Fond-du-Lac, Saskatchewan

Fond du Lac
Fond du Lac Location of Fond du Lac in Saskatchewan
Coordinates: 59°19′12.8″N 107°11′46.9″W / 59.320222°N 107.196361°W / 59.320222; -107.196361
Country	Canada
Province	Saskatchewan
Government
• Chief	Earl Lidguere
• MLA Athabasca	Buckley Belanger
• MP Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River	Rob Clarke
Area
• Total	138.26 km2 (53.38 sq mi)
Population (2011)[1]
• Total	874
• Density	6.3/km2 (16/sq mi)
Time zone	Central Standard Time (UTC−6)
Postal code	S0J 0W0
[2][3][4]

Fond-du-Lac is a settlement located in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Situated on the east side of Lake Athabasca it is a remote fly-in community. The population in 2011 was 874,^[1] mainly of Dene and Métis descent. 705 residents selected Dene as their mother tongue in 2011.^[1]

Fond du Lac means "end of the lake" in the French language.

History

Founded as a community over 150 years ago, by Denesuline people in pursuit of furs, fishing, hunting and trapping the community has seen little changes. Many in the community can trace their ancestral roots to the early 19th century. "Living off the land" is still a way of life in Fond-du-Lac.^[5]

Many of the residents are descendants of the Maurice's Band who signed an adhesion to Treaty 8 in 1899. The Maurice's Band (Chief Maurice Piche's Band) split in 1949 forming the Fond-du-Lac Band and the Black Lake Band.^[5]

Fond du Lac Dene Nation

Fond du Lac Dene Nation is a First Nation band government with 6 territories around the eastern area of Lake Athabasca.^[6][1]

• Fond du Lac 227 (15520 hectares) (land area 138.26 square km) where the village of Fond du Lac is located. Population 874 in 2011.
• Fond du Lac 228 (1082.5 hectares)
• Fond du Lac 229 (7821.10 hectares) (land area 88.42 square km) Population 0 in 2011.
• Fond du Lac 231 (2023.50 hectares) (land area 17.44 square km) bordering Athabasca Sand Dunes Provincial Park on the McFarlane River. Population 0 in 2011.
• Fond du Lac 232 (2023.50 hectares) (land area 17.83 square km) Population 0 in 2011.
• Fond du Lac 233 (8341.50 hectares) Population 0 in 2011.

Fond du Lac had a total registered membership of 1,895 with 1,066 members residing on-reserve and 829 members residing at locations off-reserve in September of 2013.^[7] The Fond du Lac First Nation is a member of the Prince Albert Grand Council.^[8]

Demographics

Economy

The main enterprise today in Fond du Lac is working in the mineral and other resource extraction business. Others follow a tradition of fishing, hunting, and trapping as well as providing guide services to the many fishing camps in the area.

Transportation

There are minimal roads within the community and no year-round roads to the community. It is only accessible by air (through the Fond-du-Lac Airport), inland water transport and snowmobile.^[12]Common transportation for community members includes driving large trucks and ATV's or better known as four wheelers. In the winter there is a seasonal ice road with access to Uranium City and Stony Rapids (with the latter community in turn connected to the rest of the province via another ice road). The community greatly relies on aircraft and barges for supplies and services. In the winter the occasional truck will venture in on the ice road with supplies.

References

External links

• Fur Trade History
• Area Map

Coordinates: 59°19′N 107°11′W / 59.317°N 107.183°W / 59.317; -107.183

v t e The Numbered Treaties: Treaty Eight Numbered Treaties Treaty 1 Treaty 2 Treaty 3 Treaty 4 Treaty 5 Treaty 6 Treaty 7 Treaty 8 Treaty 9 Treaty 10 Treaty 11 Saskatchewan Black Lake Denesuline First Nation Clearwater River Dene Nation Fond Du Lac Denesuline First Nation Alberta Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Beaver First Nation Bigstone Cree Nation Chipewyan Prairie First Nation Dene Tha' First Nation Driftpile First Nation Duncan's First Nation Fort McKay First Nation Fort McMurray First Nation Horse Lake First Nation Kapawe'no First Nation Little Red River Cree Nation Loon River First Nation Lubicon Lake Indian Nation Mikisew Cree First Nation Sawridge Band Smith's Landing First Nation Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation Sucker Creek Cree First Nation Swan River First Nation Tallcree First Nation Whitefish Lake First Nation Woodland Cree First Nation British Columbia Blueberry River First Nation Doig River First Nation Fort Nelson First Nation Halfway River First Nation McLeod Lake First Nation Prophet River First Nation Saulteau First Nation West Moberly First Nations Northwest Territories Deninu K'ue First Nation K'atlodeeche First Nation Lutsel K'e First Nation Salt River First Nation Yellowknives Dene First Nation