Lac-John, Quebec
Encyclopedia
Lac-John is a First Nations reserve on John Lake in the Côte-Nord
region of Quebec
, Canada, about 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) north-east from the centre of Schefferville
. Together with the Matimekosh Reserve
, it belongs to the Innu
Nation of Matimekush-Lac John. It is geographically within the Caniapiscau Regional County Municipality
but administratively not part of it.
The reserve is named after the adjacent John Lake. That name was assigned by the Labrador Mining and Smelting Company, which used it on one of its geological maps a little before 1947.
indigenous people, but they never had resided there permanently. Because of mining development in the early 1950s, the Naskapi
from Fort Chimo and a dozen Innu families from Maliotenam arrived at Schefferville
to serve as guides for geological exploration work, and help on the railway construction from Sept-Iles.
In 1957, the Schefferville municipal authorities moved the Innu and Naskapi to a site on John Lake, where they lived in poverty without sanitation, electricity, schools, or a medical facility. A year later, the site was surveyed for the creation of a reserve. On June 7, 1960, the Government of Québec transferred 58 acres (23.5 ha) to the Government of Canada that then formed the Lac-John Reserve. The Innu and Naskapi initially lived in tiny shacks, but by 1962 Indian and Northern Affairs had built 30 houses for them.
Following the creation of the Matimekosh Reserve close to the town's centre in 1968, the municipality of Schefferville tried to annex the Lac-John Reserve. In 1972, most of the families on the Lac-John Reserve moved to Matimekosh, but a group of them decided to stay and new residences were built for them in 1975.
Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 9 (total dwellings: 12)
Côte-Nord
Côte-Nord is the second largest administrative region by land area in Quebec, Canada, after Nord-du-Québec...
region of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada, about 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) north-east from the centre of Schefferville
Schefferville, Quebec
Schefferville is a town in the Canadian province of Quebec. Schefferville is in the heart of the Naskapi and Innu territory in northern Quebec, less than 2 km from the border with Labrador on the north shore of Knob Lake. The town has an incorporated area of . It is located within the...
. Together with the Matimekosh Reserve
Matimekosh, Quebec
Matimekosh is a First Nations reserve on Lake Pearce in the Côte-Nord region of Quebec, Canada. Together with the Lac-John Reserve, it belongs to the Innu Nation of Matimekush-Lac John...
, it belongs to the Innu
Innu
The Innu are the indigenous inhabitants of an area they refer to as Nitassinan , which comprises most of the northeastern portions of the provinces of Quebec and some western portions of Labrador...
Nation of Matimekush-Lac John. It is geographically within the Caniapiscau Regional County Municipality
Caniapiscau Regional County Municipality, Quebec
Caniapiscau is a regional county municipality in northeastern Quebec, Canada. The regional county municipality seat is Fermont. It is located in the northwest corner of the Côte-Nord region of Quebec. It has a land area of and a 2006 census population of 3,948 inhabitants, two-thirds of whom lived...
but administratively not part of it.
The reserve is named after the adjacent John Lake. That name was assigned by the Labrador Mining and Smelting Company, which used it on one of its geological maps a little before 1947.
History
The region was the northern limit of the hunting and trapping grounds of the InnuInnu
The Innu are the indigenous inhabitants of an area they refer to as Nitassinan , which comprises most of the northeastern portions of the provinces of Quebec and some western portions of Labrador...
indigenous people, but they never had resided there permanently. Because of mining development in the early 1950s, the Naskapi
Naskapi
The Naskapi are the indigenous Innu inhabitants of an area they refer to as Nitassinan, which comprises most of what other Canadians refer to as eastern Quebec and Labrador, Canada....
from Fort Chimo and a dozen Innu families from Maliotenam arrived at Schefferville
Schefferville, Quebec
Schefferville is a town in the Canadian province of Quebec. Schefferville is in the heart of the Naskapi and Innu territory in northern Quebec, less than 2 km from the border with Labrador on the north shore of Knob Lake. The town has an incorporated area of . It is located within the...
to serve as guides for geological exploration work, and help on the railway construction from Sept-Iles.
In 1957, the Schefferville municipal authorities moved the Innu and Naskapi to a site on John Lake, where they lived in poverty without sanitation, electricity, schools, or a medical facility. A year later, the site was surveyed for the creation of a reserve. On June 7, 1960, the Government of Québec transferred 58 acres (23.5 ha) to the Government of Canada that then formed the Lac-John Reserve. The Innu and Naskapi initially lived in tiny shacks, but by 1962 Indian and Northern Affairs had built 30 houses for them.
Following the creation of the Matimekosh Reserve close to the town's centre in 1968, the municipality of Schefferville tried to annex the Lac-John Reserve. In 1972, most of the families on the Lac-John Reserve moved to Matimekosh, but a group of them decided to stay and new residences were built for them in 1975.
Demographics
Population trend:- Population in 2006: 16 (2001 to 2006 population change: -30.4 %)
- Population in 2001: 23
- Population in 1996: 38
Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 9 (total dwellings: 12)