Moosonee

The Corporation of the Town of Moosonee is one of two remote municipalities in the far north of Ontario. Our uniqueness is characterized by no road access. We touch the edge of the Arctic! But no worries, we do have roads in town, and you'll enjoy exploring the sites and sounds of our Northern home. There is a fair bit of history to be discovered here. We hope this Walking Tour will help you uncover the past and share a moment with us in the present.

Moosonee is located on the Moose River 12 miles south of James Bay at a latitude 51 N 07' and longitude 80 W 35'. The town site is in the Hudson Bay Lowlands, the largest wetland area on earth. Originally settled as a fur trading post by Revillion Freres of Paris in 1903 in competition with the Hudson Bay Company, the town grew in importance with the arrival of the rail in 1932. As a result, Moosonee became a transportation hub for the James Bay coastal communities. Moosonee now serves as a gateway to the north and a launching point for further destinations, whether across the Moose River to Moose Factory, or further north up the western coast of James Bay to our neighbouring First Nation communities.

Moosonee is not connected to the road system in Ontario and all travellers arrive in Moosonee by train or plane. Scheduled rail service is provided by the Ontario Northland Railway, from Cochrane, Ontario. Scheduled air service is provided by Air Creebec & Thunder Airlines. There are also several small charter air companies based in Moosonee.

The population is approximately 3,500, with about 85% being Cree. The main language is English with Cree as a second language. There is also a small French population.