Historical Notes

The Salteaux Ojibway people (ancestors of Grassy Narrows First Nation people) inhabited the Ontario portion of the area subsequently covered by the Northwest Angle Treaty of 1873 – Treaty No. 3. Their economy was based on fishing, hunting, gathering, trapping, the harvesting of wild rice and some horticulture, until the late 18th century when they became involved in the fur trade with the Hudson’s Bay Company.

On October 3, 1873, Chief Sah-katch-eway, along with other chiefs of the Salteaux of the Lake of the Woods, signed the Northwest Angle Treaty of 1873 – Treaty No. 3. In 1882, two reserves were set aside for the Indian people represented by Chief Sah-katch-eway, one at Grassy Narrows and the other at Wabauskang. A Hudson’s Bay Company trading post was established at the site of the old Grassy Narrows reserve in 1911. Following a major influenza epidemic in 1919, which particularly affected the people at Wabauskang, the Grassy Narrows Chief decided that the Band should return to the site of the old reserve, which was believed to be sacred.

In 1963, the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs relocated the people of Grassy Narrows to a new site 8 km southeast so that they would have road access to the town of Kenora.

Trapping, wild rice harvesting and guiding are principal occupations. Local industries include: commercial logging company, general store, Laundromat, The Bay store, tourist camp lodge with five cabins, and marina. The First Nation corporation is currently developing several businesses.

Educational Facilities

Elementary

• Saskatcheway Anishinabe School, JK-8 (First Nation operated)

Secondary

• students board in Kenora, Thunder Bay and Sault Ste. Marie

Community Services and Facilities

• some fire protection equipment on reserve
• one Roman Catholic and one Mennonite church
• baseball park, outdoor rink
• health clinic with two full-time Community Health Representatives
• day care centre (First Nation operated), crisis centre
• Child and Family Services worker provided through Ojibway Tribal Family Services in Kenora
• Ontario First Nations Policing Arrangements - two constables
• O.P.P. Grassy Narrows Detachment
• Minnowsaywin Social Services Planning Corporation
• chemical abuse worker
• child and family interim counselor provided through Kenora Mental Health Association
• Crisis Intervention Program and Crisis Centre
• affiliated with and obtains services from Migisi Drug and Alcohol Treatment Centre

Communications

• telephone - Bell Canada
• radio - service from Winnipeg and Kenora
• newspapers - Treaty 3 newspaper
• television - CBC (English and French), TVOntario, satellite dish transmits three channels to each home

Utilities

• water - communal chlorinated pressure systems; water delivery by truck from storage reservoir; only 5 percent of homes have running water and indoor facilities
• sewage - collective gravity system
• other waste - garbage truck delivers waste to refuse site on Crown land north of reserve
• energy/electricity - Ontario Hydro