Cook's Harbour

Cook's Harbour
Town
View of Cook's Harbour
View of Cook's Harbour
Cook's Harbour is located in Newfoundland
Cook's Harbour
Cook's Harbour
Location within Newfoundland
Cook's Harbour is located in Canada
Cook's Harbour
Cook's Harbour
Location within Canada
Coordinates: 51°36′12″N 55°52′16″W / 51.60333°N 55.87111°W / 51.60333; -55.87111
Country Canada
Province Newfoundland and Labrador
Area
 • Land1.95 km2 (0.75 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)
 • Total
118
 • Density62.9/km2 (163/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC-3:30 (Newfoundland Time)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-2:30 (Newfoundland Daylight)
Area code709
Highways Route 435

Cook's Harbour is a town in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The town had a population of 123 in the Canada 2016 Census. The population, as of 2021, was 118 (including Wild Bight and Boat Harbour), and has been decreasing. Cook’s Harbour is about 45 minutes away from St. Anthony and 6 hours from Corner Brook.

The school in Cook's Harbour is called James Cook Memorial; there are three students in the school as of 2021.

History

Cook's Harbour was named by Captain James Cook in 1764, during his survey of Newfoundland. For most of its history, Cook's Harbour was a successful fishing port, that was only limited by a lack of berths in the harbour for extra boats on the wharf. However, by 1985, fishing started to decline due to a drop in fish stocks. This was attributed to larger boats starting to fish in the area. Due to the 1992 Federal moratorium on cod fishing, the vast majority of the town's inhabitants emigrated due to the lack of job opportunities. Most of the towns amenities are now located within a central community hub. The lack of human activity often leads to polar bears entering the town during winter. In 2017, to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Cook mapping Newfoundland, Cook's Harbour became part of a new walking trail.

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Cook's Harbour had a population of 118, living in 67 of its 92 total private dwellings, a decrease of −4.1% from the 2016 total (123). With a land area of 1.94 km2 (0.75 sq mi), it had a population density of 60.8/km2 (157.5/sq mi) in 2021.

References

  1. 1 2 "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Newfoundland and Labrador". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Census Profile, 2016 Census". Statistics Canada. February 14, 2017. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 "Rural exodus: Newfoundland's quest to save its community". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved May 31, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Cook's Harbour". Land of First Contact. 2014. Archived from the original on October 15, 2014. Retrieved October 10, 2014.
  5. ↑ "The struggling Cook's Harbour fishery: A Land & Sea archival special". CBC. Retrieved May 31, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Polar bears are looking for food this time of year - including in Cook's Harbour". CBC. Retrieved May 31, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Wildlife officers warn of polar bear on Newfoundland's Northern Peninsula". Global News. Retrieved May 31, 2026.
  8. ↑ "The GPS of its time: Surveyor James Cook remembered 250 years after mapping Newfoundland". CBC. Retrieved May 31, 2026.