Eastmain ( ; cr, ᐄᔅᒣᐃᓐ/Îsmein) is a

Cree The Cree ( cr, néhinaw, script=Latn, , etc.; french: link=no, Cri) are a Indigenous peoples of the Americas, North American Indigenous people. They live primarily in Canada, where they form one of the country's largest First Nations in Canada ...

community located on east coast of

James Bay James Bay (french: Baie James; cr, ᐐᓂᐯᒄ, Wînipekw, dirty water) is a large body of water located on the southern end of Hudson Bay in Canada. Both bodies of water extend from the Arctic Ocean, of which James Bay is the southernmost par ...

at the mouth of the

Eastmain River The Eastmain River, formerly written East Main, is a river in west central Quebec. It rises in central Quebec and flows west to James Bay, draining an area of . The First Nations Cree village of Eastmain is located beside the mouth. Name Eastm ...

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...

, Canada. It is a small coastal Cree village with a population of 924 people in the

2021 Canadian Census The 2021 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population with a reference date of May 11, 2021. It follows the 2016 Canadian census, which recorded a population of 35,151,728. The overall response rate was 98%, which is sl ...

up from 866 people at the

2016 Canadian Census The 2016 Canadian census was an enumeration of Canadian residents, which counted a population of 35,151,728, a change from its 2011 population of 33,476,688. The census, conducted by Statistics Canada, was Canada's seventh quinquennial census. ...

. Its alternate Cree name is ''ᐙᐸᓅᑖᐤ/Wâpanûtâw'', meaning ''Lands east of James Bay''. Eastmain is accessible by air (

Eastmain River Airport Eastmain River Airport , is located southwest of Eastmain, Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is t ...

) and by car over a gravel road linking it to the

James Bay Road The James Bay Road (french: Route de la Baie James), officially the Route Billy-Diamond Highway, is a remote wilderness highway winding its way through the Canadian Shield in northwestern Quebec and reaches into the James Bay region. It starts in ...

. The Eastmain community was greatly affected by the

James Bay Project The James Bay Project (french: projet de la Baie-James) refers to the construction of a series of hydroelectric power stations on the La Grande River in northwestern Quebec, Canada by state-owned utility Hydro-Québec, and the diversion of neigh ...

, which in 1980 diverted 90% of the Eastmain River to the

La Grande River La Grande River (french: La Grande Rivière; cr, Chisasibi, script=latn; both meaning "great river") is a river in northwestern Quebec, Canada, which rises in the highlands of north central Quebec and flows roughly west to drain into James Bay. ...

History

Like the other coastal villages on Hudson and James Bay, Eastmain was settled around a

Hudson's Bay Company The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC; french: Compagnie de la Baie d'Hudson) is a Canadian retail business group. A fur trading business for much of its existence, HBC now owns and operates retail stores in Canada. The company's namesake business div ...

trading post, which was originally called East Main House. Some Cree settled there for ease in trading.

Demographics

As of May 2022, the nation counted 943 members, of which 830 persons lived in the Community. there were 223 private dwellings that are occupied by usual residents, out of a total of 280. The mother tongue of the residents is: * English as first language: 11.0% * French as first language: 1.2% *

as first language: 86.1% * Other indigenous languages: 1.6% Population trend: * Population in 2001: 613 * Population in 2006: 650 * Population in 2011: 767 * Population in 2016: 866 (2011 to 2016 population change: 12.9%) * Population in 2021: 924 (2016 to 2021 population change: 6.7%)

Climate

Eastmain has a

subarctic climate The subarctic climate (also called subpolar climate, or boreal climate) is a climate with long, cold (often very cold) winters, and short, warm to cool summers. It is found on large landmasses, often away from the moderating effects of an ocean, ge ...

( Dfc), typical of communities along the eastern shore of the

. Summers are mild and rainy, with mild days and cool nights. Winters are cold with extremely heavy annual snowfall, averaging .

Economy

With a population nearing 1000, the main economic activities of the community are its services sectors. This would include a restaurant within a hotel, private businesses, and a construction company with a gas station and garage. Eastmain is also the headquarters for the Cree Regional Trappers Association, whose role is to support all local Cree Trappers by maintaining the practices of their traditional activities. Other services include its emergency service departments, local radio station, post office, local schools, government service sectors, sports and recreation complex, local development corporation, and local medical services.

Education

The

Cree School Board Cree School Board (CSB; french: Commission scolaire Crie; cr, ᐄᔨᔨᐤ ᒋᔅᑯᑎᒫᒑᐧᐃᓐ) is a school district in northern Quebec, headquartered in Mistissini, with an additional office in the James Bay Eeyou School in Chisasibi. ...

operates the Wabannutao Eeyou School ( cr, ᐧᐋᐸᓅᑖᐤ ᐄᔨᔫ ᒋᔅᑯᑕᒫᒉᐅᑲᒥᒄ).Wabannutao Eeyou School
."

. Retrieved on September 23, 2017.

References

External links

Cree Nation of Eastmain

Cree villages in Quebec Hudson's Bay Company trading posts Eeyou Istchee (territory) {{Quebec-geo-stub