Indigenous Edmundston: Wolastokuk, Nations and Community

About Edmundston

Edmundston had 16,437 residents in the 2021 census, down slightly from 16,580 in 2016. The city sits on the east bank of the Saint John River in Madawaska County. The Madawaska River joins the Saint John here, and Madawaska, Maine, lies just across the water. Quebec is also close by, so three jurisdictions meet around the city. About 95 per cent of residents are francophone. In 1998, the city grew to include three French-speaking communities and part of Madawaska parish. Its pulp and paper mill, now run by Twin Rivers, has long been a major employer. The Madawaska Maliseet First Nation's St. Basile 10 reserve lies about 1.6 kilometres east of the city.

Edmundston history

The Wolastoqiyik, the People of the Beautiful River, have long lived along the Saint John River. They used the Edmundston area seasonally. By the mid-1700s, Madawaska held one of their largest villages. That village declined by the early 1800s as settler communities spread along the river. Between 1725 and 1779, Britain signed a series of Peace and Friendship Treaties with the Wolastoqiyik and neighbouring nations. The treaties protected hunting, fishing and land-use rights and did not transfer land. In 1999, the Supreme Court's Marshall decision confirmed those treaty rights had never been extinguished. Acadian families began settling here around 1790, followed by families from Quebec through the 1800s. The settlement was first called Petit-Sault, after local falls. It was later renamed for Lieutenant-Governor Sir Edmund Head. In 1841, during border disputes between the United States and British North America, the Fortin du Petit-Sault blockhouse was built. It was rebuilt in 2000. In the late 1880s, the Canadian Pacific Railway expropriated nearly 13 acres of reserve land for its line. Fraser opened a sawmill in 1911 that grew into a pulp mill. Edmundston was incorporated as a city in 1952.

Treaty and territory

Edmundston lies in Wolastokuk, the territory of the Wolastoqey Nation, and is covered by the Peace and Friendship Treaties. These treaties contained no land transfer provisions.

Nearby: Madawaska Maliseet First Nation · Saint-Jacques · Saint-Basile · Madawaska, Maine · Grand Falls · Dégelis

Indigenous Edmundston today

Wolastoqey life continues next door to Edmundston. The Madawaska Maliseet First Nation, known as Matawaskiye, is one of six communities in the Wolastoqey Nation in New Brunswick. The Nation calls its territory Wolastokuk and has advanced a title claim. The Peace and Friendship Treaties form a foundation for recent title claims across much of New Brunswick. Madawaska Maliseet had 350 members in 2012, with about 114 living on reserve. Under Chief Joanna Bernard, the community settled a specific claim over the old CPR right-of-way. The settlement brought $5.7 million in compensation and returned the land to the reserve. The First Nation also reached an agreement with Twin Rivers to move a pipeline crossing the reserve underground. Chief Bernard was inducted into the Order of New Brunswick in 2013. The honour recognized her efforts for her community's well-being and economic prosperity. The Trans-Canada Highway passes the reserve, opening room for new business. The Wolastoqey language remains an important part of Nation life.

Life in Edmundston

Edmundston is known as the heart of the République du Madawaska. The republic has never been officially recognized, but each mayor carries the title President of the Republic. The city's francophone culture shows in its festivals. The Festival Jazz et Blues d'Edmundston runs in June, and the Festival Royal comes in early August. The New Brunswick Botanical Garden holds more than 80,000 plants across seven hectares. It also hosts the Grande Grouille each October. Mont Farlagne offers downhill skiing in winter. Petit Témis interprovincial park links the region with Quebec. The Musée du Madawaska shares local history. In September, the Funk & Bier festival adds one more celebration to the calendar. The Centre universitaire Saint-Louis-Maillet, a Université de Moncton campus founded in 1946, serves francophone students.

Edmundston seasons and weather

Edmundston has a humid continental climate. January averages about −13°C, and the city recorded −43.6°C on January 16, 2009. About 258 centimetres of snow fall in an average year. July averages 18.1°C, so summers are mild. Plan on a heavy hoodie for most of the year and a tee for warm days.

More on the region: Indigenous New Brunswick · all of Canada.

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Edmundston questions