Sapotaweyak Cree Nation
Sapotoweyak Cree Nation (SCN) is a First Nations community in northern Manitoba, about 400 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg. The main reserve is Shoal River Indian Reserve 65A, located near Pelican Rapids. About half of SCN’s people live on reserve and the other half live off reserve. The community is mainly Cree and speaks a mix of Plains Cree, Swampy Cree and Saulteaux, a dialect shared with Wuskwi Sipihk First Nation.
SCN is a signatory to Treaty 4 (1874) and is part of the Swampy Cree Tribal Council, which includes several other Cree nations. Many of SCN’s reserves sit along the shores of Lake Winnipegosis.
Key events and issues
- In 2018, about 900 people had to evacuate due to wildfires and could return on June 5.
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, by December 2020 there were 49 active cases among 260 households, with 313 people self-isolating.
- Housing and water needs: in 2016, the chief said SCN needed about 29 million to address immediate housing, water treatment and education needs. The plan called for 50 homes right away and 200 more over time, at an estimated cost of about 135,000 per house. A housing study noted severe mould and structural problems. SCN’s water source comes from Shoal River or Dawson Bay; a new 14.2 million-dollar water treatment plant led to the lifting of the long-term drinking water advisory in May 2021.
- Education: the Neil Dennis Kematch Memorial School opened in 2007 for K–8 on reserve, with the option to attend off reserve. In 2016 Indigenous Services Canada funded about 4,500 per student on reserve, compared with about 13,000 off reserve, contributing to shortages in books and specialized teachers and limiting educational programs.
- Health care: care is provided by the Shoal River Health Office in Pelican Rapids, with a community health representative on site; the nearest hospital is in The Pas.
- Economy: in 2004 the community’s economic base included fishing, trapping, cattle ranching and logging.
- Moose conservation and hunting rights: in 2021 SCN and the Swampy Cree Tribal Council challenged Manitoba’s 2011 Moose Conservation Closure Regulation, arguing that moose populations had not recovered and that treaty hunting rights remained unsettled. The dispute also touched on development activities that affected moose habitat. The issue followed events in 2020, including the arrest of a community member for a ceremonial hunt, highlighting treaty rights and traditions.
- Bipole III transmission line: in 2015 SCN attempted to block a wide right-of-way on Sapotaweyak land for Bipole III, citing burial grounds and spiritual sites. The case was dismissed. The area involved falls under a treaty-land-entitlement framework that requires consultation.
- One reserve is shared with 32 other bands, all signatories to Treaty 4.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 14:24 (CET).