Oji-Cree The Oji-Cree are a First Nation in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba, residing in a narrow band extending from the Missinaibi River region in Northeastern Ontario at the east to Lake Winnipeg at the west. The Oji-Cree people are des ...

First Nations First Nations or first peoples may refer to: * Indigenous peoples, for ethnic groups who are the earliest known inhabitants of an area. Indigenous groups *First Nations is commonly used to describe some Indigenous groups including: **First Natio ...

Thunder Bay Thunder Bay is a city in and the seat of Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canada. It is the most populous municipality in Northwestern Ontario and the second most populous (after Greater Sudbury) municipality in Northern Ontario; its population ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

Thunder Bay International Airport Thunder Bay Airport is an airport in the city of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. With 108,130 aircraft movements in 2012, it was the fourth busiest airport in Ontario and the 16th busiest airport in Canada. During the same year, more than 761,0 ...

Sioux Lookout Airport Sioux Lookout Airport is a regional airport based in Sioux Lookout, Ontario, Canada. The airport opened in 1933. It was, at the time, the second busiest airport in North America next to Chicago Midway International Airport.Red Lake Airport and

Pickle Lake Airport Pickle Lake Airport is located southwest of Pickle Lake, Ontario, Canada. Airlines and destinations Accidents and incidents *On 12 May 1977, Douglas R4D-1 C-FBKV of Patricia Air Services was written off in an accident. One person was kill ...

. In 2003, Wasaya Airways bought the rights to serve remote First Nations communities from

Bearskin Airlines Bearskin Lake Air Service LP, operating as Bearskin Airlines, is a regional airline based in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. It is a division of Perimeter Aviation and operates services in northern Ontario and Manitoba. Its main base is at Thunde ...

. The airline also supplies food, clothing, hardware and other various supplies to 25 remote communities in Ontario.

History

Established in 1989 as Kelner Airways, it was renamed Wasaya in 1993. The new name comes from the

Oji-Cree language The Severn Ojibwa or the Oji-Cree language (ᐊᓂᐦᔑᓂᓃᒧᐏᐣ, ''Anishininiimowin''; Unpointed: ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᒧᐏᐣ) is the indigenous name for a dialect of the Ojibwe language spoken in a series of Oji-Cree communities in norther ...

, which means "it is bright" in English, in reference to the brightness of the rising Sun. Over the years, the airline has grown from a

floatplane A floatplane is a type of seaplane with one or more slender floats mounted under the fuselage to provide buoyancy. By contrast, a flying boat uses its fuselage for buoyancy. Either type of seaplane may also have landing gear suitable for land, ...

operation to a charter and scheduled passenger service airline. Its inflight magazine ''Sagatay'' is published in conjunction with

Wawatay Native Communications Society Wawatay Native Communications Society (Wawatay for short) was formed in 1974 by the people of Canada's Nishnawbe Aski Nation in the Kenora and Cochrane Districts of Northern Ontario, as a source of communications technology, namely radio, televis ...

. In October 2010, the company purchased a

De Havilland Canada Dash 8 The De Havilland Canada DHC-8, commonly known as the Dash 8, is a series of turboprop-powered regional airliners, introduced by de Havilland Canada (DHC) in 1984. DHC was later bought by Boeing in 1988, then by Bombardier in 1992; then by ...

to bolster its fleet.

Destinations

Scheduled services

Wasaya Airways serves the following destinations in Ontario:Destinations
an
Communities
/ref> * Bearskin Lake First Nation (

Bearskin Lake Airport Bearskin Lake Airport is located northwest of Bearskin Lake, Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and polit ...

), owner community *

Deer Lake First Nation Deer Lake First Nation (Oji-Cree: ᐊᑎᑯ ᓴᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ) is an Oji-Cree First Nations band government in Northern Ontario, located north of Red Lake, Ontario Canada. It is one of the few First Nations in Ontario to have signed Treaty 5. It ...

(

Deer Lake Airport Deer Lake Airport is located north of Deer Lake, Ontario, Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Oce ...

) *

Eabametoong First Nation Eabametoong, also known as Fort Hope or Eabamet Lake by Canada Post, is an Ojibwe First Nations band government in Kenora District, Ontario, Canada. Located on the shore of Eabamet Lake in the Albany River system, the community is located approx ...

(Fort Hope) (

Fort Hope Airport Fort Hope Airport is located adjacent to the First Nations community of Eabametoong, also known as Fort Hope, Ontario, Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic O ...

) *

Fort Severn First Nation Fort Severn First Nation ( [] in Swampy Cree language, Cree) is a Western Swampy Cree First Nations in Canada, First Nation band government located on Hudson Bay and is the most Extreme communities of Canada, northern community in Ontario, Canad ...

( Fort Severn Airport), owner community *

Kasabonika Lake First Nation Kasabonika Lake First Nation (Oji-Cree: ᑳᐦᓴᐹᓇᐦᑳ ᓵᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ; unpointed: ᑲᓴᐸᓇᑲ ᓴᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ) or Kasabonika First Nation (Oji-Cree: ᑳᐦᓴᐹᓇᐦᑳ ᓂᐣᑕᒻ ᐊᓂᐦᕈᓂᓂᐧᐗᐠ (''Gaasabaanakaa ...

(

Kasabonika Airport Kasabonika Airport is an airport located west of the First Nations community of Kasabonika, Ontario, Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacifi ...

), owner community *

Keewaywin First Nation Keewaywin (Oji-Cree:ᑮᐌᐎᐣ (''Giiwewin''), unpointed ᑭᐌᐎᐣ) is a small Oji-Cree First Nation band government in Northern Ontario, located north of Red Lake, Ontario. It is connected to Sandy Lake First Nation by Sandy Lake. It is pa ...

(

Keewaywin Airport Keewaywin Airport is located southwest of the First Nations community of Keewaywin, Ontario, Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Oce ...

), owner community *

Kingfisher First Nation Kingfisher First Nation (Oji-Cree language: ᑮᐡᑭᒪᓂᐦᓰᐋᐧᐴᕽ (''Giishkimanisiiwaaboong'', "At Kingfisher-waters"); unpointed: ᑭᐡᑭᒪᓂᓯᐊᐧᐳᐠ) is an Oji-Cree First Nation reserve located north of Sioux Lookout, ...

(

Kingfisher Lake Airport Kingfisher Lake Airport is located southwest of the First Nations community of Kingfisher Lake, Ontario, Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

), owner community *

Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug ( Oji-Cree: ᑭᐦᒋᓇᒣᑯᐦᓯᑊ ᐃᓂᓂᐧᐊᐠ (''Gichi-namegosib ininiwag''); unpointed: ᑭᒋᓇᒣᑯᓯᑊ ᐃᓂᓂᐧᐊᐠ or ᑭᐦᒋᓇᒣᑯᐦᓯᐱᐎᓂᓂᐗᐠ (''Gichi-namegosibiwininiwag ...

(Big Trout Lake) (

Big Trout Lake Airport Big Trout Lake Airport is located southwest of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (formerly known as Big Trout Lake), Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern ...

), owner community *

Muskrat Dam Lake First Nation The Muskrat Dam Lake First Nation ( ojs, ᐗᒐᐡᑾᓂᒥᐠ ᓴᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ) is an Oji-Cree First Nation band government in Northern Ontario. They reside on the Muskrat Dam Lake reserve, located on Muskrat Dam Lake in the Kenora District. ...

( Muskrat Dam Airport), owner community *

Neskantaga First Nation Neskantaga First Nation (formerly known as Lansdowne House Indian Band) is a remote Oji-Cree First Nation band government in the northern reaches of the Canadian province of Ontario, situated along the shore of Attawapiskat Lake in the Distr ...

(Lansdowne House) ( Lansdowne House Airport) *

Nibinamik First Nation Nibinamik First Nation (Ojibway language: ᓃᐱᓇᒥᐦᐠ (''Niibinamik'', "Summerbeaver"); unpointed: ᓂᐱᓇᒥᐠ), also known as Summer Beaver Band, is a small Oji-Cree First Nation reserve in Northern Ontario, located on the Summer B ...

(Summer Beaver), (

Summer Beaver Airport Summer Beaver Airport is located southwest of the First Nations community of Nibinamik (Summer Beaver), Ontario, Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to ...

), owner community * North Caribou Lake First Nation (Weagamow Lake) (

Round Lake (Weagamow Lake) Airport Round Lake (Weagamow Lake) Airport is located east of Round Lake, Ontario, Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into ...

) *

North Spirit Lake First Nation North Spirit Lake First Nation ( Oji-Cree: ᒣᒣᑴᔑ ᓴᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ)Nishnawbe-Aski Legal Services Corporation - Annual Report 2013-2014https://nanlegal.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/nalsc-annual-report-2013-14.pdf/ref> is a small Oji-Cr ...

( North Spirit Lake Airport) *

Pickle Lake Pickle Lake is a township in the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the most northerly community in the province that has year-round access by road. Located north of Thunder Bay, highway access is via Highway 599, the only access road to the t ...

(

Pickle Lake Airport Pickle Lake Airport is located southwest of Pickle Lake, Ontario, Canada. Airlines and destinations Accidents and incidents *On 12 May 1977, Douglas R4D-1 C-FBKV of Patricia Air Services was written off in an accident. One person was kill ...

), hub *

Pikangikum First Nation The Pikangikum First Nation (, Ojibwe: ''Bigaanjigamiing'', unpointed ᐱᑲᐣᒋᑲᒥᐠ,,pointed ᐱᑳᐣᒋᑲᒦᐣᐠ) is an Ojibwe First Nation located on the Pikangikum 14 Reserve, in Unorganized Kenora District in Northwestern Ontar ...

( Pikangikum Airport), owner community *

Poplar Hill First Nation Poplar Hill First Nation ( oj, Obazaadiikaang, ᐅᐸᓴᑎᑲᐠ) is an Anishinaabe (Ojibway) First Nation band government, approximately 120 km north of Red Lake near the Ontario-Manitoba border. The First Nation is accessible by air an ...

(

Poplar Hill Airport Poplar Hill Airport is located adjacent to Poplar Hill, Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politicall ...

) * Red Lake ( Red Lake Airport), hub *

Sachigo Lake First Nation Sachigo Lake First Nation ( ojs, ᓴᒋᑯ ᓴᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ) is an Oji-Cree First Nation band government in Unorganized Kenora District in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. It is located on Sachigo Lake, part of the Sachigo River system and Hud ...

(

Sachigo Lake Airport Sachigo Lake Airport is located north of the First Nations community of Sachigo Lake, Ontario, Canada. Because Sachigo Lake First Nation is a "dry" community that forbids alcohol, each arriving passenger has their luggage searched in a sepa ...

) *

Sandy Lake First Nation Sandy Lake First Nation (or ᓀᑲᣞ ᓵᑲᐦᐃᑲᓃᐣᐠ, Negaw-zaaga'iganiing Nitam-Anishinaabe) is an independent Oji-Cree First Nations band government. The First Nations community, in the west part of Northern Ontario, is located in t ...

(

Sandy Lake Airport Sandy Lake Airport is located adjacent to Sandy Lake, Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically be ...

), owner community *

Sioux Lookout Sioux Lookout is a town in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. Located approximately northwest of Thunder Bay, it has a population of 5,272 people (up 4.7% since 2011), an elevation of , and its boundaries cover an area of , of which is lake and wetl ...

(

Sioux Lookout Airport Sioux Lookout Airport is a regional airport based in Sioux Lookout, Ontario, Canada. The airport opened in 1933. It was, at the time, the second busiest airport in North America next to Chicago Midway International Airport.Thunder Bay Thunder Bay is a city in and the seat of Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canada. It is the most populous municipality in Northwestern Ontario and the second most populous (after Greater Sudbury) municipality in Northern Ontario; its population ...

(

Thunder Bay International Airport Thunder Bay Airport is an airport in the city of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. With 108,130 aircraft movements in 2012, it was the fourth busiest airport in Ontario and the 16th busiest airport in Canada. During the same year, more than 761,0 ...

), hub *

Wapekeka First Nation Wapekeka First Nation ( ojs, ᐗᐱᑭᑲ, formerly known as Angling Lake First Nation) is a First Nation band government in the Canadian province of Ontario. An Oji-Cree community in the Kenora District, the community is located approximately 450 ...

(

Angling Lake/Wapekeka Airport Angling Lake/Wapekeka Airport is located west of the First Nations settlement of Wapekeka, Ontario, Canada, to the east of Big Trout Lake and on the south shores of Weir Lake. The airport is operated by the Government of Ontario The g ...

), owner community *

Webequie First Nation Webequie First Nation is located on the northern peninsula of Eastwood Island on Winisk Lake, 540 km (336 mi) north of Thunder Bay in Ontario, Canada. Webequie is a fly-in community with no summer road access. The primary way into the c ...

(

Webequie Airport Webequie Airport is located south southwest of the First Nations community of Webequie, Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it ...

) *

Wunnumin Lake First Nation Wunnumin Lake First Nation (Oji-Cree language: ᐊᐧᓇᒪᐣ ᓵᑲᐦᐃᑲᓃᕽ (''Wanaman-zaaga'iganiing'', "At Wunnumin Lake"); unpointed: ᐊᐧᓇᒪᐣ ᓴᑲᐃᑲᓂᐠ) is an Oji-Cree First Nation band government who inhabit territo ...

( Wunnumin Lake Airport), owner community

Fleet

As of December 2020, Wasaya Airways had 20 aircraft listed on their websiteOur Fleet
/ref> and 22 aircraft registered with

Transport Canada Transport Canada (french: Transports Canada) is the department within the Government of Canada responsible for developing regulations, policies and services of road, rail, marine and air transportation in Canada. It is part of the Transportati ...

. The Transport Canada website also shows a

Beechcraft 1900 The Beechcraft 1900 is a 19-passenger, pressurized twin-engine turboprop regional airliner manufactured by Beechcraft. It is also used as a freight aircraft and corporate transport, and by several governmental and military organizations. With c ...

and a

Pilatus PC-12 The Pilatus PC-12 is a pressurized, single-engined, turboprop aircraft, manufactured by Pilatus Aircraft of Stans, Switzerland, since 1991. It was designed as a high-performance utility aircraft that incorporates a large aft cargo door in ad ...

with cancelled registration certificates.

Accidents and incidents

* On 11 September 2003, a

Cessna 208B Grand Caravan The Cessna 208 Caravan is a utility aircraft produced by Cessna. The project was commenced on November 20, 1981, and the prototype first flew on December 9, 1982. The production model was certified by the FAA in October 1984 and its Cargoma ...

of Wasaya Airways Flight 125 crashed near Summer Beaver, killing all eight persons on board. The flight originated in

Pickle Lake Pickle Lake is a township in the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the most northerly community in the province that has year-round access by road. Located north of Thunder Bay, highway access is via Highway 599, the only access road to the t ...

and was scheduled to land at

Summer Beaver Airport Summer Beaver Airport is located southwest of the First Nations community of Nibinamik (Summer Beaver), Ontario, Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to ...

, but the airplane crashed and burned northwest of the runway. The

Transportation Safety Board of Canada The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB, french: Bureau de la sécurité des transports du Canada, BST), officially the Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board (french: link=no, Bureau canadien d'enquête sur les ...

was unable to determine the cause. * On 12 June 2012, a Wasaya Airways

Hawker Siddeley HS 748 The Hawker Siddeley HS 748 is a medium-sized turboprop airliner originally designed and initially produced by the British aircraft manufacturer Avro. It was the last aircraft to be developed by Avro prior to its absorption by Hawker Siddeley. ...

caught fire while unloading JET A-1

jet fuel Jet fuel or aviation turbine fuel (ATF, also abbreviated avtur) is a type of aviation fuel designed for use in aircraft powered by gas-turbine engines. It is colorless to straw-colored in appearance. The most commonly used fuels for commercial a ...

at

Sandy Lake Airport Sandy Lake Airport is located adjacent to Sandy Lake, Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically be ...

in Northwestern Ontario. No injuries were reported. The aircraft burned to the ground, and only the left wing and

nacelle A nacelle ( ) is a "streamlined body, sized according to what it contains", such as an engine, fuel, or equipment on an aircraft. When attached by a pylon entirely outside the airframe, it is sometimes called a pod, in which case it is attached ...

survived. * On 11 December 2015, Wasaya Airways Flight 127, a

Cessna 208B Grand Caravan The Cessna 208 Caravan is a utility aircraft produced by Cessna. The project was commenced on November 20, 1981, and the prototype first flew on December 9, 1982. The production model was certified by the FAA in October 1984 and its Cargoma ...

, while en route from

Pickle Lake Airport Pickle Lake Airport is located southwest of Pickle Lake, Ontario, Canada. Airlines and destinations Accidents and incidents *On 12 May 1977, Douglas R4D-1 C-FBKV of Patricia Air Services was written off in an accident. One person was kill ...

to

Angling Lake/Wapekeka Airport Angling Lake/Wapekeka Airport is located west of the First Nations settlement of Wapekeka, Ontario, Canada, to the east of Big Trout Lake and on the south shores of Weir Lake. The airport is operated by the Government of Ontario The g ...

, crashed approximately north northeast of Pickle Lake Airport. The pilot was the sole occupant and was killed in the crash. The probable cause for the accident was flying in known or forecast icing conditions although the aircraft was prohibited from doing that, and a high take-off weight that increased the severity of degraded performance when the flight encountered

icing conditions In aviation, icing conditions are atmospheric conditions that can lead to the formation of water ice on an aircraft. Ice accretion and accumulation can affect the external surfaces of an aircraft – in which case it is referred to as ''airframe ...

.

References

External links

Wasaya Airways

Wasaya Group
{{Airlines of Canada Air Transport Association of Canada Airlines established in 1989 Companies based in Thunder Bay Regional airlines of Ontario 1989 establishments in Ontario First Nations in Ontario