La Loche | |
|---|---|
 The 1918 summer gathering in La Loche | |
  La Loche Location of La Loche  La Loche La Loche (Canada) | |
| Coordinates: 56°29′N 109°26′W / 56.483°N 109.433°W | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Saskatchewan |
| District | Northern Saskatchewan Administration District |
| Census division | 18 |
| HBC post | 1810 |
| Mission founded | 1860 |
| Post office established | 1926 |
| Named for | Burbot |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Georgina Jolibois |
| • Village administrator | Martha Morin |
| • Governing body | La Loche Town Council |
| • MLA Athabasca | Jim Lemaigre |
| • MP Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River | Gary Vidal |
| Area | |
• Total | 15.59 km2 (6.02 sq mi) |
| Population (2016)[2] | |
• Total | 2,827 |
| • Density | 181.3/km2 (470/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−06:00 (CST) |
| Postal code | S0M 1G0 |
| Area code | 306 |
| Highways |    Highway 155 / Highway 955 / Highway 956 |
| [3][4][5] | |
La Loche (/lə lɒʃ/) is a village in northwest Saskatchewan. It is located at the end of Highway 155 on the eastern shore of Lac La Loche in Canada's boreal forest. La Loche had a population of 2,827 in 2016 and is within the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District.[2][6][7]
Bordering La Loche to the north and reached via Highway 955 is the Clearwater River Dene Nation (CRDN) with a population of 822 people.[8] The La Loche/CRDN population centre with 3,649 people represents about 30 percent of the Denesuline speakers of Canada. The Denesuline language is spoken by 89% of the residents.[9]
The northern hamlet of Black Point lies on the southern shore of the lake and is accessible via the Garson Lake Road Highway 956. This road ends in Garson Lake. From there a winter road is built every year to Fort McMurray, Alberta.
Located on the northern end of Lac La Loche is the Methye Portage or Portage La Loche. This portage to the Clearwater River was in use for more than a century during the North American fur trade. Brigades such as the Portage La Loche Brigade from Fort Garry came from the south while the Athabasca and Mackenzie brigades came from the north. At Rendezvous Lake on the 19 km (12 mi) portage the fur brigades would meet every year and exchange trade goods for furs. The furs were then brought to York Factory on the Hudson Bay for shipment to England. The Methye Portage is now part of the Clearwater River Provincial Park and a National Historic Site.[10] The Clearwater River is also a Canadian Heritage River.
- ^ "Search for Municipal Information". Government of Saskatchewan. Archived from the original on March 10, 2014. Retrieved April 7, 2014.
- ^ a b "Population and dwelling count amendments, 2016 Census". Statistics Canada. Government of Canada. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
- ^ National Archives, Archivia Net. "Post Offices and Postmasters". Archived from the original on 2006-10-06. Retrieved 2009-09-06.
- ^ Government of Saskatchewan, MRD Home. "Municipal Directory System". Retrieved 2012-10-16.
- ^ Commissioner of Canada Elections, Chief Electoral Officer of Canada (2005). "Elections Canada On-line". Archived from the original on 2007-04-21. Retrieved 2009-09-06.
- ^ "Types of Municipalities". Saskatchewan Ministry of Municipal Affairs. Archived from the original on September 19, 2012. Retrieved December 19, 2013.
- ^ "La Loche: Canada, full name, administrative division, geographic coordinates and map". Geographic.org. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
- ^ "2016 Community Profiles". Statistics Canada. Government of Canada. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
- ^ "History of La Loche (La Loche 2011)". 2012-11-15. Archived from the original on 2022-11-12.
- ^ "Parks Canada (Methye Portage National Historic Event)". Retrieved 2012-10-12.