Alderville First Nation


Alderville First Nation is a band of Mississaugas, a sub-nation of the Ojibways. The Alderville and Sugar Island 37A reserves belong to that First Nation band government.

First Nation

The Alderville First Nation is an Anishinaabe First Nation located in southern Ontario, Canada. As of December 2017, Alderville First Nation had 1,162 registered band members, of which their on-Reserve population was only 323 people, meaning the majority of their registered population live outside the reserve in neighbouring communities.

Governance

The community is governed by an elected Chief and Council, and maintains political affiliations with the Ogemawahj Tribal Council, a non-political Regional Chiefs' Council, and the Union of Ontario Indians, a Tribal Political Organization.

Indian reserve

The reserve comprises two areas. The main reserve, the Alderville First Nation, is located near the south shores of Rice Lake in Ontario. It consists of six non-contiguous areas within the Alnwick/Haldimand Township approximately north of Cobourg, and occupies a total area of. They also maintain a smaller parcel of land on nearby Sugar Island, the Sugar Island 37A Indian Reserve. It has been home to the Mississauga division of the Anishinaabe Nation since the mid-1830s.
Prior to its current location, the people of the community had lived in their traditional lands around the Bay of Quinte - located approximately east of its current location. However, with the influx of refugee settlements following the American Revolution, the community found itself under increased pressure. Having lost its American colonies, the British were forced to relocate the soldiers and civilians loyal to the crown around the Bay of Quinte area. The area is now home to the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte First Nation, the land having been promised to Joseph Brant, leader of the Mohawks that were loyal to the British Monarchy.