Eastmain ᐄᔅᒣᐃᓐ (Îsmein) | |
|---|---|
Terre réservée crie (Cree reserved land) | |
 Wabannutao Eeyou School | |
| Motto: Lasting Results. Strategies that deliver sustainable success | |
  Eastmain Eastmain in the province of Quebec Show map of Quebec Eastmain Eastmain (Canada) Show map of Canada | |
| Coordinates:52°15′N78°30′W / 52.250°N 78.500°W /52.250; -78.500[2] | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Quebec |
| Region | Nord-du-Québec |
| Territory | Eeyou Istchee |
| Formed | 1978 |
| Government | |
| • Chief | Raymond Shanoush |
| • Federal riding | Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou |
| • Provincial riding | Ungava |
| Area | |
• Total | 160.43 km2 (61.94 sq mi) |
| • Land | 148.99 km2 (57.53 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• Total | 924[1] |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Within theAST legislated time zone boundary but observesEST[4]) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (EDT) |
| Postal Code | J0M 1W0 |
| Area codes | 819 and 873 |
| Website | Eastmain.ca |
Eastmain (Quebec French pronunciation:[iːstˈmẽɪ̯̃];Cree:ᐄᔅᒣᐃᓐ/Îsmein) is aCree community located on the east coast ofJames Bay at the mouth of theEastmain River,Quebec, Canada. It is a small coastal Cree village with a population of 924 people in the2021 Canadian Census up from 866 people at the2016 Canadian Census.[1] Its alternate Cree name isᐙᐸᓅᑖᐤ/Wâpanûtâw, meaningLands east of James Bay.
Eastmain is accessible by air (Eastmain River Airport) and by car over a gravel road linking it to theJames Bay Road, which takes around 1 hour.
The Eastmain community was greatly affected by theJames Bay Project, which in 1980 diverted 90% of the Eastmain River to theLa Grande River.
Like the other coastal villages on Hudson and James Bay, Eastmain was settled around aHudson's Bay Company trading post, which was originally called East Main House. Some Cree settled there for ease in trading.
Eastmain has asubarctic climate (Dfc), typical of communities along the eastern shore of theJames Bay. Summers are mild and rainy, with mild days and cool nights. Winters are cold with extremely heavy annual snowfall, averaging 261.3 cm (102.9 in).
| Climate data forLa Grande Rivière Airport | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record highhumidex | 1.8 | 4.8 | 11.1 | 21.8 | 33.9 | 37.5 | 44.3 | 35.5 | 31.6 | 28.3 | 11.7 | 7.6 | 44.3 |
| Record high °C (°F) | 1.4 (34.5) | 5.0 (41.0) | 11.3 (52.3) | 22.3 (72.1) | 32.6 (90.7) | 35.0 (95.0) | 37.3 (99.1) | 31.2 (88.2) | 27.1 (80.8) | 23.5 (74.3) | 12.3 (54.1) | 7.4 (45.3) | 37.3 (99.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −18.5 (−1.3) | −15.9 (3.4) | −8.2 (17.2) | 0.6 (33.1) | 10.3 (50.5) | 17.3 (63.1) | 20.4 (68.7) | 18.6 (65.5) | 12.3 (54.1) | 4.8 (40.6) | −3.1 (26.4) | −12.0 (10.4) | 2.2 (36.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −23.2 (−9.8) | −21.6 (−6.9) | −14.5 (5.9) | −5.0 (23.0) | 4.3 (39.7) | 10.8 (51.4) | 14.2 (57.6) | 13.1 (55.6) | 8.1 (46.6) | 1.7 (35.1) | −6.1 (21.0) | −16.0 (3.2) | −2.9 (26.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −28.0 (−18.4) | −27.3 (−17.1) | −20.7 (−5.3) | −10.6 (12.9) | −1.6 (29.1) | 4.2 (39.6) | 8.0 (46.4) | 7.6 (45.7) | 3.8 (38.8) | −1.5 (29.3) | −9.1 (15.6) | −19.9 (−3.8) | −7.9 (17.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −40.9 (−41.6) | −44.6 (−48.3) | −39.7 (−39.5) | −31.4 (−24.5) | −14.4 (6.1) | −6.6 (20.1) | −0.9 (30.4) | −0.5 (31.1) | −7.0 (19.4) | −16.7 (1.9) | −29.2 (−20.6) | −40.3 (−40.5) | −44.6 (−48.3) |
| Record lowwind chill | −56 | −57 | −51 | −40 | −24 | −12 | −3 | −6 | −10 | −20 | −40 | −53 | −57 |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 30.9 (1.22) | 21.9 (0.86) | 29.4 (1.16) | 32.7 (1.29) | 39.0 (1.54) | 65.3 (2.57) | 78.5 (3.09) | 91.1 (3.59) | 110.6 (4.35) | 87.3 (3.44) | 67.9 (2.67) | 42.6 (1.68) | 697.2 (27.45) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 0.1 (0.00) | 1.2 (0.05) | 3.4 (0.13) | 12.7 (0.50) | 27.9 (1.10) | 62.6 (2.46) | 78.5 (3.09) | 91.0 (3.58) | 106.9 (4.21) | 56.2 (2.21) | 11.6 (0.46) | 1.7 (0.07) | 453.8 (17.87) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 33.1 (13.0) | 23.0 (9.1) | 28.6 (11.3) | 21.0 (8.3) | 11.9 (4.7) | 2.6 (1.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.1 (0.0) | 4.0 (1.6) | 32.4 (12.8) | 60.3 (23.7) | 44.4 (17.5) | 261.3 (102.9) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.2 mm) | 16.3 | 12.5 | 11.9 | 10.8 | 12.1 | 12.4 | 14.1 | 16.2 | 20.2 | 20.6 | 22.0 | 19.7 | 188.9 |
| Average rainy days(≥ 0.2 mm) | 0.3 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 4.0 | 8.0 | 11.6 | 14.0 | 16.3 | 19.5 | 12.7 | 4.1 | 0.8 | 92.9 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.2 cm) | 16.4 | 12.3 | 11.5 | 8.5 | 5.7 | 1.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.9 | 11.8 | 20.5 | 19.6 | 109.8 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%)(at 06:00 / 15:00 LST) | 71.8 | 71.4 | 74.0 | 78.5 | 78.2 | 78.4 | 84.3 | 88.2 | 90.8 | 89.9 | 88.4 | 80.6 | 81.2 |
| Average afternoonrelative humidity (%)(at 06:00 / 15:00 LST) | 73.1 | 68.3 | 60.3 | 57.9 | 53.1 | 50.3 | 54.7 | 59.6 | 68.9 | 75.8 | 83.5 | 80.3 | 65.5 |
| Source:Environment and Climate Change Canada | |||||||||||||
As of May 2022, the nation counted 943 members, of which 830 persons lived in the Community.[5] there were 223 private dwellings that are occupied by usual residents, out of a total of 280.[6] The mother tongue of the residents is:[7]
Population trend:[8]
With a population nearing 1000, the main economic activities of the community are its services sectors. This would include a restaurant within a hotel, private businesses, and a construction company with a gas station and garage. Eastmain is also the headquarters for the Cree Regional Trappers Association, whose role is to support all local Cree Trappers by maintaining the practices of their traditional activities. Other services include its emergency service departments, local radio station, post office, local schools, government service sectors, sports and recreation complex, local development corporation, and local medical services, including a clinic.[9]
TheCree School Board operates the Wabannutao Eeyou School (Cree:ᐧᐋᐸᓅᑖᐤ ᐄᔨᔫ ᒋᔅᑯᑕᒫᒉᐅᑲᒥᒄ).[10]