The community of La Ronge is located in the geographic centre of Saskatchewan as the largest settlement north of Prince Albert. In 1948, Highway 2 was completed and connected the two cities, changing the perception of the northern area from water-based to highway-based travel. There is a distance of 234 kilometers (150 miles, approximately 3.5 driving hours) between the two cities. La Ronge is located at the end of Highway 2 on the western edge of the sizeable Lac La Ronge, near the mouth of the Montreal River.
A large First Nations population resides on the First Nations lands of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band which are adjacent to the city of La Ronge. The landscape surrounding the area is defined by the presence of the lake and its surrounding waterways. The classic Precambrian topography includes the rock bands, boreal forests and muskeg that immediately encompass the settled areas. The area of La Ronge has an extensive First Nations heritage of mostly Cree speaking people. Due to its situation on the shore of Lac La Ronge as well as the banks of the Montreal River, the area has historically functioned as a crossroads for travelers and a centre for trade.
La Ronge's geographic location between the lake, river, muskeg and forest have provided the many generations of residents with an abundance of fish and wild game to eat and subsequently, pelts to sell and trade. Due to its location as a tributary of the Churchill River System, La Ronge has also been a place of importance for not only the Native inhabitants but also the trappers, traders and explorers that made their way through the Canadian North during the late 18th century.
The Hudson’s Bay Company first established their presence in the area in 1797 with a trading post to better serve the trappers in the area. The first missionaries arrived in 1845 and immediately began establishing The Anglican Church of Canada in La Ronge. In 1856, the Holy Trinity Church at Stanley Mission (north east of La Ronge) was constructed and remains the oldest building in Saskatchewan. With an established trading post and church presence, the La Ronge area became a place of settlement especially during winter months where business was conducted and children attended school.
In 1889, Chief James Roberts representing the Lac La Ronge Indian Band signed an adherence to Treaty Six. “Treaty Days” are still celebrated each spring in La Ronge.
Industries such as fishing, logging, wild rice production and mining played have played key roles in the development of the area and continue, in a variety of forms, into the present.
This community's experience with a significant wildfire in the last 10 years and the resulting evacuations, property damages and losses made it an excellent candidate for resiliency research. Working with the community of La Ronge provides the opportunity to examine the ability of local governments to create secure, thriving settlements after a disaster, and the effect of such efforts on resiliency.
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