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Wekweètì
First Nation
Wekweeti.jpg
Flag of Wekweètì
Flag
Wekweètì is located in Northwest Territories
Wekweètì
Wekweètì
Location in Northwest Territories
Wekweètì is located in Canada
Wekweètì
Wekweètì
Location in Canada
Country Canada
Territory Northwest Territories
Region North Slave
Constituency Monfwi
Permanent community 1962
Incorporated 4 August 2005
Area
 • Land 14.70 km2 (5.68 sq mi)
Elevation
368 m (1,207 ft)
Population
 (2016)
 • Total 129
 • Density 8.8/km2 (23/sq mi)
Time zone UTC−07:00 (MST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−06:00 (MDT)
Canadian Postal code
X0E 1W0
Area code(s) 867
Telephone exchange 713
- Food price index 144.8
Sources:
Department of Municipal and Community Affairs,
Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre,
Canada Flight Supplement
2015 figure based on Yellowknife = 100

Wekweètì (/wɛkˈwti/; from the Dogrib language meaning "rock lakes"), officially the Tłı̨chǫ Community Government of Wekweètì is a community in the North Slave Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. Wekweètì is a Tłı̨chǫ (Dogrib Dene) aboriginal community and is located 195 km (121 mi) north of Yellowknife. It has no year-round road access but does have a winter ice road connection; the majority of transportation to and from the community is through the Wekweètì Airport. Wekweètì is the closest community to the Ekati Diamond Mine on the border with Nunavut. Wekweètì is part of the Tlicho Government.

History

The area is within the traditional territory of the Tłı̨chǫ (Dogrib) First Nation and was a popular hunting camp prior to permanent settlement. In the 1960s, Dene elders around Behchokǫ̀ decided to return to the land and establish traditional camps in the bush. Wekweètì was established during this time, although in more recent years it too has become a modern community with essential services of its own. The community was formerly known as Snare Lake until 1 November 1998; prior to 4 August 2005 the community name used the spelling Wekweti.

Before 2005, the community was unincorporated, and local governance was provided by a First Nations band government, Dechi Laot'i First Nations. Under the terms of the Tłı̨chǫ Agreement, most responsibilities of Dechi Laot'i have been transferred to a new Wekweètì Community Government. However, Dechi Laot'i is still recognized by the federal government for Indian Act enrollment.

Demographics

Federal census population history of Wekweètì
Year Pop. ±%
1981 69 —    
1986 119 +72.5%
1991 127 +6.7%
1996 135 +6.3%
2001 131 −3.0%
2006 137 +4.6%
2011 141 +2.9%
2016 129 −8.5%
2021 109 −15.5%
Source: Statistics Canada
Annual population estimates
Year Pop. ±%
1996 146 —    
1997 135 −7.5%
1998 138 +2.2%
1999 138 +0.0%
2000 142 +2.9%
2001 138 −2.8%
2002 142 +2.9%
2003 151 +6.3%
2004 139 −7.9%
2005 140 +0.7%
2006 142 +1.4%
Year Pop. ±%
2007 142 +0.0%
2008 143 +0.7%
2009 145 +1.4%
2010 145 +0.0%
2011 145 +0.0%
2012 142 −2.1%
2013 143 +0.7%
2014 142 −0.7%
2015 146 +2.8%
2016 142 −2.7%
2017 136 −4.2%
Sources: NWT Bureau of Statistics (2001 - 2017)

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Wekweètì had a population of 109 living in 29 of its 55 total private dwellings, a change of -15.5% from its 2016 population of 129. With a land area of 14.71 km2 (5.68 sq mi), it had a population density of 7.4/km2 (19/sq mi) in 2021.

The majority of the population are First Nations and languages are Dogrib and English.

Services

Alexis Arrowmaker School is Wekweètì's Elementary/Junior School and was rebuilt in 1994. The school is named after Alexis Arrowmaker, one of the signers of Treaty 11. The community has a store, Hozila Naedik'e General Store, a ten-bed hotel/lodge, Wekweeti Hotel/Snare Lake Lodge, a health centre, a community learning centre but no Royal Canadian Mounted Police detachment.

Climate

Wekweeti has a subarctic climate (Dfc) with mild to warm summers with cool nights and long, severely cold winters.

Weather chart for Wekweètì
J F M A M J J A S O N D
 
 
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temperatures in °C
precipitation totals in mm
source: Note: rainfall is not entered
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