Salluit, Quebec
Encyclopedia
Salluit is the second northernmost Inuit
community in Quebec, Canada, located on Sugluk Inlet close to the Hudson Strait
. Its population was 1241 in 2006 (Census of Canada), and growing rapidly. It is not accessible by road, but by air through Salluit Airport
.
Salluit means "The Thin Ones" in Inuktitut
, referring to a time when local inhabitants were facing starvation as a result of a lack of wildlife.
on the site of present-day Salluit. Not to be outdone, the Hudson's Bay Company
(HBC) quickly established its own post on the far shore of Sugluk Inlet but relocated it soon after to Deception Bay, about 53.5 km (33.2 mi) to the east. In 1930, the HBC built a store at present-day Salluit and closed its post at Deception Bay in 1932. The golden years of fur trading
came to an end around 1936 when the price of pelts collapsed.
In 1930 a Catholic mission was established, closing some twenty years later, but followed by an Anglican mission in 1955. The Government of Canada opened a day school in 1957. As more public services were being delivered, Inuit settled around the small village. The first residential houses were built in 1959 and ten years later a co-operative store was established by its residents. Salluit legally became a municipality in 1979.
Inuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
community in Quebec, Canada, located on Sugluk Inlet close to the Hudson Strait
Hudson Strait
Hudson Strait links the Atlantic Ocean to Hudson Bay in Canada. It lies between Baffin Island and the northern coast of Quebec, its eastern entrance marked by Cape Chidley and Resolution Island. It is long...
. Its population was 1241 in 2006 (Census of Canada), and growing rapidly. It is not accessible by road, but by air through Salluit Airport
Salluit Airport
Salluit Airport, , is located near the community of Salluit, Quebec, Canada. There are no roads into Salluit so the airport provides the only means for the residents to access southern Quebec....
.
Salluit means "The Thin Ones" in Inuktitut
Inuktitut
Inuktitut or Eastern Canadian Inuktitut, Eastern Canadian Inuit language is the name of some of the Inuit languages spoken in Canada...
, referring to a time when local inhabitants were facing starvation as a result of a lack of wildlife.
History
In 1925, an independent trader opened a trading postTrading post
A trading post was a place or establishment in historic Northern America where the trading of goods took place. The preferred travel route to a trading post or between trading posts, was known as a trade route....
on the site of present-day Salluit. Not to be outdone, the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
(HBC) quickly established its own post on the far shore of Sugluk Inlet but relocated it soon after to Deception Bay, about 53.5 km (33.2 mi) to the east. In 1930, the HBC built a store at present-day Salluit and closed its post at Deception Bay in 1932. The golden years of fur trading
Fur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of world market for in the early modern period furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most valued...
came to an end around 1936 when the price of pelts collapsed.
In 1930 a Catholic mission was established, closing some twenty years later, but followed by an Anglican mission in 1955. The Government of Canada opened a day school in 1957. As more public services were being delivered, Inuit settled around the small village. The first residential houses were built in 1959 and ten years later a co-operative store was established by its residents. Salluit legally became a municipality in 1979.