Historical Notes

In the mid-17^th century, the Southeastern Ojibway occupied an area along the eastern shore of Georgian Bay, west along the north shore of Lake Huron, and north along the east shore of Lake Superior. By the late 17^th century, the Chippewa and other branches of the Southeastern Ojibway began to expand into what is now identified as Southern Ontario, an area then occupied by the Iroquois. Sometime after the turn of the century, the Southeastern Ojibway settled in the areas around the Bay of Quinte, Lake St. Clair, in the valleys of the Grand River and the Thames River, and along the north shore of Lake Ontario.

The Curve Lake reserve was confirmed by the Williams Treaties of 1923. The Curve Lake First Nation signed an Alternative Funding Arrangement (AFA) with the federal government in 1989 in a move towards achieving self-government.

Industries

Jobs in the service sector account for half of the labour force, with these being divided almost equally between government and non-government services. The construction and trade industries account for an additional one quarter of the labour force, with the remaining workers employed in forestry, agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, communications and other utilities and miscellaneous commercial industries. Local industries include a craft shop.

Educational Facilities

Elementary

• Curve Lake School, JK-3 (First Nation operated)
• Grades 4-8 students bused to Lakefield and Peterborough

Secondary

• Students bused to Peterborough

Community Services and Facilities

• United church
• community centre, community parks
• health clinic with a Community Health Representative
• NNADAP worker
• day care centre, private home day care, senior citizens group home
• homemakers program
• Ontario First Nations Policing Arrangements - two constables

Communications

• access to major non-Native radio and television stations and newspapers is available to the community; telephone service is provided by Bell Canada

Utilities

• water - reservoir feeds water main system; also community wells
• sewage - private septic tanks
• other waste - landfill site
• energy/electricity - Ontario Hydro