Baker Lake

While I was travelling from Repulse Bay to Rankin Inlet before Christmas, I had a stop over in Baker Lake.

Baker Lake, is a hamlet of about 1800 located 320 km inland from Hudson Bay, it is near the nation's geographical centre, and is notable for being the Canadian Arctic's sole inland community.

In 1762, Captain Christopher of the Hudson's Bay Company sailed up Chesterfield Inlet and named the Lake for Sir William Baker, one of the Governors of the Company.

The Hudson's Bay Company established the first trading post in the region on the island called Ookpiktuyuk, southeast of the present community. In 1924, a post was built at the present site, and both the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches built missions nearby in 1927. In 1936, the HBC moved their post to a site near the current airport. They operated the post out of the building that is now the Vera Akumalik Visitor Centre. People began to congregate around the missions.

During the 1950's, when caribou were scarce and starvation threatened, the government moved people from their inland camps to Baker Lake. Six traditional groups of people now live in Baker Lake. They remember and have preserved many of their traditions of the past. Currently 91% of the population are aboriginal.

Also, Baker Lake is well known for its arts and craft community. Distinguished artists and studios promoting arts and crafts, such as the Inuit Heritage Centre, the Jessie Oonark Centre, and well-established independent art galleries are assets to the community's arts and craft industry.

Baker Lake also has a huge natural resource industry, which has a significant impact on the economic development of Baker Lake. The development of the Meadowbank gold deposit, has already created numerous local jobs. In fact, many workers are flown in on a two week cycle from Arviat, Rankin Inlet and yellowkniffe indicating that even more opportunities are available in town and at the mine site, approximately 70 kms from Baker Lake.

Although my stay in Baker Lake was only a few hours I very much enjoyed it. The community and people are friendly and welcoming.

The only other thing that I did notice about Baker Lake is that it was very cold. The temperature while I was there was -55C with the wind chll.

Thank you Baker Lake for your hospitality. :-)