Baker Lake, or Qamani'tuaq in Inuktitut, meaning 'where the river widens', is a unique hamlet nestled in the Kivalliq Region of Nunavut, mainland Canada. Located 320 km inland from Hudson Bay, Baker Lake is near the nation's geographical centre and is the only inland community in Nunavut. The hamlet is situated at the mouth of the Thelon River on the shore of Baker Lake. The English name of the community was given in 1761 by Captain William Christopher, who named it after Sir William Baker, the 11th Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company.
The history of Baker Lake dates back to 1916 when the Hudson's Bay Company established a trading post in the area. This was followed by Anglican missionaries in 1927. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police had been in the area for fifteen years before establishing a post at Baker Lake in 1930. By 1946, the population was 32, with 25 being Inuit. A small hospital was built in 1957, followed by a regional school the next year.
In 1979, the Baker Lake Hunters and Trappers Association and the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada (ITK) took the Canadian federal government to court for giving exploration licenses to mining companies in areas where the Inuit hunt caribou. This case, known as Hamlet of Baker Lake v. Minister of Indian Affairs, recognized the existence of Aboriginal Title in Nunavut. The plaintiffs were concerned that "government-licensed exploration companies were interfering with their aboriginal rights, specifically, their right to hunt caribou."
According to the 2021 Canadian census conducted by Statistics Canada, Baker Lake had a population of 2,061 living in 577 of its 661 total private dwellings, a slight decrease from its 2016 population of 2,069. With a land area of 179.54 km2, it had a population density of 11.5/km2 in 2021. Baker Lake is home to eleven Inuit groups, each with their unique origins and histories.
Baker Lake features a subarctic climate, bordering closely on a tundra climate, with short, cool summers and long, extremely cold winters. Winters run from October/November until April/May with temperatures averaging between −21 and −25 °C. Summers are usually cool, short, and rainy; but can be hot and sometimes humid; with a record high of 33.6 °C.
Baker Lake is host to a variety of wildlife including caribou, muskox, Arctic hares, wolves, wolverines, sik-siks, geese, and lake trout among others.
Baker Lake is known for its Inuit art, such as wall hangings, basalt stone sculptures, and stone cut prints. The community has been home to internationally exhibited artists. The Jessie Oonark Arts and Crafts Centre, which opened in 1992, is a work area for the community's artists. It provides space for carving, print making, sewing, and jewellery making.
The settlement is served by Baker Lake Airport, linking it to the nearby coastal town of Rankin Inlet. The local road network does not connect to another community, but there is an approximately 110 km all-weather gravel highway named Mine Road. An 8 km road runs east from the townsite to the Geographic Centre of Canada monument.
The community has been served by the Qiniq network since 2005. In 2017, the network was upgraded to 4G LTE technology, and 2G-GSM for mobile voice.
Baker Lake has a women's shelter, health centre, dental clinic, heritage centre, visitor's centre, counselling centre, elders' centre, three hotels, swimming pool, library, primary and secondary school, and youth centre. There are three churches in the community, Anglican (St. Aidan's), Catholic (St. Paul's) and Glad Tidings.
