Peawanuck is an isolated Cree community in the Kenora District, Ontario, Canada. It is located near the confluence of the Winisk and Shamattawa rivers, about 35 km from the Winisk River's end in Hudson Bay. Its population is 237.[2]
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Its population used to live in the community of Winisk (55°16′N 85°11′W), near the mouth of the Winisk River. This also used to be a Mid-Canada Line Radar site. In 1986, its population was forced to abandon Winisk as a result of the Winisk Flood Disaster. The community was relocated thirty kilometers up-river on higher ground. The new settlement was renamed Peawanuck, meaning "flintstone" in the Cree language. It only took seven months for the community to be rebuilt in Peawanuck, with much credit going to the community members who were determined to have their new homes ready by the winter. It is surrounded by lands of the Polar Bear Provincial Park providing Peawanuck with limited tourism opportunities.[3] It lies at similar latitudes to Ketchikan, Prince Rupert, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Moscow but has much harsher winters than those other cities.
Peawanuck is not accessible by year-round road but has an airfield (Peawanuck Airport). Marked roads exists for travel within Peawanuck. While the roads have no names, the main road in town is referred to as Main Street and the one along the river as Riverside.
There are private cars or light trucks in town, but other modes of travel include snowmobiles and canoe.
The town is however, linked by winter/ice roads in the winter towards Fort Severn, Ontario, and ultimately, Shamattawa, Manitoba and Gillam, Manitoba.
Electricity for the community is provided by three diesel generators and are maintained by the Ministry of Transportation.[5]
There is a waste water treatment plant that serves all residential homes and most business. There is no sanitation services in Peawanuck due to lack of funds so waste is handled locally.
The local band council consists of band chief with 2 or 3 councilors elected to 2 year terms. Band Offices are located at a shared facility with FNP and Canada Post.
There are no newspapers in town. The Band Office maintains a local radio station, but has limited service time.
Television and radio services is by satellite only.
Peawanuck has a local Catholic Church shaped as a teepee. Most residents are Catholic with a few Traditionalist or Born Again Christian.
There is no community centre and limited recreation facilities maintained by the Band Council or Catholic Church:
Matahhamao opened in 1995 by Weenusk Education Services is the only school in the community and offers classes up to Grade 8.[6] Students moving on to Grades 9 to 12 and beyond must travel to large communities like Timmins and Moosonee.
The community is served by a single store, a Northern Store, and other goods must be shipped in by air.[6] Northern Store provides banking services via fax to CIBC or Scotiabank in Moosonee and Timmins respectively.[5]
- Peawanuck Development Corporation - operates Peawanuck Petroleum, General Store, Annual Barger Services and maintains winter road
- Hudson's Bay Adventures - offers outdoor adventures at Polar Bear Provincial Park
- Louie's Store (Louis Chookomolin Diversified Products)
Peawanuck has a subarctic climate (Dfc) due to its location in far Northern Ontario, which brings long cold winters and short but mild summers. Peawanuck is one of the coldest communities in Ontario, having far different weather than the more populous parts of Ontario.
More information Climate data for Peawanuck (Winisk Airport) 1951–1980, extremes 1959–present, Month ...
Climate data for Peawanuck (Winisk Airport) 1951–1980, extremes 1959–present[note 1] |
Month |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Year |
Record high °C (°F) |
10.0 (50.0) |
3.2 (37.8) |
10.8 (51.4) |
22.3 (72.1) |
29.3 (84.7) |
38.1 (100.6) |
36.6 (97.9) |
34.1 (93.4) |
30.0 (86.0) |
23.3 (73.9) |
15.2 (59.4) |
4.9 (40.8) |
38.1 (100.6) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) |
−20.7 (−5.3) |
−18.9 (−2.0) |
−12.9 (8.8) |
−3.2 (26.2) |
5.2 (41.4) |
12.7 (54.9) |
17.2 (63.0) |
16.0 (60.8) |
10.8 (51.4) |
3.7 (38.7) |
−4.6 (23.7) |
−14.9 (5.2) |
−0.8 (30.6) |
Daily mean °C (°F) |
−25.1 (−13.2) |
−24 (−11) |
−18.5 (−1.3) |
−8.5 (16.7) |
0.9 (33.6) |
7.2 (45.0) |
11.0 (51.8) |
10.8 (51.4) |
6.7 (44.1) |
0.6 (33.1) |
−8.3 (17.1) |
−19.2 (−2.6) |
−5.5 (22.1) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) |
−29.4 (−20.9) |
−29.2 (−20.6) |
−24.1 (−11.4) |
−13.7 (7.3) |
−3.5 (25.7) |
1.5 (34.7) |
4.8 (40.6) |
5.5 (41.9) |
2.5 (36.5) |
−2.4 (27.7) |
−11.9 (10.6) |
−23.5 (−10.3) |
−10.3 (13.5) |
Record low °C (°F) |
−47 (−53) |
−47.2 (−53.0) |
−43.2 (−45.8) |
−36.7 (−34.1) |
−20.6 (−5.1) |
−6.5 (20.3) |
−3.9 (25.0) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
−6.2 (20.8) |
−21.3 (−6.3) |
−32.2 (−26.0) |
−46.1 (−51.0) |
−47.2 (−53.0) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) |
32.3 (1.27) |
16.7 (0.66) |
17.4 (0.69) |
35.2 (1.39) |
47.5 (1.87) |
90.3 (3.56) |
89.4 (3.52) |
76.5 (3.01) |
76.3 (3.00) |
56.1 (2.21) |
45.3 (1.78) |
24.5 (0.96) |
607.5 (23.92) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) |
0.1 (0.00) |
0.0 (0.0) |
1.8 (0.07) |
5.1 (0.20) |
28.8 (1.13) |
85.4 (3.36) |
89.4 (3.52) |
76.5 (3.01) |
74.6 (2.94) |
44.3 (1.74) |
5.9 (0.23) |
1.1 (0.04) |
413.0 (16.26) |
Average snowfall cm (inches) |
28.6 (11.3) |
16.4 (6.5) |
16.0 (6.3) |
28.9 (11.4) |
27.7 (10.9) |
14.6 (5.7) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
2.7 (1.1) |
16.8 (6.6) |
38.1 (15.0) |
24.3 (9.6) |
214.1 (84.3) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) |
13 |
8 |
9 |
12 |
14 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
17 |
17 |
19 |
16 |
164 |
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
10 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
11 |
2 |
0 |
73 |
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) |
12 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
10 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
11 |
18 |
16 |
100 |
Source: Environment Canada[7][8][9] |
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Long term records have been recorded at various climate stations in or nearby Peawanuck since 1959