Example Story

C5 Taxi!

Helicopters, boats, ATVs, and snow machines are the taxis of the north. Enjoy the ride.

In the south, we don’t think twice about flagging down a taxi or jumping on a public transit bus. In the far north, getting around a community can be a challenge. Many remote communities don’t have taxi services, let alone public transit. In others, the taxi services change seasonally.

In Moosonee and Moose Factory, Ontario, close to the James Bay coast, not only are the taxis different from what most of us Ontarians know of as taxis, but the modes of transportation differ according to the season.

A lot of business is transacted between the town of Moosonee, located on the mainland, and Moose Factory, located on Moose Factory Island. The Moose River separates the two towns. There is no tunnel. There is no bridge. Just water. Or ice. So, how do people get back and forth?

In the summer, you take a water taxi—a boat. In winter, you take an ice taxi, which is a snowmobile with a sled attached. The sled is enclosed to reduce the wind chill and keep passengers a little warmer. Warmer being a relative term.

In the fall, when the river ice freezes, and in spring, when the ice breaks up, neither boat nor snow machine can get across. In those seasons, a helicopter is used to ferry people across the river. Yes, you read that correctly—a helicopter taxi. Exciting!

My first ice taxi ride between Moosonee and Moose Factory was an adventure. The Moose River is tide water. It is influenced by the James Bay water. The river ice rises and falls with the tide. The tide often creates a narrow ribbon of open water between the land and the river ice. As we approached the shore, I watched the brown ribbon of water get closer and closer. I mused to myself, That’s interesting. How will we get across? All those social media videos of snow machines failing to cross open or partly frozen water flashed before my eyes. The taxi operator drove close but parallel to the open water for 100 metres on the ice, looking for safe passage. The potential water crossings all looked the same to me—that is to say, dangerous. However, I reassured myself. The driver did this for a living and was skilled at reading the conditions. When he found the right spot, he gunned the engine, and we flew across the open water—snow machine, sled, and passenger. Piece of cake! And exciting!

Once we arrived at our destination, I asked the taxi operator about the water crossing. He laughed and said it was seldom an issue. Seldom?

His biggest concern was having the front of the sled porpoise into the water just in front of the ice lip. You can imagine the consequences.

Living in, visiting, or working in the far north, in Moosonee or Moose Factory, comes with different, often exciting experiences, which vary with the season.

Now, as part of your community visit, how do you anticipate getting around the community? Are you prepared and able to walk? Will the band send someone with a vehicle to meet you at the airport? Are you prepared to travel in any type of transportation vehicle? Does your organization have policy or legal restrictions on the types of vehicles or aircraft you are allowed to use? How do you respond if the pickup vehicle is not equipped with safety features, such as seat belts? How much does it cost to retain a community person to help transport you around? The best source of information is your community contact person. Don’t be afraid to ask that person questions about local travel support. Sadly, that person may not be able to help you overcome your fear of flying—if you have one!

These considerations are important parts of the journey that are not often considered.

Local transportation in a far north community can be unusual and may include helicopters. In front of the helicopter: I (Andy Fyon) stand on the left in my red parka. Composed in Moosonee, Ontario, in the homeland of Moose Cree First Nation, on James Bay, December 9, 2005.

A snow machine and sled are the taxi service that carried people between Moose Factory Island and Moosonee on James Bay in the winter. Composed in Moosonee, Ontario, in the homeland of Moose Cree First Nation, on James Bay, December 9, 2005.