Easterville is an unincorporated community, designated as a northern community, in the

Canadian province Canada has ten provinces and three territories that are sub-national administrative divisions under the jurisdiction of the Constitution of Canada, Canadian Constitution. In the 1867 Canadian Confederation, three provinces of British North Amer ...

Manitoba Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...

. It is situated 200 kilometres southeast of

The Pas The Pas ( , ) is a town in Manitoba, Canada, at the confluence of the Pasquia River and the Saskatchewan River and surrounded by the unorganized Northern Region of the province. It is approximately northwest of the provincial capital, Winn ...

and 100 kilometres (40 km by air) west of

Grand Rapids Grand Rapids is the largest city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States. With a population of 198,917 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 200,117 in 2024, Grand Rapids is the List of municipalities ...

, on the south shore of Cedar Lake. Its elevation above

sea level Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an mean, average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal Body of water, bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical ...

is . The Chemawawin Cree Nation community is adjacent to the community on Cedar Lake. The current community of Easterville was established in 1962, when nearby native populations were being displaced by the building of the Grand Rapids Dam, which flooded their prior ~80-year-old community of Chemawawin.(31 July 2010)
Paradise Lost
''Winnipeg Free Press''

History

The community of Easterville as it exists today was established in 1962, when it, along with nearby Indigenous populations, were relocated to the south shore of Cedar Lake. The relocation happened as result of displacement by

Manitoba Hydro The Manitoba Hydro-Electric Board (), operating as Manitoba Hydro, is the electric power and natural gas public utility, utility in the province of Manitoba, Canada. Founded in 1961, it is a provincial Crown Corporation, governed by the Manitoba ...

, who flooded the original location within Chemawawin on the lake as a part of a hydroelectric development project for the construction of the Grand Rapids Dam.Miller, David L. et al. (eds.
The First ones: Readings in Indian/Native studies
(1992) ("The new community of Easterville to which the people were relocated, described as a "pre-planned" community by Manitoba Hydro, was built some 40 miles from Chemawawin along the shore of Cedar Lake.")Waldrum, James B
As long as the rivers run: hydroelectric development and native communities in Western Canada
p.81-105 (1988) Roughly 200,000 hectares were flooded in total. The new area lacked arable land, unlike the old one, being composed mostly of rock. The terrain also resulted in buildings having to be built on cement foundations without basements.

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by

Statistics Canada Statistics Canada (StatCan; ), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. It is headquartered in ...

, Easterville had a population of 20 living in 9 of its 14 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 44. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021. Easterville is a part of Census Division No. 21, Manitoba.

Economy

The main sources of economic base, or natural resources of Easterville, are fishing and trapping. The community offers recreational facilities such as the Skating Rink and community centre, public services including a fire hall and school, and local businesses like Easterville Fisherman's Association, a coffee shop, Griffin's Lucky Dollar Foods, and the U&S Department Store.

Notable people

* Shelly Chartier, known for catfishing

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...

player Chris Andersen

Infrastructure

Easterville is located at the northern terminus of Manitoba Provincial Road 327. It is approximately 20 km north of Provincial Highway 60, the major roadway in the area which connects Highway 6 (to Thompson) and Highway 10 (to

Flin Flon Flin Flon (pop. 5,185 in 2016 census; 4,982 in Manitoba and 203 in Saskatchewan) is a mining city, located on a correction line on the border of the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, with the majority of the city located withi ...

). The community is also serviced by Easterville Airport, located just to the east of the town.

Media

* 93.5 ( VF2337) ( NCI) * 95.5 CBWE-FM (

CBC Radio One CBC Radio One is the English-language news and information radio network of the publicly owned Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It is commercial-free and offers local and national programming. It is available on AM and FM to 98 percent o ...

)

References

External links

Native People and Hydroelectric Development in Northern Manitoba, 1957-1987

Easterville profile
{{Manitoba Designated places in Manitoba