Fort Chipewyan, Alberta
Encyclopedia
Fort Chipewyan, commonly referred to as Fort Chip, is a hamlet
in northern Alberta
, Canada
within the Regional Municipality (R.M.) of Wood Buffalo
. It is located on the western tip of Lake Athabasca
, adjacent to Wood Buffalo National Park
, approximately 223 kilometres (138.6 mi) north of Fort McMurray.
Fort Chipewyan is one of the oldest Europe
an settlements in the Province of Alberta
. It was established as a trading post by Peter Pond
of the North West Company
in 1788. The Fort was named after the Chipewyan
First Nation
living in the area. One of the establishers of the Fort, Roderick McKenzie, always had a taste for literature, as was seen years later when he opened correspondence with traders all over the north and west, asking for descriptions of scenery, adventure, folklore and history. He also had in view the founding of a library at the fort, which would not be only for the immediate residents of Fort Chipewyan, but for traders and clerks of the whole region tributary to Lake Athabaska, so that it would be what he called, in an imaginative and somewhat jocular vein, "the little Athens
of the Arctic
regions." This library became, perhaps, the most famous in the whole extent of Rupert's Land
.
plays a key role in Fort Chipewyan's economy, especially in the summer months.
due to the use of extrapolation, Therefore, Fort Chipewyan's 2008 population may be more of an estimate compared to its 2007 figure.
The hamlet had a population of 902 living on a land area of 10.24 square kilometres (4 sq mi) as of the 2001 census
.
The hamlet's population is predominantly made up of Cree
First Nations, Chipewyan
(Dene
) First Nations, and Metis people
.
. Air is one of two methods of access to Fort Chipewyan in the summer.
.
s in the winter. These include roads from Fort Smith
to the north and from Fort McMurray to the south. Although the Alberta government has previously conducted studies on all-weather road access, no action has been taken. In December 2005, one-third of Fort Chipewyan's residents signed a petition to request the government to build a 50 km (31.1 mi) all-weather road to connect with existing roads to the northwest that provide access to Fort Smith, Northwest Territories
. The major expenditure would be a bridge over the Slave River
.
(Köppen
Dfc) with long, very cold, dry winters and short, warm, wetter summers..
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
in northern Alberta
Northern Alberta
Northern Alberta is a region located in the Canadian province of Alberta.Its primary industry is oil and gas, with large heavy oil reserves being exploited at the Athabasca Oil Sands and Wabasca Area in the east of the region...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
within the Regional Municipality (R.M.) of Wood Buffalo
Wood Buffalo, Alberta
The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo is a specialized municipality located in northeastern Alberta. Formed as a result of the amalgamation of the City of Fort McMurray and Improvement District No. 143 on April 1, 1995, it is the second largest municipality in Alberta by area...
. It is located on the western tip of Lake Athabasca
Lake Athabasca
Lake Athabasca is located in the northwest corner of Saskatchewan and the northeast corner of Alberta between 58° and 60° N.-History:The name in the Dene language originally referred only to the large delta formed by the confluence the Athabasca River at the southwest corner of the lake...
, adjacent to Wood Buffalo National Park
Wood Buffalo National Park
Wood Buffalo National Park, located in northeastern Alberta and southern Northwest Territories, is the largest national park in Canada at . The park was established in 1922 to protect the world's largest herd of free roaming Wood Bison, currently estimated at more than 5,000...
, approximately 223 kilometres (138.6 mi) north of Fort McMurray.
Fort Chipewyan is one of the oldest Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an settlements in the Province of Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. It was established as a trading post by Peter Pond
Peter Pond
Peter Pond was born in Milford, Connecticut. He was a soldier with a Connecticut regiment, a fur trader, a founding member of the North West Company, an explorer and a cartographer.-Biography:...
of the North West Company
North West Company
The North West Company was a fur trading business headquartered in Montreal from 1779 to 1821. It competed with increasing success against the Hudson's Bay Company in what was to become Western Canada...
in 1788. The Fort was named after the Chipewyan
Chipewyan
The Chipewyan are a Dene Aboriginal people in Canada, whose ancestors were the Taltheilei...
First Nation
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
living in the area. One of the establishers of the Fort, Roderick McKenzie, always had a taste for literature, as was seen years later when he opened correspondence with traders all over the north and west, asking for descriptions of scenery, adventure, folklore and history. He also had in view the founding of a library at the fort, which would not be only for the immediate residents of Fort Chipewyan, but for traders and clerks of the whole region tributary to Lake Athabaska, so that it would be what he called, in an imaginative and somewhat jocular vein, "the little Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
of the Arctic
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
regions." This library became, perhaps, the most famous in the whole extent of Rupert's Land
Rupert's Land
Rupert's Land, or Prince Rupert's Land, was a territory in British North America, consisting of the Hudson Bay drainage basin that was nominally owned by the Hudson's Bay Company for 200 years from 1670 to 1870, although numerous aboriginal groups lived in the same territory and disputed the...
.
Economy
TourismTourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
plays a key role in Fort Chipewyan's economy, especially in the summer months.
Demographics
The population of Fort Chipewyan according to the R.M of Wood Buffalo's 2007 municipal census is 1,007, which makes the hamlet eligible for town status. The subsequent 2008 municipal census recorded a population of 1,016. However, with the overall 2008 municipal census result for the R.M. of Wood Buffalo not being accepted by Alberta Municipal AffairsAlberta Municipal Affairs
Alberta Municipal Affairs is a ministry of the Executive Council of Alberta. Its major responsibilities include assisting municipalities in the provision of local government, administering a safety system for the construction and maintenance of buildings and equipment, and managing Alberta's...
due to the use of extrapolation, Therefore, Fort Chipewyan's 2008 population may be more of an estimate compared to its 2007 figure.
The hamlet had a population of 902 living on a land area of 10.24 square kilometres (4 sq mi) as of the 2001 census
Canada 2001 Census
The Canada 2001 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 15, 2001. On that day, Statistics Canada attempted to count every person in Canada. The total population count of Canada was 30,007,094. This was a 4% increase over 1996 Census of 28,846,761. In...
.
The hamlet's population is predominantly made up of Cree
Cree
The Cree are one of the largest groups of First Nations / Native Americans in North America, with 200,000 members living in Canada. In Canada, the major proportion of Cree live north and west of Lake Superior, in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories, although...
First Nations, Chipewyan
Chipewyan
The Chipewyan are a Dene Aboriginal people in Canada, whose ancestors were the Taltheilei...
(Dene
Dene
The Dene are an aboriginal group of First Nations who live in the northern boreal and Arctic regions of Canada. The Dené speak Northern Athabaskan languages. Dene is the common Athabaskan word for "people" . The term "Dene" has two usages...
) First Nations, and Metis people
Métis people (Canada)
The Métis are one of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who trace their descent to mixed First Nations parentage. The term was historically a catch-all describing the offspring of any such union, but within generations the culture syncretised into what is today a distinct aboriginal group, with...
.
Air
The hamlet is served by the Fort Chipewyan AirportFort Chipewyan Airport
Fort Chipewyan Airport, , is located northeast of Fort Chipewyan, Alberta, Canada....
. Air is one of two methods of access to Fort Chipewyan in the summer.
Water
In the summer, the hamlet also can be accessed by boat from Fort McMurray via the Athabasca RiverAthabasca River
The Athabasca River originates from the Columbia Glacier of the Columbia Icefield in Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada...
.
Road
There are no all-weather roads to Fort Chipewyan, but it can be reached via winter roadWinter road
Winter roads are temporary highways carved out of snow and ice. They facilitate transportation to and from communities without permanent roads, and are commonly seen in isolated regions in Canada's north....
s in the winter. These include roads from Fort Smith
Fort Smith, Northwest Territories
Fort Smith is a town in the South Slave Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. It is located in the southeastern portion of the Northwest Territories, on the Slave River and adjacent to the NWT/Alberta border.-History:Fort Smith's history began because of the Slave River and the vital link...
to the north and from Fort McMurray to the south. Although the Alberta government has previously conducted studies on all-weather road access, no action has been taken. In December 2005, one-third of Fort Chipewyan's residents signed a petition to request the government to build a 50 km (31.1 mi) all-weather road to connect with existing roads to the northwest that provide access to Fort Smith, Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
. The major expenditure would be a bridge over the Slave River
Slave River
The Slave River is a Canadian river that flows from Lake Athabasca in northeastern Alberta and empties into Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories....
.
Climate
Fort Chipewyan has a subarctic climateSubarctic climate
The subarctic climate is a climate characterized by long, usually very cold winters, and short, cool to mild summers. It is found on large landmasses, away from the moderating effects of an ocean, generally at latitudes from 50° to 70°N poleward of the humid continental climates...
(Köppen
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Dfc) with long, very cold, dry winters and short, warm, wetter summers..