Missinipe (

Woodland Cree The ''Sakāwithiniwak'' or Woodland Cree, are a Cree people, calling themselves Nîhithaw in their own dialect of the language. They are the largest indigenous group in northern Alberta and are an Algonquian people. Prior to the 18th century, ...

: ''Misi-nipiy'' or ''Mahttawi-sipiy''), meaning "big water" or "difficult river", is a

northern settlement Communities in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada, include incorporated municipalities, unincorporated communities and First Nations communities. Types of incorporated municipalities include urban municipalities, rural municipalities and n ...

in northern

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada. It is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and to the south by the ...

along the western shore of Otter Lake. The northern settlement is north of

La Ronge La Ronge is a List of municipalities in Saskatchewan, northern town in the boreal forest of Canada, boreal forest of Saskatchewan, Canada. The town is also the namesake of the larger #Population centre, La Ronge population centre, the largest ...

along Highway 2 within the

Northern Saskatchewan Administration District The Northern Saskatchewan Administration District (NSAD) is the unincorporated area of Northern Saskatchewan, Canada. It encompasses approximately half of Saskatchewan's land mass. Despite its extent, the majority of Saskatchewanians live in the ...

and the provincial Census Division No. 18.

History

Missinipe was previously incorporated as a

northern hamlet In most cases in Saskatchewan, a hamlet is an unincorporated community with at least five occupied dwellings situated on separate lots and at least 10 separate lots, the majority of which are an average size of less than one acre. Saskatchewan ha ...

. It disorganized from northern hamlet status to become a northern settlement under the jurisdiction of the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District on October 1, 2009.

Etymology

There are two similar explanations for the name of the settlement. According to Bill Barry's ''Geographic Names of Saskatchewan'', the name Missinipe comes from the word ''Misi-nipiy'', which is the

name for the nearby Churchill River and means "big water". Tourism Saskatchewan confirms that the community's etymological origins come from the Churchill River but states that the word is instead ''Mahttawi-sipiy'', meaning "difficult river".

Geography

Missinipe is north of

and north of the nearest city,

Prince Albert Prince Albert most commonly refers to: *Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1819–1861), consort of Queen Victoria *Albert II, Prince of Monaco (born 1958), present head of state of Monaco Prince Albert may also refer to: Royalty * Alb ...

. Along Highway 102, the northern settlement is between Sucker River Indian Reserve 156C and Brabant Lake. The community of Grandmother's Bay, an extension of the Lac La Ronge First Nation, lies approximately 5 miles to the northeast, directly across Otter Lake.

Demographics

In the

2021 Census of Population The 2021 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population with a reference date of May 11, 2021. It follows the 2016 Canadian census, which recorded a population of 35,151,728. The overall response rate was 98%, which is sli ...

conducted by

Statistics Canada Statistics Canada (StatCan; ), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. It is headquartered in ...

, Missinipe had a population of 27 living in 10 of its 29 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 5. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.

Attractions

As a result of its status as a main access point to the Churchill River, Missinipe is home to a float plane service, a canoe outfitter, and fishing outfitters. While generally empty during winter, the community is home to a seasonally operated general store, tourist cabins and other accommodations in the summer months. Tourism brings in seasonal campers, birdwatchers, and fishers, among others. There are provincial campgrounds 5 km north at Otter Rapids, 7 km north at the Devil Lake Provincial Recreation Site, and 1.5 km south of Missinipe. There is also a provincial campground within the community itself, as Missinipe is nearby

Lac La Ronge Provincial Park Lac La Ronge Provincial Park is located in the boreal forest of the north central part of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan within the Canadian Shield. Situated in the Churchill River system, this provincial park has close to 100 lakes an ...

Transportation

The community may be accessed by Highway 102 or by float plane.

References

{{Authority control Northern settlements in Saskatchewan Division No. 18, Unorganized, Saskatchewan