The settlement's original name, Fort Severight, honoured John Severight, a North West Company man who had headed Fort Coulonge during McLean's time there. After its re-establishment, it was variously known from its location as Fort George, George's River,[5] George River, George River Post, and Fort George River. It was also sometimes known as Port-Nouveau-Québec (French for "Port New Quebec").
The name "Kangiqsualujjuaq" (Inuktitut: ᑲᖏᖅᓱᐊᓗᔾᔪᐊᖅ) is Inuktitut for "the very large bay". It is also sometimes spelled "Kangirsualujjuaq" (ᑲᖏᕐᓱᐊᓗᔾᔪᐊᖅ).
The site was taken up again in September 1876, mostly to capture the local indigenous peoples' trade which had been going to the Moravians. The new buildings were built from the old. The site was abandoned again in the summer of 1878 before reopening again in 1883. It again functioned as a salmon and seal fishery for Fort Chimo, although it carried on some local trading until that was removed to Port Burwell in 1917. HBC shuttered its office in June 1952.[5]
In 1959, local Inuit established, on their own initiative, the first co-operative in Northern Quebec for the purpose of marketing Arctic char. Construction of the village began in 1962 and Inuit began to settle there permanently. In 1963 a school, a co-operative store, and government buildings were built. In 1980, Kangiqsualujjuaq was legally established as a municipality.
The community was struck by an avalanche in the early morning of January 1, 1999, which destroyed the Satuumavik School gymnasium during New Year celebrations, killing nine.[6] Another 25 people were injured, 12 of them seriously enough to have to be airlifted 1,500 km (930 mi) to Montreal for treatment. Some speculated that it may have been triggered by lively dancing at the party.[7] The school was rebuilt on the new, safer location and renamed to Ulluriaq School.
Geography
Kangiqsualujjuaq is located 1,688 km (1,049 mi) to the northeast of Montreal. Enveloped by mountains, the township is framed by picturesque surroundings and its elevated position affords unobstructed views of the George River. The town itself is laid out on a grid pattern over levelled-ground, with two unsealed roads leading a few kilometres beyond the mountain ridges at either end of the village. Amidst rocky outcrops and stone way-finding markers (Inukshuk), the village landscape is dotted with stands of stunted trees and prostrate groundcover that clings perilously to the rugged granite terrain. In low-lying areas, the ground is covered by thick carpets of moss and lichen.
Demographics
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Kangiqsualujjuaq had a population of 956 living in 247 of its 270 total private dwellings, a change of 1.5% from its 2016 population of 942. With a land area of 34.33 km2 (13.25 sq mi), it had a population density of 27.8/km2 (72.1/sq mi) in 2021.[8]
Kangiqsualujjuaq's airport in April 2006Kangiqsualujjuaq Harbour at high tide
The town is served by the small Kangiqsualujjuaq Airport.[9] Access is usually by plane, although Kangiqsualujjuamiut occasionally travel to Kuujjuaq in winter by snowmobile and in summer by boat, a journey of approximately 160 km (99 mi) to the southwest. Journeys across the Torngat Mountains by snowmobile to the Labrador settlements Nain and Nachvak are rarely embarked upon these days, but were commonplace when dog teams were used. Cargo ships from Becancour deliver cumbersome supplies and equipment to the community every summer.
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