Gillam, Manitoba, a town nestled on the Nelson River in northern Canada, is a unique blend of history, culture, and natural beauty. Located between Thompson and Churchill on the Hudson Bay Railway line, Gillam offers a variety of attractions for both residents and visitors.
The Gillam Local Government District was established by the Manitoba government in the mid-1960s to facilitate the development of hydroelectricity on the lower Nelson River. Spanning 1,996.346 square kilometres, Gillam is the 9th largest city or town in Canada by area and the largest in Manitoba. Despite its size, much of the district remains largely uninhabited and undeveloped, boasting numerous lakes, rivers, and vast forests of pine trees.
Gillam is also home to the Fox Lake Cree Nation, a First Nations Band. Many members reside in Gillam or on Reserve Land in the nearby community of Bird. The ghost town of Sundance, once a bustling hub during the construction of the Limestone Generating Station, is also within the District of Gillam.
Gillam is situated on the southeastern shore of Stephens Lake, a reservoir created by Manitoba Hydro in 1971 by the Kettle Dam on the Nelson River. This location offers stunning views and opportunities for water-based activities.
Gillam experiences a subarctic climate with long, extremely cold winters and short, mild summers. Its inland position at 56 degrees latitude results in severe freezes in winter. Despite its cold climate, Gillam offers a unique and beautiful winter landscape.
According to the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Gillam had a population of 1,007 living in 352 of its 588 total private dwellings. This marked a change of -16.2% from its 2016 population of 1,201.
Gillam offers a variety of amenities for residents and visitors. The Gillam Recreation Centre features a movie theatre, ice skating, hockey, curling, a gymnasium, a weight room, meeting rooms, a youth activity room, and a library. The town also boasts small businesses, a mall, a pharmacy, a grocery store, a school (K-12), a Canada Post office, a Co-op card lock/gas station, a Co-op convenience store, a Royal Canadian Legion, a train station, and a local Royal Canadian Mounted Police detachment.
Throughout the year, the Town of Gillam hosts various activities and events, including the annual Winter Carnival and the Welcome Back Weekend, which features a popular firework show.
Gillam offers a range of outdoor activities. In the summer, fishing and boating on the many lakes and rivers are popular, while hunters search for game animals such as bear, caribou, moose, wolf, ptarmigan, and grouse. The town has community parks and playgrounds, and Pumphouse Beach is just 2 km away. In colder months, snowmobilers have access to hundreds of miles of groomed trails.
Gillam is situated on the Hudson Bay Railway line to Churchill and receives limited VIA rail passenger service at the Gillam railway station. Manitoba Provincial Road 280 links Gillam to the rest of Manitoba, making it one of the northernmost communities in the province accessible by year-round road. Scheduled flights to Winnipeg and Thompson are available via Calm Air at Gillam Airport.
