Eabametoong First Nation is an Ojibwe community on Eabamet Lake in Northwestern Ontario. Learn about its history, Treaty 9, language, government, transportation, education, and services.
Eabametoong First Nation is an Ojibwe First Nation on the north shore of Eabamet Lake in Northwestern Ontario. The community is also known as Fort Hope, a name connected with the Hudson’s Bay Company post established there in 1890. Eabametoong is part of Treaty 9 and its reserve is Fort Hope 64.
The community lies in the Albany River watershed, about 360 kilometres (224 miles) north of Thunder Bay. There is no permanent road to Eabametoong. Residents and visitors travel by air throughout the year, by water during the open-water season, and by a seasonal winter road when conditions permit.
Eabametoong First Nation quick facts
- Official name: Eabametoong First Nation
- Pronunciation: E-bah-meh-toong
- Other name: Fort Hope
- People: Ojibwe, or Anishinaabe
- Languages: Anishinaabemowin, also called Ojibwe or Ojibway, and English
- Province: Ontario
- District: Kenora District
- Reserve: Fort Hope 64
- Federal band number: 183
- Treaty: Treaty 9, also called the James Bay Treaty
- Tribal council: Matawa First Nations Management
- Political territorial organization: Nishnawbe Aski Nation
- Access: Year-round air service, open-water travel, and a seasonal winter road
What does Eabametoong mean?
Eabametoong is commonly translated as “at the reversing of the water place” or “the reversing of the water place.” The name describes what happens at Eabamet Narrows. Eabamet Lake normally drains toward the Albany River, but spring runoff can briefly force the current back toward the lake.
The English name Fort Hope came from the fur-trade post. Eabametoong was the local name long before the post opened, and the First Nation formally adopted Eabametoong First Nation as its official name in 1985.
People, language, and population
Eabametoong First Nation is an Ojibwe community. Anishinaabemowin and English are both used. Older community profiles report that Ojibwe was more common among adults and Elders, while younger residents used more English. Current school and community programs continue to identify both Anishinaabe and English as community languages.
Population numbers vary because government tables count different groups. A Statistics Canada table based on the 2021 Census counted 2,010 people in private households who reported membership in Eabametoong First Nation. Of those respondents, 1,005 lived on reserve and 1,005 lived off reserve. This membership figure is different from the total number of people living in the community and from Indigenous Services Canada’s registered population.
Many Eabametoong members live elsewhere for school, work, medical care, or family reasons while keeping close ties with the First Nation.
Life around Eabamet Lake before the fur trade
Anishinaabe families lived around Eabamet Lake and the Albany River long before European traders arrived. Families used seasonal sites across their territory and travelled by canoe, snowshoe, and toboggan. Fishing provided sturgeon, walleye, and whitefish. Hunting, trapping, gathering, and travel between family camps followed the seasons.
Eabamet Lake connects people with a much wider network of waterways. The Albany River runs east toward James Bay, while lakes and portage routes link families with hunting areas to the north and south. These routes later shaped where fur traders built posts, but the travel network and harvesting places were already in use.
Fort Hope, Treaty 9, and the reserve
The Hudson’s Bay Company established the Fort Hope trading post on Eabamet Lake in 1890. The post became a trading and meeting place for families whose hunting grounds extended across the Albany River region.
Treaty commissioners arrived at Fort Hope in July 1905. Eabametoong’s ancestors entered Treaty 9 on July 19, 1905, and Fort Hope Indian Reserve No. 64 was set apart for the community. Treaty 9 covers a large part of Northern Ontario. The written treaty and the oral explanations given during the treaty journey remain subjects of study and discussion among First Nations, historians, and governments.
During the twentieth century, government housing, a school, churches, stores, and other services drew more families into a permanent settlement. The present community occupies the north shore of Eabamet Lake. Old Fort Hope, the earlier settlement and trading-post area, lies elsewhere on the lake.
Government and regional organizations
Eabametoong First Nation is governed by a Chief and five councillors elected under the Indian Act election system. Elections are held every two years. As of June 2026, the Chief is Solomon Atlookan. Leadership can change after an election, so readers who need the current council should check with the band office.
Eabametoong belongs to Matawa First Nations Management, a tribal council that works with nine member First Nations. It is also a member of Nishnawbe Aski Nation, which represents First Nations across Treaty 9 and Treaty 5 territory in Northern Ontario.
Travel and transportation
Fort Hope Airport provides year-round access for scheduled and charter flights. The local airstrip is gravel. Air travel carries passengers, mail, medical supplies, food, and other goods during most of the year.
A winter road can connect Eabametoong with the provincial road network for a limited period. The opening and closing dates depend on snow, ice thickness, and weather. Heavy items, fuel, vehicles, and building materials are often shipped during this short season. Boats, canoes, and floatplanes are used when the water is open. Snowmobiles provide local and regional travel after freeze-up.
Anyone planning a trip should confirm flights, lodging, local transportation, and winter-road conditions before leaving. The band office can provide current contact information for community services.
Education in Eabametoong
The Eabametoong Education Authority administers local education and post-secondary support. John C. Yesno Education Centre has provided classes for children and junior secondary students in the community.
A fire destroyed the education centre on January 25, 2024. No injuries were reported. A temporary replacement school opened at the site in November 2024. The Education Authority also supports distance education, employment training, and Eabametoong members who attend college or university on or off reserve.
Health, public services, and local facilities
The Kevin C. Sagutcheway Nursing Station provides local health services. Patients who need hospital care may travel to Sioux Lookout or Thunder Bay. Community programs include home and community care, mental-health and addiction services, crisis response, public health, and family support.
Nishnawbe Aski Police Service provides policing. The community also has a volunteer fire department, local stores, postal service, radio service, recreation programs, and a community garden and farm. The First Nation government oversees housing, public works, social services, and other local programs.
Long-term drinking water advisory
Eabametoong’s public water system remains under a long-term boil water advisory. Indigenous Services Canada reports that the advisory began in August 2001 and became long-term in August 2002. As of July 2026, it affected 270 homes and 12 community buildings.
Expansion and upgrades to the existing treatment system have been completed, but minor deficiencies and operational work remain. Indigenous Services Canada does not list a projected date for lifting the advisory. Because advisory status can change, residents and visitors should follow current instructions issued by the First Nation and health authorities.
Eabametoong First Nation contact information
Mailing address:
Eabametoong First Nation
P.O. Box 298
Fort Hope, Ontario P0T 1L0
Canada
Telephone: 807-242-7221
Fax: 807-242-1441
Official website: eabametoong.firstnation.ca
Sources and further reading
- Government of Canada First Nation Profile: Eabametoong First Nation
- Statistics Canada: First Nation or Indian band membership by residence, 2021 Census
- Treaty 9 commissioner’s diary excerpts for Fort Hope
- Indigenous Services Canada: Active long-term drinking water advisories
- Matawa First Nations Management
- Nishnawbe Aski Nation member First Nations
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