bay Chill]]}}</ref> In 2008, the Chill became the first Canadian club to win the PDL National Championship, after the defeated the [[Laredo Heat]] in penalty kicks in the final.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mlfnews.wordpress.com/2008/08/19/gold-and-thunder-bay-chill-defeat-heat-to-claim-pdl-championship/|title=Gold and Thunder Bay Chill defeat Heat to Claim PDL Championship|date=August 19, 2008|work=MLF News}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ontariosoccer.net/news_article/show/741656-colistro-steps-down-in-thunder-bay|title=Colistro steps down in Thunder Bay|date=January 6, 2015|work=[[Ontario Soccer Association]]}}</ref> In 2009, the four Ontario-based PDL teams ([[Forest City London]], [[Toronto Lynx]], [[Ottawa Fury (2005–2013)|Ottawa Fury]], and the Chill) created a pre-season round robin tournament called the [[Victoria Challenge Cup]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uslsoccer.com/home/314763.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091221102253/https://www.uslsoccer.com/home/314763.html|archive-date=December 21, 2009|url-status=dead|date=March 20, 2009|title=Inaugural Victoria Challenge Cup|work=[[United Soccer League]]}}</ref> with the Chill emerging as champions, after winning all three of their matches.{{cn|date=February 2022}}
From 2007 to 2013, they won the Heartland Division six times in seven seasons (finishing 2nd in 2009),<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://oceancityfc.com/latest-news/know-your-opponent-thunder-bay-chill|title=Know Your Opponent: Thunder Bay Chill|first=Matt|last=Vis|work=[[Ocean City FC]]}}</ref> and qualified for the playoffs ten times in an eleven year span from 2007 through 2017 (missing only in 2014).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/chill-look-to-rebound-after-disappointing-2018-1436876|title=Chill look to rebound after disappointing 2018|date=May 10, 2019|first=Leith|last=Dunick|work=TB News Watch}}</ref> In 2015, they moved their home stadium to Fort Williams Stadium, after splitting the past two seasons between the turf stadium and the natural grass field at Chapples Field.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/chapples-stadium-pitch-on-track-to-be-ready-for-next-year-1551011|title=Chapples stadium pitch on track to be ready for next year|date=July 2, 2019|first=Matt|last=Vis|work=TB News Watch}}</ref> After their PDL Championship title in 2008, they advanced to the Championship final an additional three times in 2010, 2013, and 2017, but ultimately lost in the finals on each of those occasions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chroniclejournal.com/sports/local_sports/chill-cant-hunt-down-eagles/article_3d09fa66-7a5e-11e7-b7ba-8b15562f70ac.html|title=Chill can't hunt down Eagles|date=August 6, 2017|first=Reuben|last=Villagracia|work=[[The Chronicle-Journal]]}}</ref>
In 2018, the Chill formed a partnership with [[English Premier League]] club [[West Ham United]] through Global Image Sports, who are West Ham's North American partnership mechanism.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://old.lakesuperiornews.com/Sports/Thunder-Bay-Chill-Joins-West-Ham-United-North-American-Academy|title=Thunder Bay Chill joins West Ham United North American Academy|date=March 11, 2018|work=Lake Superior News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uslleaguetwo.com/news_article/show/902056|title=Chill Form Partnership with Premier League’s West Ham|first=Colton|last=Coreschi|date=March 27, 2018|work=[[USL League Two]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chroniclejournal.com/sports/local_sports/keesic-takes-advantage-of-new-chill-partnership/article_4472e40e-266e-11e8-a8e7-3f4a186c6bd5.html|title=Keesic takes advantage of new Chill partnership|date=March 13, 2018|first=John|last=Rider|work=[[The Chronicle-Journal]]}}</ref>
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