Wekweètì

Wekweètì (/wɛkˈweɪti/;[6] from the Dogrib language meaning "rock lakes"), officially the Tłı̨chǫ Community Government of Wekweètì[7] is a community in the North Slave Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. Wekweètì is a Tłı̨chǫ (Dogrib Dene) aboriginal community and is located 195 km (121 mi) north of Yellowknife. It has no year-round road access but does have a winter ice road connection; the majority of transportation to and from the community is through the Wekweètì Airport. Wekweètì is the closest community to the Ekati Diamond Mine on the border with Nunavut. Wekweètì is part of the Tlicho Government.[8]

Wekweètì
First Nation
Flag of Wekweètì
Flag
Wekweètì is located in Northwest Territories
Wekweètì
Wekweètì
Wekweètì is located in Canada
Wekweètì
Wekweètì
Coordinates: 64°11′25″N 114°10′58″W
CountryCanada
TerritoryNorthwest Territories
RegionNorth Slave
ConstituencyMonfwi
Permanent community1962
Incorporated4 August 2005
Government
 • ChiefCharlie Football
 • Community OfficerMemory Murefu
 • MLAJane Weyallon Armstrong
Area
[1]
 • Land14.70 km2 (5.68 sq mi)
Elevation
368 m (1,207 ft)
Population
 (2016)[1]
 • Total129
 • Density8.8/km2 (23/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC−07:00 (MST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−06:00 (MDT)
Canadian Postal code
X0E 1W0
Area code867
Telephone exchange713
- Food price index144.8A
Sources:
Department of Municipal and Community Affairs,[2]
Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre,[3]
Canada Flight Supplement[4]
^A 2015 figure based on Yellowknife = 100[5]

History

The area is within the traditional territory of the Tłı̨chǫ (Dogrib) First Nation and was a popular hunting camp prior to permanent settlement. In the 1960s, Dene elders around Behchokǫ̀ decided to return to the land and establish traditional camps in the bush. Wekweètì was established during this time, although in more recent years it too has become a modern community with essential services of its own. The community was formerly known as Snare Lake until 1 November 1998; prior to 4 August 2005 the community name used the spelling Wekweti.

Before 2005, the community was unincorporated, and local governance was provided by a First Nations band government, Dechi Laot'i First Nations. Under the terms of the Tłı̨chǫ Agreement, most responsibilities of Dechi Laot'i have been transferred to a new Wekweètì Community Government. However, Dechi Laot'i is still recognized by the federal government for Indian Act enrollment.

Demographics
Federal census population history of Wekweètì
YearPop.±%
198169—    
1986119+72.5%
1991127+6.7%
1996135+6.3%
2001131−3.0%
2006137+4.6%
2011141+2.9%
2016129−8.5%
2021109−15.5%
Source: Statistics Canada
[9][10][11][12][13][14][15][1][16]
Annual population estimates
YearPop.±%
1996146—    
1997135−7.5%
1998138+2.2%
1999138+0.0%
2000142+2.9%
2001138−2.8%
2002142+2.9%
2003151+6.3%
2004139−7.9%
2005140+0.7%
2006142+1.4%
YearPop.±%
2007142+0.0%
2008143+0.7%
2009145+1.4%
2010145+0.0%
2011145+0.0%
2012142−2.1%
2013143+0.7%
2014142−0.7%
2015146+2.8%
2016142−2.7%
2017136−4.2%
Sources: NWT Bureau of Statistics (2001 - 2017)[17]

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Wekweètì had a population of 109 living in 29 of its 55 total private dwellings, a change of -15.5% from its 2016 population of 129. With a land area of 14.71 km2 (5.68 sq mi), it had a population density of 7.4/km2 (19.2/sq mi) in 2021.[16]

The majority of the population are First Nations and languages are Dogrib and English.[1]

Services

Alexis Arrowmaker School is Wekweètì's Elementary/Junior School and was rebuilt in 1994.[18] The school is named after Alexis Arrowmaker, one of the signers of Treaty 11. The community has a store, Hozila Naedik'e General Store,[19] a ten-bed hotel/lodge, Wekweeti Hotel/Snare Lake Lodge,[20] a health centre, a community learning centre but no Royal Canadian Mounted Police detachment.[21]

Climate

Wekweeti has a subarctic climate (Dfc) with mild to warm summers with cool nights and long, severely cold winters.

Wekweètì
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
 
 
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−25
−25
 
 
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−25
−25
 
 
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−19
−25
 
 
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11
−2
 
 
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19
8
 
 
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23
9
 
 
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19
7
 
 
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8
3
 
 
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−7
−11
 
 
0
 
 
−18
−19
 
 
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−22
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█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm
Source: [22] Note: rainfall is not entered
Imperial conversion
JFMAMJJASOND
 
 
0
 
 
−13
−13
 
 
0
 
 
−13
−13
 
 
0
 
 
−2
−13
 
 
0
 
 
23
3
 
 
0
 
 
52
28
 
 
0
 
 
66
46
 
 
0
 
 
73
48
 
 
0
 
 
66
45
 
 
0
 
 
46
37
 
 
0
 
 
19
12
 
 
0
 
 
0
−2
 
 
0
 
 
−8
−11
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches

See also

References
  1. "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2016 and 2011 censuses – 100% data (Northwest Territories)". Statistics Canada. February 8, 2017. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  2. "NWT Communities - Wekweeti". Government of the Northwest Territories: Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. Retrieved 2014-01-29.
  3. "Northwest Territories Official Community Names and Pronunciation Guide". Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre. Yellowknife: Education, Culture and Employment, Government of the Northwest Territories. Archived from the original on 2016-01-13. Retrieved 2016-01-13.
  4. Canada Flight Supplement. Effective 0901Z 16 July 2020 to 0901Z 10 September 2020.
  5. Wekweètì - Statistical Profile at the GNWT
  6. Tłı̨chǫ Agreement (PDF), Ottawa: Queen's Printer for Canada, 2003, ISBN 0662349717
  7. Differences in Community Government Structures
  8. Wekweètì at the Tlicho Government website
  9. "1981 Census of Canada: Census subdivisions in decreasing population order" (PDF). Statistics Canada. May 1992. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  10. "1986 Census: Population - Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions" (PDF). Statistics Canada. September 1987. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  11. "91 Census: Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions - Population and Dwelling Counts" (PDF). Statistics Canada. April 1992. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  12. "96 Census: A National Overview - Population and Dwelling Counts" (PDF). Statistics Canada. April 1997. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  13. "Population and Dwelling Counts, for Canada, Provinces and Territories, and Census Subdivisions (Municipalities), 2001 and 1996 Censuses - 100% Data (Northwest Territories)". Statistics Canada. August 15, 2012. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  14. "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2006 and 2001 censuses - 100% data (Northwest Territories)". Statistics Canada. August 20, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  15. "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2011 and 2006 censuses (Northwest Territories)". Statistics Canada. July 25, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  16. "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), Northwest Territories". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  17. Population Estimates By Community from the GNWT
  18. Alexis Arrowmaker School
  19. Hozila Naedik'e General Store
  20. Wekweeti Hotel/Snare Lake Lodge
  21. Wekweètì Infrastructure Profile
  22. "NASA Earth Observations Data Set Index". NASA. Archived from the original on 11 May 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2016.

Further reading
  • Northwest Territories, and BHP Billiton Diamonds Inc. Communities and Diamonds Socio-Economic Impacts in the Communities of: Behchoko, Gameti, Whati, Wekweeti, Detah, Ndilo, Lutsel K'e, and Yellowknife : 2005 Annual Report of the Government of the Northwest Territories Under the BHP Billiton, Diavik and De Beers Socio-Economic Agreements. [Yellowknife]: Govt. of the Northwest Territories, 2006.
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