Rapid Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rapid Lake
Lac-Rapide
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First Nations reserve
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 Rapid Lake
Location in Quebec
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | Quebec |
| Region | Outaouais |
| Regional county | none |
| Founded | 1961 (reserve) |
| Area | |
| • Land | 1.05 km2 (0.41 sq mi) |
| Population
(2022)
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| • Total | 582 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Postal Code |
J0W 2C0
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| Area code(s) | 819 |
Rapid Lake (French: Lac-Rapide) is a special area of land in Quebec, Canada. It is a First Nation reserve located on the western side of the Cabonga Reservoir. This area is part of the Outaouais region. The people who live here are the Algonquins of Barriere Lake, who are part of the larger Algonquin Nation.
The reserve is found within the Lac-Pythonga unorganized territory. It is also in the middle of the large La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve. You can reach Rapid Lake by taking a short road from Quebec Route 117. This road is about 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of Grand-Remous.
Contents
History of Rapid Lake
The Algonquin people have lived in the Outaouais region for a very long time. They traditionally moved around to hunt and gather food. Records show that Algonquins were present at Lake Barrière on the Ottawa River as far back as the 1700s.
Early Trading Posts
In 1851, the Hudson's Bay Company set up a trading post at what was then called Lake Kakabonga. This post burned down in 1873. A new trading post was built in 1874 on Lake Barrière. This new post was known as Mitakanabikong or Mitchikanabikong. From 1876 onwards, it was simply called Barrière.
Forming the Reserve
On September 7, 1961, the Rapid Lake Reserve was officially created. The Government of Quebec gave control of 69 acres (28 hectares) of land to the Government of Canada. This land was in the area known as Émard. The reserve got its name from the old Rapide Lake. This lake was covered by water when the Cabonga Reservoir was made in 1929.
Even though the Rapid Lake lands were set aside for the Algonquins, they often visited the site at Barrière Lake. This place was about 30 kilometers (19 miles) north. They had strong historical connections to it. Even today, many families still go to Barrière Lake to take part in their traditional activities.
Community Changes and Leadership
In 1995, some families left the Rapid Lake reserve. This happened because of disagreements about who should lead the community. They moved to Jean-Peré Lake, which is a bit south, also inside La Vérendrye Park. Because of these disagreements, the traditional rules for choosing leaders were written down for the first time in 1996.
However, new disagreements about leadership came up again in 2006. Two different groups of leaders were chosen by different Elder Councils. This led to legal issues and ongoing discussions about how the community should be governed.
Community Actions
On October 6, 2008, about 75 members of the Barrière Lake Algonquins held a protest. They blocked Highway 117. They wanted the federal and provincial governments to keep an agreement they had signed 20 years earlier. This agreement was about sharing natural resources.
This protest happened again a month later on November 19. Both protests stopped traffic for several hours. Logs were placed on the road. The protests ended with police getting involved.
Education in Rapid Lake
There is one school on the Rapid Lake reserve called Rapid Lake School. It offers classes from pre-kindergarten up to Secondary grade 3. Since 1995, the school is managed by the Band Council. This means the school can create its own learning plan. This plan can include local cultural traditions while still meeting the province's standards. Besides the regular school programs, the school also teaches the Algonquin language.
