Sandy Bay Ojibwe First Nation | The Canadian Encyclopedia

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Sandy Bay Ojibwe First Nation

Article by Travis Klemp

Published Online March 8, 2022

Last Edited March 8, 2022

Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation is located on the western shores of Lake Manitoba about 165 km northwest of Winnipeg. The majority of the land at Sandy Bay is used for farming, but there are also sandy beaches along the lake.

A signatory of Treaty 1 in 1871 at Lower Fort Garry, Sandy Bay has historically had a primarily Ojibwe and French mixed ancestry. The history of Sandy Bay is a unique one as a result of the Métis population. The Métis community requested land be set aside for them in 1871 and the request was accepted. However, they were required to move no closer than 20 miles north of the town of Westbourne. They were then forced to move two more times, in 1873 and 1877, and new boundaries were drawn without consultation. The final location was the Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation we know today.

As of February 2022, the registered population of Sandy Bay was 7,055 with the majority of members living on-reserve (4,212).

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