The main community of Temagami First Nation is located on Bear Island in the heart of the Lake Temagami.  Temagami First Nation people have been thriving here for thousands of years. Temagami First Nation is situated on a one square mile Island in the pristine Temagami wilderness, Bear Island is home to over two hundred permanent residents out of a total membership of over five hundred.

Historical Background: The Temagami Indigenous people built homes on Bear Island in the 1880’s in addition to homes on their family lands.  Bear Island was purchased by the Department of Indian Affairs in 1943 for $3,000.00 from the Province of Ontario.

The Temagami Indian Band refused to accept Bear Island as a reserve until we were denied housing subsidy funds in 1968 unless we agreed that Bear Island became an official Reserve in accordance with the Indian Act of Canada.

Reserve status was granted in 1971 and the establishment of the Band Office occurred shortly in the former Department of Land and Forest building which was built in approximately 1903.