Fort St. James

Fort St. James is a district municipality and former fur trading post in northern central British Columbia, Canada. It is located on the south-eastern shore of Stuart Lake in the Omineca Country, at the northern terminus of Highway 27, which connects to Highway 16 at Vanderhoof.

Fort St. James
District municipality
District of Fort St. James[1]
Location of Fort St. James in British Columbia
Location of Fort St. James in British Columbia
Fort St. James is located in British Columbia
Fort St. James
Fort St. James
Fort St. James is located in Canada
Fort St. James
Fort St. James
Coordinates: 54°26′35″N 124°15′15″W
CountryCanada
ProvinceBritish Columbia
RegionOmineca Country
Regional districtRegional District of Bulkley Nechako
Founded1806
Incorporated1952
Government
 • Governing bodyMunicipal Council
 • MayorMartin Elphee
Area
 • Total23.47 km2 (9.06 sq mi)
Elevation
700 m (2,300 ft)
Population
 (2016)
 • Total1,598
 • Density72.0/km2 (186/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC−8 (PST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−7 (PDT)
Postal code span
V0J 1P0
Area code(s)+250, +778
Highways27
WaterwaysStuart Lake, Stuart River, Necoslie River, Nahounli Creek
WebsiteDistrict of Fort St. James
Official nameFort St. James National Historic Site of Canada
Designated1948

It is home to the John Prince Research Forest which features abundant wildlife.[2] This community celebrated its bicentennial in 2016 and is incorporated as a district municipality.

Fort St. James National Historic Site

Founded by the North West Company explorer and fur trader Simon Fraser in 1806, it came under the management of the Hudson's Bay Company in 1821 with the forced merger of the two battling fur companies. Also known historically as Stuart Lake Post, it is one of British Columbia's oldest permanent European settlements and was the administrative centre for the Hudson's Bay Company's New Caledonia fur district.[3] The fort, rebuilt four times, continued as an important trading post well into the twentieth century. Now the fort is a National Historic Site of Canada[4][5] with some buildings dating to the 1880s.

History
Fort St. James National Historic Site

As part of his commission from the North West Company, Fraser and his assistants John Stuart and James McDougall explored potential river routes to the Pacific Ocean from 1805 through 1808. Explorations in the Winter of 1805-06 by McDougall resulted in the discovery of Carrier's Lake, now known as Stuart Lake. In the heart of territory inhabited by the Carrier or Dakelh First Nation, this proved to be a lucrative locale for fur trading and so a post – Fort St. James – was built on its shore in 1806. In 1821, the fort came under the control of the Hudson's Bay Company, when the North West Company merged with it. It subsequently became the administrative headquarters of the company's vast New Caledonia District.

The fur trade was slow to take root in the area, since the economy of the Dakelh people had been based on the fishery, rather than on trapping. In addition, there were customary and ceremonial restrictions which placed obstacles in the way of an efficient fur economy. Nonetheless, eventually the post became profitable, and continued to function until its closure in 1952.

The community is located on the south-eastern shore of Stuart Lake, at the head of the Stuart River. Both the lake and the river are named for Fraser's assistant John Stuart, who would later become head of the New Caledonia District of the North West Company.

Climate

Fort St. James is located in the sub-boreal spruce zone of British Columbia, a sub-division of the hemiboreal climatic zone. It is characterised by severe, snowy winters and short, warm summers. The region is rich in wildlife. Under the Köppen climate classification Fort St. James is classified as a humid continental climate (Dfb).

Climate data for Fort St. James, 1981–2010 normals, extremes 1895–present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 12.0
(53.6)		 13.0
(55.4)		 17.1
(62.8)		 24.4
(75.9)		 35.0
(95.0)		 33.9
(93.0)		 36.7
(98.1)		 35.6
(96.1)		 29.5
(85.1)		 26.5
(79.7)		 16.1
(61.0)		 11.0
(51.8)		 36.7
(98.1)
Average high °C (°F) −5.3
(22.5)		 −1.7
(28.9)		 4.0
(39.2)		 9.9
(49.8)		 15.6
(60.1)		 19.6
(67.3)		 21.8
(71.2)		 21.7
(71.1)		 16.4
(61.5)		 9.0
(48.2)		 0.6
(33.1)		 −3.8
(25.2)		 9.0
(48.2)
Daily mean °C (°F) −9.5
(14.9)		 −6.8
(19.8)		 −1.8
(28.8)		 3.9
(39.0)		 9.2
(48.6)		 13.4
(56.1)		 15.4
(59.7)		 14.8
(58.6)		 10.2
(50.4)		 4.3
(39.7)		 −3.0
(26.6)		 −7.8
(18.0)		 3.5
(38.3)
Average low °C (°F) −13.7
(7.3)		 −11.8
(10.8)		 −7.7
(18.1)		 −2.2
(28.0)		 2.8
(37.0)		 7.2
(45.0)		 8.9
(48.0)		 7.9
(46.2)		 3.9
(39.0)		 −0.5
(31.1)		 −6.5
(20.3)		 −11.7
(10.9)		 −2.0
(28.4)
Record low °C (°F) −49.4
(−56.9)		 −49.4
(−56.9)		 −39.4
(−38.9)		 −29.4
(−20.9)		 −11.7
(10.9)		 −6.1
(21.0)		 −5.6
(21.9)		 −7.8
(18.0)		 −13.3
(8.1)		 −23.0
(−9.4)		 −37.8
(−36.0)		 −47.2
(−53.0)		 −49.4
(−56.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 48.1
(1.89)		 30.0
(1.18)		 25.7
(1.01)		 23.7
(0.93)		 38.9
(1.53)		 50.6
(1.99)		 50.6
(1.99)		 45.0
(1.77)		 39.3
(1.55)		 48.1
(1.89)		 44.5
(1.75)		 42.6
(1.68)		 487.2
(19.18)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 4.9
(0.19)		 3.6
(0.14)		 5.9
(0.23)		 18.0
(0.71)		 38.2
(1.50)		 50.6
(1.99)		 50.6
(1.99)		 45.0
(1.77)		 39.1
(1.54)		 38.7
(1.52)		 15.7
(0.62)		 4.2
(0.17)		 314.5
(12.38)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 43.3
(17.0)		 26.4
(10.4)		 19.8
(7.8)		 5.7
(2.2)		 0.7
(0.3)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0.2
(0.1)		 9.5
(3.7)		 28.8
(11.3)		 38.4
(15.1)		 172.7
(68.0)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) 12.7 8.9 8.6 8.3 12.4 12.7 13.7 11.3 12.1 14.0 13.1 11.3 139.1
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) 2.0 1.8 3.2 6.8 12.2 12.7 13.7 11.3 12.1 12.4 5.3 1.8 95.2
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) 11.4 7.4 6.0 2.2 0.4 0 0 0 0.08 2.4 9.0 10.0 48.8
Average relative humidity (%) 81.6 72.6 57.0 45.0 44.1 48.0 47.3 47.7 52.7 62.9 79.8 84.2 60.2
Mean monthly sunshine hours 51.3 85.5 151.3 207.6 245.7 260.2 275.3 256.8 177.7 116.0 60.2 41.0 1,928.6
Percent possible sunshine 20.8 31.3 41.3 49.3 49.5 50.6 53.4 55.6 46.4 35.4 23.5 17.9 39.6
Source: Environment Canada,[6][7][8] (Sunshine and humidity data from Fort St. James Airport)

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Fort St. James had a population of 1,386 living in 586 of its 671 total private dwellings, a change of -13.3% from its 2016 population of 1,598. With a land area of 23.45 km2 (9.05 sq mi), it had a population density of 59.1/km2 (153.1/sq mi) in 2021.[9]

About one quarter of the population of the greater Fort St. James area identify as being of First Nations origin[10] The town is surrounded by numerous, small First Nations communities and Indian reserves, including Pinchie, Tachie, and Nak'azdli.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Fort St. James had the highest proportion of South Asians of any municipality in Canada, forming approximately 22% of the total population as per the 1991 census.[11] The South Asian community of Fort St. James was composed mostly of Punjabis of the Sikh faith. Gursikh Temple, the local gurdwara, was built in 1981. The Sikh population of Fort St. James declined from 435 in 1991 (21.6% of the municipality's 2,015 residents)[12] to 20 in 2021 (1.5% of the municipality's 1,330 residents),[13] as many Sikhs moved to Greater Vancouver.[14] The Gursikh Temple was sold to the Victory Christian Church in 2013.[15][16]

Panethnic groups in the Municipality of Fort St. James (1981−2021)
Panethnic
group		 2021[17] 2016[18] 2011[19] 2006[20] 2001[21] 1996[22] 1991[23][24] 1986[25][26][27]: 98  1981[28]
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
European[lower-alpha 1] 925 69.55% 890 56.33% 1,055 64.53% 990 73.06% 1,195 62.08% 1,320 64.55% 1,225 60.79% 1,185 59.85% 1,390 62.19%
Indigenous 300 22.56% 555 35.13% 445 27.22% 160 11.81% 500 25.97% 295 14.43% 265 13.15% 425 21.46% 455 20.36%
South Asian 25 1.88% 60 3.8% 75 4.59% 165 12.18% 200 10.39% 405 19.8% 435 21.59% 335 16.92% 345 15.44%
Other[lower-alpha 2] 35 2.63% 85 5.38% 50 3.06% 40 2.95% 30 1.56% 25 1.22% 90 4.47% 35 1.77% 45 2.01%
Total responses 1,330 95.96% 1,580 98.87% 1,635 96.69% 1,355 100% 1,925 99.9% 2,045 99.95% 2,015 97.91% 1,980 99.85% 2,235 97.85%
Total population 1,386 100% 1,598 100% 1,691 100% 1,355 100% 1,927 100% 2,046 100% 2,058 100% 1,983 100% 2,284 100%
  • Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses.
Religious groups in Fort St. James (1991−2021)
Religious group 2021[17] 2011[19] 2001[21] 1991[23]
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Christian 395 29.7% 775 47.55% 970 50.39% 1,065 52.85%
Sikh 20 1.5% 50 3.07% 200 10.39% 435 21.59%
Muslim 20 1.5% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
Buddhist 10 0.75% 0 0% 10 0.52% 0 0%
Hindu 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
Jewish 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
Other religion 20 1.5% 55 3.37% 0 0% 0 0%
Irreligious 855 64.29% 755 46.32% 760 39.48% 510 25.31%
Total responses 1,330 95.96% 1,630 96.39% 1,925 99.9% 2,015 97.91%

Notable people
  • Jim Playfair, Associate Coach of the Edmonton Oilers, NHL
  • Larry Playfair, Former NHL player with the Buffalo Sabres and the Los Angeles Kings
  • Dylan Playfair, Actor, most notable role is "Reilly" on TV show Letterkenny.[29]
  • Brian Spencer "Spinner", former player in the National Hockey League and the subject of the film, 'Gross Misconduct'.
  • Chief Kwah (aka Chief Kw’eh), (ca. 1755–1840), leading Dakelh chief of the Stuart Lake area.
  • Cody Legebokoff, Convicted serial killer
  • Johan Pitka, Estonian military commander

See also

Notes
  1. Statistic includes all persons that did not make up part of a visible minority or an indigenous identity.
  2. Statistic includes total responses of "Chinese", "Black", "Filipino", "Latin American", "Southeast Asian", "Arab", "West Asian", "Korean", "Japanese", "Visible minority, n.i.e.", and "Multiple visible minorities" under visible minority section on census.

References
  1. "British Columbia Regional Districts, Municipalities, Corporate Name, Date of Incorporation and Postal Address" (XLS). British Columbia Ministry of Communities, Sport and Cultural Development. Archived from the original on 13 July 2014. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  2. "John Prince Research Forest".
  3. "Fort St. James (District Municipality)". BC Geographical Names.
  4. Fort St. James. Canadian Register of Historic Places. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
  5. "Fort Saint James National Historic Site". BC Geographical Names.
  6. "Fort St James". Environment Canada. 25 September 2013. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  7. "Daily Data Report for March 2016". Environment Canada. 31 October 2011. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  8. "Fort St James A". Environment Canada. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  9. "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), British Columbia". Statistics Canada. 9 February 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  10. Community Profile, Statistics Canada, 2001 Canadian census
  11. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (29 March 2019). "1991 Census Area Profiles Profile of Census Divisions and Subdivisions - Part B". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  12. "Data tables, 1991 Census". Statistics Canada. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  13. "Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population Fort St. James, District municipality (DM) British Columbia". Statistics Canada. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  14. "Gursikh Temple- Fort St. James". World Gurudwaras. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  15. "Sikh Temple sale in limbo". Caledonia Courier. 13 October 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  16. "Gursikh Temple- Fort St. James". World Gurudwaras. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  17. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (26 October 2022). "Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  18. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (27 October 2021). "Census Profile, 2016 Census". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  19. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (27 November 2015). "NHS Profile". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  20. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (20 August 2019). "2006 Community Profiles". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  21. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2 July 2019). "2001 Community Profiles". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  22. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (4 June 2019). "Electronic Area Profiles Profile of Census Divisions and Subdivisions, 1996 Census". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  23. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (29 March 2019). "1991 Census Area Profiles Profile of Census Divisions and Subdivisions - Part B". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  24. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (29 March 2019). "Data tables, 1991 Census Population by Ethnic Origin (24), Showing Single and Multiple Origins (2) - Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  25. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (27 June 2019). "Data tables, 1986 Census Census Profile for Canada, Provinces and Territories, Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions, 1986 Census - Part A". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  26. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (27 June 2019). "Data tables, 1986 Census Census Profile for Canada, Provinces and Territories, Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions, 1986 Census - Part B". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  27. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (3 April 2013). "Canada's aboriginal population by census subdivisions from the 1986 Census of Canada". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  28. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (26 May 2020). "Data tables, 1981 Census Profile for Canada, Provinces and Territories, Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions, 1981 Census - Part B". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  29. "Dylan Playfair". IMDb. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
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