Language selection

Government of Canada / Gouvernement du Canada

Search

Katakag Adawewigamig: A sweet dream come true

Lake Kipawa, which is located very near the Ontario-Quebec border, is a favourite destination of outdoor enthusiasts, both in summer and in winter. This summer, for the first time, tourists and residents of the municipality of Kipawa had a chance to try out some new flavours of ice cream, such as Algonquin Canoe, Big Foot, Peppermint Bark and Blueberry Bliss, to name just a few. These refreshing ice cream flavours are available at a new ice cream parlour called Katakag Adawewigamig (which actually means “ice cream shop” in Algonquin).

The Katakag Adawewigamig hut at the Kebaowek Marina.

Summary

Business : Katakag Adawewigamig
Number of employees: 5
Region: Abitibi-Témiscamingue
Guidance service: Quebec Economic Development Program (QEDP) – Local development

This CED support has made it possible: to acquire equipment for the ice cream parlour and make changes and upgrades to the hut.
 

The idea, which was first suggested by a community member, took root in the mind of Karen Young, an economic development officer with the Kebaowek First Nation. She set about drafting a business plan, which she presented to Sandra Lafleur, Regional Director of CED’s Abitibi Témiscamingue–Nord-du-Québec Business Office, and Maxime Belzil, Economic Development Advisor, when they visited the community. The two reviewed the project, recognized the added value for the community and, in partnership with Tourisme Autochtone Québec, took steps to make it all come together.

Kebaowek Marina in the summer
Kebaowek Marina in the summer
For Karen Young, this adventure has not always been a walk in the park. Kebaowek is a remote community and it proved difficult finding suppliers willing to come all that way. The main project partners were Bazinet-Taylor, which provided the production equipment, and an Ontario ice cream producer Central Smith, which supplied the various flavours of hard ice cream sold on a rotating basis. Some other triangular huts had already been set up at the Kebaowek Marina to rent out water sports equipment and sell merchandise. It took quite a bit of resourcefulness to fit all the equipment for the ice cream business into such a small space. Also, since the air conditioner wasn’t strong enough to keep the products cold, a heat pump had to be installed. 
 

Did you know? 

It takes over four hours to drive from the Central Smith Creamery in Selwyn, Ontario, to the community of Kebaowek.


Two full-time and three part-time students were hired for the summer. Debra Miness, who is in charge of the local Migizy Odenaw gas station, also manages the ice cream parlour.

« The work gave our young people an opportunity to acquire business skills. I noticed a marked improvement when I went back to visit the ice cream parlour a couple of months later. »

Karen Young, Economic Development Officer, Kebaowek First Nation
 

View from behind the counter
View from behind the counter

In addition to this project, the construction of the Kebaowek First Nation Cultural Centre will commence in 2026. Ms. Young has already begun work on the next project of opening a sugar bush, an important cultural symbol for the Algonquin nation. CED is providing funding for this project as well, with construction and setup work slated to begin in 2025, which means that sugar connoisseurs will be able to satisfy their cravings spring and summer alike.

Page details

Date modified: