Natuashish is an

Innu The Innu/Ilnu ('man, person'), formerly called Montagnais (French for ' mountain people'; ), are the Indigenous Canadians who inhabit northeastern Labrador in present-day Newfoundland and Labrador and some portions of Quebec. They refer to ...

community in the

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

province of

Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the populatio ...

. The community is inhabited by the Mushuau Innu First Nation. Natuashish became a federal Indian reserve in 2003. Natuashish (Little Sango Pond) was established in 2002 as a

planned community A planned community, planned city, planned town, or planned settlement is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed on previously undeveloped land. This contrasts with settlements that evolve ...

in the hopes of resolving the social problems that had plagued the prior community of

Davis Inlet Davis Inlet was a Naskapi community in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, formerly inhabited by the Mushuau Innu First Nation. It was named for its adjacent fjord, itself named for English ex ...

, away. The population of Natuashish at the 2021 Census was 856, down from 938 in 2016. Initial reports suggested that the

Canadian government The Government of Canada (), formally His Majesty's Government (), is the body responsible for the federal administration of Canada. The term ''Government of Canada'' refers specifically to the executive, which includes ministers of the Crown ( ...

's plan of renewal and healing had been a failure, as the community was still plagued with alcohol and

drug abuse Substance misuse, also known as drug misuse or, in older vernacular, substance abuse, is the use of a drug in amounts or by methods that are harmful to the individual or others. It is a form of substance-related disorder, differing definitions ...

. The government was accused of creating a system overburdened with bureaucracy, and not adequately addressing the issues. The local tribal band was accused of corruption, as was proven in a 2005

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report in which it was shown that the leadership was trafficking drugs and other illicit substances to maintain power. The community's attempt to resolve its problem with

alcoholism Alcoholism is the continued drinking of alcohol despite it causing problems. Some definitions require evidence of dependence and withdrawal. Problematic use of alcohol has been mentioned in the earliest historical records. The World He ...

led to a ban on the sale, purchase, and possession of alcohol within the reserve. The bylaw was originally passed in 2008 by a margin of two votes. The prohibition bylaw was upheld in a subsequent referendum held in the community in March 2010. The community has continued to struggle with drug abuse and youth boredom. As recently as 2017, gas sniffing by youths has been a notable issue. Natuashish is inaccessible by road and may be reached only by air or sea. The community is served by the Natuashish Airport.

References

Innu communities in Newfoundland and Labrador Populated places in Labrador Road-inaccessible communities of Newfoundland and Labrador Indian reserves in Newfoundland and Labrador First Nations reserves in Newfoundland and Labrador Mushuau Innu First Nation {{Labrador-geo-stub