Reserves In New Brunswick: How Many?

New Brunswick is home to 31 or 32 Indian reserves, held by 15 First Nations. The First Nations of New Brunswick, Canada number more than 16,000, mostly Miꞌkmaq and Maliseet (Wolastoqiyik). While the Passamaquoddy maintain a land claim at Saint Andrews, they have no reserves in the province and no official status in Canada. The First Nations in New Brunswick are divided into two larger cultural groups: the Mi’kmaq or Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet), who are part of the Wabanaki Confederacy.

There are 31-32 reserves in New Brunswick

There are 31 or 32 reserves in New Brunswick, depending on the source. These reserves are held by 15 First Nations, who belong to one of two larger cultural groups: the Mi'kmaq or Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet). These groups are, in turn, part of the Wabanaki Confederacy.

Reserve names and boundaries have changed over time, and some reserves no longer exist or are not recognised by the provincial government. As of 2021, there were approximately 17,000 Registered Indians in New Brunswick, with about 59% living on reserves. The First Nations of New Brunswick, Canada, number more than 16,000, with 10,098 on-reserve and 7,412 off-reserve as of December 31, 2023.

The creation of reserves in New Brunswick began in the 18th century and continued into the 20th century, during a period of intense pressure from colonialism. The process of establishing reserves often involved licences of occupation, which designated the land as Crown land that could not be sold or transferred by Indigenous peoples.

The Passamaquoddy maintain a land claim in Saint Andrews, New Brunswick, but they have no reserves in the province and no official status in Canada.

15 First Nations communities are in New Brunswick

There are 15 First Nations communities in New Brunswick, Canada, with a population of over 16,000. The First Nations belong to one of two larger cultural groups: the Mi’kmaq or Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet), who are part of the Wabanaki Confederacy. The Passamaquoddy maintain a land claim in the province but have no official status in Canada and no reserves.

The First Nations communities in New Brunswick are:

• Buctouche First Nation
• Ugpi'Ganjig First Nation (Eel River Bar First Nation)
• Elsipogtog First Nation
• Esgenoopetitj First Nation (formerly Burnt Church First Nation)
• Fort Folly First Nation
• Indian Island First Nation
• Kingsclear First Nation
• Madawaska Maliseet First Nation
• Metepenagiag Mi'kmaq Nation
• Eel Ground First Nation (Natoaganeg)
• Oromocto First Nation (Welamukotuk First Nation)
• Pabineau First Nation
• Saint Mary’s (Wolastoqiyik) First Nation
• Tobique First Nation (Neqotkuk)
• Woodstock First Nation

Reserve names and boundaries have changed over time, and some reserves no longer exist or are not recognised by the provincial government. As of 2021, there were 16,985 Registered Indians in New Brunswick, about 59% of whom lived on the 31 reserves in the province.

The First Nations population in New Brunswick is around 17,000

New Brunswick is home to 15 First Nations, with a population of around 17,000, mostly Miꞌkmaq and Maliseet (Wolastoqiyik). The First Nations people make up about 4.4% of the province's population. While the Passamaquoddy maintain a land claim at Saint Andrews, they have no official status in Canada and no reserves in the province.

The First Nations population in New Brunswick has been increasing over the years. Between 2006 and 2011, the population grew by 31%. As of December 31, 2023, there were approximately 17,510 First Nations people in New Brunswick, with 10,098 on reserve and 7,412 off reserve. The previous year, in 2021, there were 16,985 Registered Indians in the province, with about 59% living on reserves.

The First Nations people in New Brunswick have a younger demographic compared to the non-Aboriginal population. In 2011, 42% of Aboriginal people in the province were under the age of 25, compared to 27% of the non-Aboriginal population. The median age of First Nations people was 27.6 years, while the median age of the non-Aboriginal population was 43.6 years.

In terms of language, four in ten on-reserve First Nations people in New Brunswick speak an Aboriginal language, with the most common languages being Mi'kmaq and Malecite. Additionally, First Nations people living on reserves are more likely to live in crowded homes and homes requiring major repairs compared to those living off reserves and the non-Aboriginal population.

Education and employment-wise, half of the First Nations people in New Brunswick have post-secondary qualifications. The employment rate increases with higher levels of education, and the median total income is higher for those with post-secondary credentials.

New Brunswick has 31 to 32 reserves held by the 15 First Nations. These reserves are spread across the province and are home to the diverse communities of the Mi'kmaq and Wolastoqiyik peoples.

The majority of First Nations people in New Brunswick are Mi'kmaq or Wolastoqiyik

New Brunswick is home to 31 or 32 Indian reserves, held by 15 First Nations. The First Nations people of New Brunswick number more than 16,000, most of whom are Miꞌkmaq and Maliseet (Wolastoqiyik). The Mi'kmaq primarily reside in northern and eastern New Brunswick, while the Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) live along the Saint John River Valley. Both groups are part of the Wabanaki Confederacy, which also includes the Penobscot and Abenaki nations of Maine.

The Mi'kmaq and Wolastoqiyik have inhabited the region for thousands of years, and their presence is reflected in the many Indigenous names for rivers, towns, and landmarks in New Brunswick. The transition from hunting and fishing to farming began in the 18th century due to colonial pressures and declining wildlife populations. This was further encouraged by the colonial government, which provided incentives for Indigenous communities to adopt an agricultural lifestyle.

The creation of reserves in New Brunswick began in the 18th century and continued into the 20th century. Licenses of occupation emerged as a standard method for establishing reserves, with the land remaining under Crown ownership and unable to be sold or transferred. By 1810-1811, the New Brunswick government had set aside 60,000 acres of land for the Mik'kmaq and Wolastoqiyik. However, issues with squatters on reserve lands and the sale of land to non-Indigenous people led to further complications.

Today, the governance of First Nations communities in New Brunswick varies, with some following the Indian Act band council system, while others observe the Custom or Community Electoral System or the First Nations Elections Act.

The Passamaquoddy have no reserves in New Brunswick

New Brunswick, Canada, is home to 31 or 32 reserves held by 15 First Nations. However, the Passamaquoddy, one of the First Nations in the province, have no reserves in New Brunswick. While they maintain a land claim in Saint Andrews, they have no official status in Canada.

Historically, the Passamaquoddy people lived a seasonal and cyclical life, moving to different places at different times of the year. They would go upstream on lakes in mid-December when the tommycod were spawning, head inland to hunt caribou and tap maple, and go down to the Bay in the spring to dig clams and fish. They also fished for salmon and gathered in the summer, and went out to the islands to hunt seal and porpoise. Their council meetings were held at Qonasqamkuk, the present site of St. Andrews.

In the 18th century, the British signed Peace and Friendship Treaties with various Indigenous peoples in what would become Atlantic Canada and the Northeastern United States, including the Passamaquoddy. These treaties promised continued access to land and resources for the Indigenous signatories, who agreed to live peaceably with the British. However, the Royal Proclamation of 1763, intended to protect Indigenous lands from colonial encroachment, was often ignored.

With the creation of the colony of New Brunswick after the American Revolution, United Empire Loyalists settled heavily in Passamaquoddy territory. The colonial government prioritised the needs of the Loyalists over those of the Indigenous people, whom they viewed as an obstacle and unreliable subjects. Despite promises from the colonial Governor, St. Andrews was settled on Passamaquoddy council and cemetery sites. The Passamaquoddy's fishing grounds were taken over by intensive settler commercial fisheries, and by the second half of the 1800s, they were being prosecuted for hunting and fishing.

The few "reserves" that were created informally for the Passamaquoddy disappeared due to dubious sales or executive action. These small areas of seasonal significance were occupied by settlers when the Passamaquoddy were away. As a result, many Passamaquoddy families moved to the American side of their territory, where they had access to assured land bases at the reservations in Sipayik (Pleasant Point) and Motahkomikuk (Indian Township).

In the 20th century, two Passamaquoddy "Indian reserves" in New Brunswick, the Canoose and St. Croix reserves, were administered by the Government of Canada under the Indian Act. However, by the 1930s, the Indian Agent in Fredericton complained that these reserves were difficult to protect from American loggers crossing the river to harvest timber, and that no Passamaquoddy lived on them. The Canoose Reserve was sold by the Canadian government in 1937 without a surrender, and the St. Croix Reserve was transferred to New Brunswick in 1944. In 2012, the Peskotomuhkati Council formally requested the return of these two reserves from the Canadian and New Brunswick governments.

Despite the lack of recognised reserves in New Brunswick, the Passamaquoddy people continue to maintain their cultural practices and customs, including reinstating a chief and council and reclaiming their language and traditions.

Frequently asked questions