Located on a peninsula in northwest Saskatchewan, Ile-a-la Crosse is the second oldest community in Saskatchewan— founded in 1776. Historically and geographically, Ile-a-la Crosse has always been a regional economic hub as there are four river systems flowing into the local lake. Also known by its Cree name Sakitawak, translates to where the rivers meet. With no road access in the early 1800 and 1900’s, this river system made the community easily accessible by the local people, fur trading people, and voyageurs. Thus, gave rise to the Ile-a-la Crosse Fish Company in the early 1900’s. People within the region depended on the fish company as a source of income. The commercial fishing industry was an integral part of our northern Saskatchewan economy and continues to be a way of life for many of our people. Revitalized in 2014, the Ile-a-la Crosse Fish Company focused on this historic economic philosophy and capitalizing on the rich local resource to build and keep wealth within the community/region.
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