Shoal Lake () is a lake that straddles the boundary between Ontario and Manitoba, Canada, northwest of the Lake of the Woods. Depending on the water level of Lake of the Woods, Shoal Lake runs both a tributary and distributary of Lake of the Woods and, for many practical purposes, is part of that lake.
There are two First Nations peoples, both Ojibwe, who lay claim to much of Shoal Lake: Iskatewizaagegan 39 Independent First Nation (Shoal Lake First Nation #39) and Shoal Lake 40 First Nation.
Overview
Shoal Lake is in the Eastman Region of Manitoba and the Kenora District of Ontario, northwest of Lake of the Woods. It spans approximately from north to south and from east to west.
Smallmouth bass, northern pike, and walleye are its primary species of fish. and as gold prices rise so does the pressure to explore mining of the lake again. This pressure is being fought by local cottagers and the City of Winnipeg, which has used the lake as its main source of safe drinking water for almost 100 years. Shoal Lake falls under special and specific developmental guidelines in order to protect its water quality and unique wildlife.
Manitoba
In the Manitoba portion, Shoal Lake is a large isolated lake in the southeastern corner of the province.
Access by maintenance staff to the Aqueduct has been provided by the Greater Winnipeg Water District Railway, operated by the City, since 1916. The Railway formerly provided passenger and freight rail services to the public, from Winnipeg to the rail station at the Shoal Lake aqueduct intake.
On February 15 that year, An Act to incorporate the ‘Greater Winnipeg Water District,’ was passed by the Manitoba Legislature. The areas included in the district were the City of Winnipeg, City of St. Boniface, Town of Transcona, and Rural Municipality of St. Vital, as well as a part of the Rural Municipality of Fort Garry, the Rural Municipality of Assiniboia, and the Rural Municipality of Kildonan.