The Churchill River, once a critical artery of the Canadian fur trade, carries centuries of history, adventure and cultural significance. Long before it became a favorite among paddling enthusiasts, this waterway played a central role in the bustling fur trade, where traders and voyageurs braved its currents in search of wealth and new territories. However, the story of the Churchill River stretches back even further – Indigenous communities have called the river home for thousands of years, leaving behind ancient rock paintings and deep traditions. Today, paddling the Churchill River offers not only a world-class outdoor experience, but also a journey through living history.

The Fur Trade

Although modern day paddling enthusiasts have bestowed fame on this waterway, the Churchill River established its legendary reputation centuries earlier. In 1670, royal assent formed the Hudson’s Bay Company and Rupert’s Land, awakening the vast river and other northern Canadian rivers from their quiet existence with a century of wild exploits known as the Canadian Fur Trade. It is ironic that some of the most beautiful river systems and peaceful landscapes became the background to an era of lawless commerce. At the centre of all of this was Canada’s beaver, whose pelts were the prime ingredient in the fashionable hats that were in high demand across Europe.

With the decline of the beaver population, trappers ventured further afield, as did the traders. New, faster routes were constantly sought to gain a stranglehold on the competition and names like David Thompson, Peter Pond, Alexander Mackenzie and Simon Fraser pushed west and north, exploring and mapping Canada’s wilderness waterways to the benefit of the Hudson’s Bay Company, the newer North West Company and the XY Company. Unknowingly, the fur trade was also weaving the intricate fabric that would later bind this wilderness together as a nation.

The fur trade did not offer an easy existence and, most certainly, life on the Churchill River was no different. A voyageur’s life centered on his 12-metre-long freighter canoe. Its construction from bark, wood and roots meant constant repairs at the end of the day, often by firelight. Supper usually consisted of pemmican or dried peas mixed with water and lard. As early as 3 a.m., the day began again.

First People of the Churchill

The Churchill’s colourful history as the Voyageur Highway was only a snippet in time. The Cree called this river Missinipe (big water). Archaeologists estimate that Indigenous people were in this region roughly 8,000 years ago. Rock paintings on shoreline cliffs invite a moment of connection across the centuries. Today, local communities speak to their ancient history through stories, legends and traditions.

Paddling the Churchill River is a journey across living history. Reverence for the river, bestowed upon it by generations of paddlers and communities seeking sustenance, livelihoods and a connection to nature, is as deep today as it ever was.

More than what can be seen on the river is what can be felt and experienced. Well known in canoe circles, there is a famous quote by a former Prime Minister of Canada that perhaps best explains why people step away from the comforts of home to paddle into the wilderness:

“What sets a canoeing expedition apart is that it purifies you more rapidly and inescapably than any other. Travel a thousand miles by train and you are a brute; pedal 500 on a bicycle and you remain basically a bourgeois; paddle a hundred in a canoe and you are already a child of nature.”

Pierre Trudeau, “Exhaustion and Fulfilment”, 1944

Plan Your Churchill River Adventure

CanoeSki and Churchill River Canoe Outfitters have scheduled guided trips or will help you plan your canoe adventure on the Churchill and beyond.
If you are a seasoned canoeist looking to plan your own trip, GoTrekkers online shop has topographic maps and a large selection of documented canoe routes in Saskatchewan.