Peawanuck is an isolated

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 in the Kenora District, Ontario, Canada. It is located near the confluence of the Winisk and

Shamattawa The Shamattawa First Nation ( cr, ᑭᓭᒫᑖᐘ, kisêmâtâwa) () is a remote First Nations community in northern Manitoba, Canada, located in the reserve of Shamattawa 1. Shamattawa 1 is located on the banks of the Gods River where the Ech ...

rivers, about 35 km from the Winisk River's end in

Hudson Bay Hudson Bay ( crj, text=ᐐᓂᐯᒄ, translit=Wînipekw; crl, text=ᐐᓂᐹᒄ, translit=Wînipâkw; iu, text=ᑲᖏᖅᓱᐊᓗᒃ ᐃᓗᐊ, translit=Kangiqsualuk ilua or iu, text=ᑕᓯᐅᔭᕐᔪᐊᖅ, translit=Tasiujarjuaq; french: b ...

. Its population is 237. Its population used to live in the community of Winisk (), near the mouth of the Winisk River. This also used to be a Mid-Canada Line Radar site. In 1986, its population was forced to abandon Winisk as a result of the Winisk Flood Disaster. The community was relocated thirty kilometers up-river on higher ground. The new settlement was renamed Peawanuck, meaning "flintstone" in the

Cree language Cree (also known as Cree– Montagnais–Naskapi) is a dialect continuum of Algonquian languages spoken by approximately 117,000 people across Canada, from the Northwest Territories to Alberta to Labrador. If considered one language, it is th ...

. It only took seven months for the community to be rebuilt in Peawanuck, with much credit going to the community members who were determined to have their new homes ready by the winter. It is surrounded by lands of the Polar Bear Provincial Park providing Peawanuck with limited tourism opportunities. It lies at similar latitudes to Ketchikan,

Prince Rupert Prince Rupert of the Rhine, Duke of Cumberland, (17 December 1619 (O.S.) / 27 December (N.S.) – 29 November 1682 (O.S.)) was an English army officer, admiral, scientist and colonial governor. He first came to prominence as a Royalist cavalr ...

, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Moscow but has much harsher winters than those other cities.

Transportation

Peawanuck is not accessible by year-round road but has an airfield ( Peawanuck Airport). Marked roads exists for travel within Peawanuck. While the roads have no names, the main road in town is referred to as ''Main Street'' and the one along the river as ''Riverside''. There are private cars or light trucks in town, but other modes of travel include snowmobiles and canoe. The town is however, linked by winter/ ice roads in the winter towards Fort Severn, Ontario, and ultimately, Shamattawa, Manitoba and Gillam, Manitoba.

Emergency Services

Peawanuck has no hospitals and is only served by one of two

Health Canada Health Canada (HC; french: Santé Canada, SC)Health Canada is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Department of Health (). is the Structure of the Canadian federal government#Departments, with subsidiary unit ...

funded Weeneebayko Area Health Authority Partnership Sites. The Peawanuck Nursing station provides basic health care needs in the community. It is federally run by

's First Nation and Inuit Branch and partnered with Weeneebayko Area Health Authority. Peawanuck Nursing Station (staffed by two nurses) can be assisted by doctors at Weeneebayko Area Health Authority, by teleconference, with occasional physician visits. Advanced medical care requires transport by air ambulance operated by James Bay Ambulance Services from Peawanuck Airport to Timmins or Kingston. There is a fire station in town staffed by about a dozen volunteers using a single fire truck. Peawanuck is policed by the Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service, an Aboriginal-based service staffed by two officers.

Utilities and Public Works

Electricity for the community is provided by three diesel generators and are maintained by the

Ministry of Transportation A ministry of transport or transportation is a ministry responsible for transportation within a country. It usually is administered by the ''minister for transport''. The term is also sometimes applied to the departments or other government a ...

. There is a waste water treatment plant that serves all residential homes and most business. There is no sanitation services in Peawanuck due to lack of funds so waste is handled locally.

Government Services

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources provides staffing at the Polar Bear Provincial Park Office. Ontario Ministry of Transportation has a garage in Peawanuck, maintains the power generators and manages the local airport. MTO has housing for out of town staff. Canada Post postal station is located the Band Administration offices. Mail is delivered to Peawanuck by air with contract services with Thunder Airlines.

Local Government

The local band council consists of band chief with 2 or 3 councilors elected to 2 year terms. Band Offices are located a shared facility with FNP and Canada Post.

Media

There are no newspapers in town. The Band Office maintains a local radio station, but has limited service time. Television and radio services is by satellite only.

Religion

Peawanuck has a local Catholic Church shaped as a teepee. Most residents are Catholic with a few Traditionalist or Born Again Christian.

Recreation

There is no community centre and limited recreation facilities maintained by the Band Council or Catholic Church: * 2 outdoor

ballparks A ballpark, or baseball park, is a type of sports venue where baseball is played. The playing field is divided into the infield, an area whose dimensions are rigidly defined, and the outfield, where dimensions can vary widely from place to pla ...

* Catholic Church Children's

playground A playground, playpark, or play area is a place designed to provide an environment for children that facilitates play, typically outdoors. While a playground is usually designed for children, some are designed for other age groups, or people ...

* Outdoor ice rink with Zamboni (broken) * Multi-purpose Room * Drop-In Centre

Education

Matahhamao opened in 1995 by Weenuck Education Services is the only school in the community and offers classes up to Grade 8. Students moving on to Grades 9 to 12 and beyond must travel to large communities like Timmins and

Moosonee Moosonee () is a town in northern Ontario, Canada, on the Moose River approximately south of James Bay. It is considered to be "the Gateway to the Arctic" and has Ontario's only saltwater port. Nearby on Moose Factory Island is the community of ...

Economy

The community is served by a single store, a Northern Store, and other goods must be shipped in by air. Northern Store provides banking services via fax to CIBC or

Scotiabank The Bank of Nova Scotia (french: link=no, Banque de Nouvelle-Écosse), operating as Scotiabank (french: link=no, Banque Scotia), is a Canadian multinational banking and financial services company headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. One of Canada ...

in Moosonee and Timmins respectively. * Peawanuck Development Corporation - operates Peawanuck Petroleum, General Store, Annual Barger Services and maintains winter road * Hudson's Bay Adventures - offers outdoor adventures at Polar Bear Provincial Park * Louie's Store (Louis Chookomolin Diversified Products)

Climate

Peawanuck 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) due to its location in far Northern Ontario, which brings long cold winters and short but mild summers. Peawanuck is one of the coldest communities in Ontario, having far different weather than the more populous parts of Ontario.

Notes

References

{{authority control Communities in Kenora District Algonquian ethnonyms Cree reserves in Ontario Swampy Cree