Newfoundland and Labrador

When English explorer John Cabot arrived at Bonavista during the late 1400s, he reported that the ocean was full of fish that could be caught in a basket lowered from a boat. Within 10 years, St. John’s had become a bustling harbor. The fishing industry soon boomed, with boats from France, England, Spain, and Portugal competing to catch Newfoundland’s lucrative codfish. Cod fishing would shape the province’s history and remain its staple economic driver for centuries.

Once, 700 outports dotted Newfoundland’s coast, with industries centered on the most plentiful fish. Today, only about 400 of these settlements survive. The cod became scarce from overfishing, and in 1992, the federal government called a moratorium, and people were thrown out of work. That moratorium has still been in place, forcing generations to retrain for other industries or leave and changing their fishing industry into other species such as shrimp and crab since then. The developments of a rich nickel deposit at Voisey’s Bay in northern Labrador near Nain and the growing offshore oil and gas industry are two possible sources of new prosperity for people who still reside there.

Newfoundland and Labrador are one of the newest provinces in Canada, even though it’s been a province for over 50 years! The people there have a strong sense of independence from the rest of Canada and maintain their language and lifestyle. E. Annie Proulx’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Shipping News (1993) put this region on the map. Newfoundland writers such as Wayne Johnston (The Colony of Unrequited Dreams, The Navigator of New York), Michael Crummey (River Thieves and Galore), and Lisa Moore (February, Caught) continue to introduce audiences to this area.

Newfoundland is an amazing place to visit, even if you don’t plan on staying for a long time. It’s a mix of the old and new world – with English accents and heritage traditions hanging in the balance. Newfoundland is located off the coast of Canada, along the Atlantic Ocean. Regardless of where you are in Newfoundland, you’ll meet some of the warmest, most witty people in North America. No stranger to remote communities, it’s clear folks from this province always have something going on.

The English presence in Newfoundland was generally migratory and seasonal until the beginning of the 17th century. In 1610, however, there were several attempts to create formal colonies on the Avalon peninsula. The first of these was at Cupids, which marked the beginning of a permanent English presence in Newfoundland. This enterprise proved unsuccessful, however, and was abandoned in the early 1620s due to a lack of profit. Similar attempts followed with less success at Ferryland. Lord Baltimore’s Avalon colony, initiated in 1621, was more successful; the colony stayed open for 10 years without a break while simultaneously producing valuable commodities such as fish oil and saltfish. Other initiatives faltered due to a lack of resources.

Regardless, by the mid-17th century, between 1,000 and 2,000 planters on the English Shore had some permanent attachment to Newfoundland. The planters worked cooperatively with migratory fishermen- such as protecting equipment during the winter, cutting timber, building boats, and providing hospitality. After 1860, however, the English West Country merchants who ran the migratory fishing interest began to argue that settlement was undesirable. One of the main economic opportunities on the island was fishing, which made the category an important one in and of itself. The West Country lobby successfully convinced the government to adopt an antisettlement policy in 1675. All settlers were ordered to leave Newfoundland, but implementation never happened because the government soon realized that Newfoundland might fall under French influence without a year-round English presence. By the end of the century, though, British policy had changed: it was argued that Newfoundland’s primary economic importance stemmed from its fishing industry.

Amid the War of the Grand Alliance (1689-1713), English settlers experienced setbacks due to French military actions. Nevertheless, in 1713, France acknowledged British sovereignty over Newfoundland by signing the Treaty of Utrecht. As compensation for their losses, the French agreed to vacate Placentia and permitted seasonal fishing activities along a stretch of coastline subsequently known as “The French Shore.”

In 1763, Britain surrendered its North American territories east of the Appalachian Mountains to France, including southeastern Labrador. French control over the area was not fully established until 1809. Afterward, Great Britain gave up all its claim to Labrador, but Quebec disagreed with this decision and claimed a more significant interior boundary. The British refused their proposal, but in 1927, these negotiations were finally resolved, assigning present-day boundaries to Newfoundland and Labrador.

The population of Newfoundland increased during the 18th century, and a substantial number of settlers came from southeastern Ireland and England. Fishing merchants did not oppose this development since they could profit by supplying residents with fish and goods. Beginning in 1729, the naval squadron commander was appointed governor. Magistrates were then made during winter when the squadron was absent. The court system became much more formalized over time. In 1792, there was a Supreme Court created.

One of the most significant periods in Newfoundland’s history came during the Anglo-French wars that started in 1793 and ended in 1815. The migratory fishery suffered a terminal decline while residents’ fisheries grew. Seal catching also became an important economic activity by the 1800s, and a colonial society was established on the island. By 1824, Newfoundland had become a British colony with a civil governor and House of Assembly 1832. This government system was replaced by a responsible government in 1855 when legislators gained more power over the executive administration. 1869, Canada was forming, but on the island east of Vancouver Island, a considerable debate was sparked over whether to join. The Confederate party lost by an overwhelming majority in the 1869 election, ending the issue.

For Newfoundland to remain an independent political unit, it needed to diversify its economy. The late 19th century saw railway construction across the island to provide jobs in other industries. It was seen as a success, but mining became increasingly important, and by 1900, a forestry industry had been well established. Newsprint manufacturing began at Grand Falls in 1909, and fishing remained the most crucial pursuit until nearly the end of the century.

Given the size of its population and economy, Newfoundland made a significant contribution to the Allied effort during World War I (1914–1918) by raising a regiment that served Europe with distinction. However, the financial cost was more than the colony could afford, and Newfoundland entered an economically difficult post-war period with a large public debt. Though there were some promising developments in the mining and publishing industries in the 1920s, local economic growth remained sluggish, and Newfoundland’s government had to face reality — it risked defaulting on debt payments. This prompted British intervention, so the responsible local government was suspended and replaced by an appointed commission of Great Britain’s Dominions Office.

Newfoundland and Labrador prospered economically during World War II. The U.S. and Canada built military bases throughout the province, many still operating today. You can find smaller installations around the region as well.

With the war’s end, a debate began as to Newfoundland’s future. To restore local governing, the British banned elections of a National Convention. This convention was supposed to find suitable forms of government for referendum ballots. However, after intense and emotional debates, they rejected confederation with Canada and suggested a vote between the existing Commission of Government or responsible government. Despite this, British ministers added confederate as an option in a referendum with controlled conditions- only on June 3- 1948; The result was inconclusive. A second one happened on July 22 and gave 52% of votes approving the confederation. Thus, on March 31, 1949, Newfoundland became part of Canada.

Over the past six decades, Newfoundland and Labrador have undergone many changes. One major part of this transformation can be traced back to the federal government’s initiative in the second half of the 20th century, which improved living standards and increased educational levels across the province. Though Newfoundland and Labrador have yet to find a permanent solution to their economic quest, some positive signs are on the horizon. The province hopes for stability with oil and natural gas extraction at Grand Banks and mining and hydroelectric power in Labrador. There is also potential for computer-based businesses and tourism. Tourism has been encouraged since the 1990s.

While the Inuit and Innu people were reluctant to change, they also embraced modern times. They took a stand when they saw their rights violated and demanded formal recognition. The construction of new resources in northern Labrador created opportunities and dramatically changed the region’s people. A treaty with the Inuit established Nunatsiavut, a territory located in northern Labrador; negotiations are still ongoing with the Innu and Mi’kmaq islanders for similar healing.

Labrador – which totals 294,330 square km / 113,641 square miles of land – is geologically part of the Canadian Shield. The Canadian Shield comprises some of the world’s oldest rocks, mostly igneous and metamorphic formations from Precambrian age rock (older than 540 million years). However, some softer sedimentary deposits, including North America’s most extensive iron-ore deposits, are also present in the Labrador trough. There are tall mountains in the far north of the Torngat ranges, which rise abruptly from the sea to a height of 1,652 meters / 5,420 feet at Mount Caubvick (Mount D’Iberville), on the Labrador-Quebec border. The interior is like a giant saucer dotted with lakes and dissected by rivers that break through the eastern saucer rim to discharge into the Labrador Sea. The indented coastline has countless offshore islands, fjords, coves, exposed and barren headlands, and relatively lush river valleys.

Glaciers covered most of Newfoundland and Labrador during the Pleistocene Epoch (about 2,600,000 to 11,700 years ago). That’s why the ground beneath our feet mainly consists of debris from previous glacial periods or marine sediments uncovered due to post-glacial uplift. Although some of the province’s watersheds are characterized by broad valleys and deep deposits, some larger rivers have narrower valleys and shallow deposits, making it tougher for trees to grow. As a result, the province has pockets of good arable mineral soils. Drainage systems in various areas have created bogs with the help of peat.

Major lakes: Smallwood Reservoir 6,527 km2 / 2,520 sq mi, Lake Melville 3,069 km2 / 1,185 sq mi, Ashuanipi Lake 596 km2 / 230 sq mi, Grand Lake 537 km2 / 207 sq mi, Lac Joseph 451 km2 / 174 sq mi Atikonak Lake 431 km2 / 166 sq mi.

Grand Lake is a large lake in the interior of the island of Newfoundland, in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It has an area of 543 km2 / 210 sq mi, making it one of the largest lakes in Newfoundland. You’ll also find Glover Island within the waters-it’s the 18th largest lake island in the world!

The Churchill River is the largest river found in Newfoundland. Newfoundland and Labrador are also known for their many bays. One of those famous bays is named Red Bay Of Strait Belle Isle.

Mountains to see Long Range Mountains, The Cabox, Gros Morne, Mount Caubvick, Mount Sylvester.

A vast majority of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador is forested, except for the barren uplands and some coastal regions. The most dominant trees are conifers, with balsam fir and black spruce being two of the most abundant species. In forests in most parts of Newfoundland and Labrador, but especially on the island, conifers are mixed with deciduous trees like paper birch and yellow birch and a wide variety of broadleaf shrubs. The best forests grow in deep and well-drained soil, while less suitable areas produce stunted growth. Areas currently affected by fires or erosion have created many barrens that produce a lot of smaller plants.

Moose are the most prolific mammal found in Newfoundland, where they outnumber their forest-caribou cousins. On the other hand, Labrador’s wild population boasts more caribou than moose. Other wild mammals include black and polar bears, Arctic and red foxes, beaver, lynx, and the range of small fur-bearing animals of our northern conifer forests and northern Labrador tundra. Large herds of harp seals migrate along the coasts of Newfoundland, while whales come to feed during their summer migration.

Thousands of seabirds live in the offshore islands and headlands, including murres, Atlantic puffins, northern gannets, petrels, and eider ducks. Gulls and terns are everywhere, and there are substantial breeding populations of black ducks and Canadian geese. Migratory shorebirds and wading birds visit during the summer. Upland game birds include ptarmigan, grouse, and snipes, while raptors like ospreys and bald eagles are common.

Midlatitude storms, moving across the Atlantic seaboard, have a pronounced effect on Newfoundland’s climate. Warm air drawn in on the southern side of these disturbances contributes to high precipitation in the southern part of the island. The northeast and east winds prevailing in advance of each storm blow across the cold Labrador Current off Canada’s coast, keeping coastal summers cool and preventing spring from coming earlier.

Northwesterly winds that follow in the aftermath of a storm carry in Arctic air and lower temperatures. The cold Arctic air often moves onshore and forces temperatures down even lower than at this latitude and marine location. To the south, the cool, dense fog of the Labrador Current mixes with warmer air from the Gulf Stream, creating foggy conditions that are most common over the Grand Banks and along the southern and southeastern coast of Newfoundland.

• The northern section is well-forested, while the stretch between St. George’s Bay and the Codroy Valley has some of the province’s best agricultural land.
• As you travel eastward from Cape Ray, the island’s south coast becomes more rugged. Though the landscape rises quickly from the sea and is cut through by various inlets, rocky peninsulas form to provide a respite from the rough terrain.
• The rivers are short and turbulent, but their valleys are well-forested. At the head of Bay, d’Espoir is a major hydroelectric plant.
• Many small settlements that once dotted the coast were abandoned, which caused the population to center at various larger communities such as Burgeo, Harbour Breton, and Channel-Port aux Basques, located at the western extreme of the region.
• Almost all settlement on the Burin Peninsula is coastal. It’s mostly divided up by large towns, too. The larger towns, Marystown, Burin, Grand Bank, and Fortune, were some of the country’s largest deep-sea fishing ports and centers for the new fish processing industry. St. Lawrence once produced Canada’s total supply of a mineral known as fluorspar, an important agent in metallurgy.
• The inner parts of the Labrador peninsula were largely uninhabited by Europeans until the early 1900s. The railroad construction and the pulp and paper industry development helped to create several towns. These villages included Grand Falls-Windsor (originally separate towns) and Bishop’s Falls. Badger and Howley emerged as logging centers. Buchans was a mining town at one time but is now home to many people working in forestry. Gander has thrived due to increased interest in air traffic in the mid-1900s, primarily for civil and military purposes.
• Labrador has two sharply contrasting regions. The coastal region south of Hamilton Inlet is home to major cities. The area north of the inlet mostly comprises scattered settlements, predominantly with Innu or Inuit populations.
• The Newfoundland and Labrador economy has relied on natural resources for much of their past. Historically, fisheries have been the major force in Newfoundland’s economy, supplemented from the late 19th century by mining and forestry. However, in the late 20th century, the fishing industry sharply declined, as did other primary industries. In the 21st century, signs of economic recovery were seen as mineral extraction combined with tourism.
• Newfoundland and Labrador’s traditional salt cod fishery disappeared in the 1940s, replaced by a more technologically advanced and capital-intensive industry focused on catching and processing groundfish for the North American market. However, this industry was allowed to overexpand, leading to the severe depletion of groundfish stocks (including cod) by the 1990s. In response, stricter quotas were imposed on fishing, and the industry diversified into shellfish and aquaculture.
• Newfoundland and Labrador have poor soil quality, a small domestic market, and a short growing season, which has prevented the development of agriculture in the region. However, the sector has seen some growth in recent years, with an emphasis on poultry and dairy products. Vegetables and fruits are marketed locally, while berries are used to make wines and jams.
• The province of Newfoundland has a rich mining history, and its mineral resources are still important to the provincial economy. Western Labrador is home to the province’s most important mining area, with huge iron ore reserves. Nickel, copper, and cobalt deposits were discovered at Voisey’s Bay on the northern Labrador coast in the mid-1990s, and mining began there about a decade later. A number of mines and quarries on the island produce gold, silica, barite, dolomite, gypsum, dimension stone, sand, gravel, and peat.
• The province’s forests also support pulp and paper mills and sawmilling industry.
• Petroleum and natural gas exploration began offshore in the 1960s on the Grand Banks and the Labrador Shelf. The Hibernia field was discovered in 1979, and production began in 1997. There is also oil and gas potential in western Newfoundland.
• Many other businesses produce wood products, repair ships, and the pulp and paper industry. Food and beverage manufacturing employs a lot of people as well.
• Tourism is an essential industry in Newfoundland and Labrador, but it faces some challenges, including the province’s remote location and high travel costs.
• The largest concentrations of employment in the province are in retailing and health care, though significant numbers are also employed in education, public administration, and various professional services.
• The overall unemployment rate is significantly higher than the national average.
• The federal government’s employment insurance plan partially compensates for seasonal employment.
• Most of the provincial government’s revenue comes from local sales and income taxes; the rest is derived from the federal government.
• Healthcare and education absorb the largest share of expenditures, and the province carries a significant public debt.
• The educational system was historically a mixture of state and church activity. Still, the 1997 constitutional amendment opened the way for the provincial government to exercise educational system control through elected, nondenominational school boards.

Ferry to Newfoundland: Newfoundland and Labrador make a wonderful destination for those looking to get out on the road. The province is located at the easternmost point of North America, so it makes a perfect stop for long-distance drivers. Most people access Newfoundland and Labrador by taking the Marine Atlantic ferry from Nova Scotia to the island of Newfoundland. These modern ferries carry thousands of passengers and cars every year.

There is a year-round ferry service between two Newfoundland towns–North Sydney and Port aux Basques. Most days have a morning and evening set of crossings, and the journey takes six to eight hours, depending on weather conditions.

From June to September, there is also service between North Sydney, Nova Scotia, and Argentia on the Avalon Peninsula, a 90-minute drive from the capital city of St. John’s. This longer trip, about 15 hours, runs three times a week.

Ferry to Labrador from Newfoundland: To get to Labrador from the island of Newfoundland, take the ferry that runs from St. Barbe on the island’s Great Northern Peninsula to Blanc Sablon, on Québec’s southernmost coast, right next to the border with Labrador. Ferries run every day during the peak season, and the crossing takes less than two hours. You’ll have a good chance of spotting whales and birds along the way, so keep your eyes peeled! Incidentally, there’s a time zone change when you cross between provinces, so double-check their schedule (it’s Newfoundland Time for all departures).

Driving to Labrador: It’s possible to drive to Labrador from the mainland of Canada via the Québec-Labrador Highway, which is also known as Expedition 51°. From Quebec Route 389, you can reach western Labrador in about eight hours. More than 400 kilometers of the road are paved; the rest is gravel. Services along the route are limited, and there’s beautiful terrain to be seen! Crossing from Québec to Labrador means that you move from Eastern Time to Atlantic Time (1 hour ahead).

Driving across Labrador: From Labrador City and Wabush to L’Anse-au-Clair, you can explore The Big Land by crossing over in Expedition 51°. The first 533 kilometers on Route 500 between Labrador City and Happy Valley-Goose Bay are paved. Between Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Red Bay, Route 510 is unpaved but very scenic; sections of it break off on the coast and head up into the slopes. On the westerly coast, there are several communities with gas stations where you’ll find supplies for your drive. You should borrow a satellite phone before leaving, if possible, in order to ensure a safe trip.

By plane:

When you’re planning your trip, keep the size of Newfoundland in mind. The western region is served by Deer Lake Airport (YDF), while passengers flying into St John’s will find it much easier to connect with flights coming from eastern Canada to catch the rest of their journey. If you plan to visit the Avalon Peninsula and the East, fly into St John’s (YYT). Gander Airport (YQX) is a good option for passengers traveling through central Newfoundland. Happy Valley-Goose Bay Airport (YYR) serves as an easy link for travel to Labrador, and Wabush Airport(YWK) serves western Labrador. Those heading northward can fly via Air Saint Pierre (FSP) from Canada or France to reach Saint Pierre-Miquelon Airport (FSP).

Flying to Newfoundland: There are four airports on the island: St. John’s, Gander, Deer Lake, and St. Anthony. St. John’s is the main international hub for Newfoundland and Labrador and receives flights from Alberta, Ontario, Québec, and Nova Scotia. Major airlines also fly from Ontario, Québec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia to Deer Lake or Gander. It takes about 6 hours from Edmonton/Calgary, 3.5 hours flying time from Toronto to St. John’s, and just 1.5 hours from Halifax.

Flying to Labrador: There are airports in Happy Valley-Goose Bay (YYR) and Wabush (YWK). Southern Labrador can be reached through Blanc Sablon (YBX) across the Québec Border.