Historical Notes

The Ojibway people living on the north shore of Lake Superior (ancestors of Pays Plat First Nation people) subsisted by hunting, fishing and gathering. As the fur trade moved into the Lake Superior area, they expanded their economic activities to include hunting and trapping for trade purposes. By the early 19th century, Ojibway hunting ranges had evolved into well-defined trapping territories.

The Pays Plat reserve is within the boundaries of the territory described by the Robinson-Superior Treaty of 1850. The reserve area was first settled in the 1800s by the ancestors of the Pays Plat First Nation who had once been part of the Pic Heron Bay Band, later migrating to this new location in search of better hunting, trapping and fishing.

Industries

Government service industries and construction each account for two fifths of the labour force, with the remainder concentrated in transportation, communications and other utility industries and miscellaneous commercial industries. Local industries include: handicraft/corner store, pizza store, VCR rental store, and other stores and services in Schreiber and Nipigon.

Educational Facilities

Elementary

• students bused to Schreiber

Secondary

• students bused to Schreiber

Community Services and Facilities

• fire hall with some firefighting equipment
• Roman Catholic Church
• community hall, baseball field
• hospital services available in Terrace Bay and Nipigon
• ambulance services available from Schreiber and Nipigon
• homemakers program
• Child and Family Services worker provided through Dilico Child and Family Services in Thunder Bay
• O.P.P. Schreiber Department

Communications

• telephone - Bell Canada
• radio - CKPR-AM, CBQ-AM (CBC Northern Network), CRNO-FM (Marathon)
• newspapers - one daily from Thunder Bay, one weekly from Terrace Bay
• television - CKPR (CBC affiliate - Thunder Bay), CHFD (Thunder Bay)

Utilities

• water - pumping station and chlorination treatment facility
• sewage - private septic tanks
• other waste - Ministry of Natural Resources disposal site located 16 km east of reserve on Hwy. 17
• energy/electricity - Ontario Hydro