Students and staff from J.D. Hodgson Elementary School (JDH) and Stuart Baker Elementary School (SBES) recently enjoyed a unique opportunity to observe the manual construction of a birch bark canoe, from start to finish.
This project was coordinated by the Trillium Lakelands District School Board (TLDSB) Indigenous Student Success Team from March 2 to 6. During this time, Alex Labelle, a Métis canoe builder of Algonquin ancestry from Mattawa, turned the main foyer of JDH into his workshop, building a four foot birch bark model canoe over five days.
This project kicked off with a school assembly, where Labelle spoke about the project, educating students and staff about the rich history and meaning behind the canoe, noting that he acquired the canoe-making craft from his grandfather. Throughout the week, classes visited the construction site during their timeslot(s) to visit Alex, see the progress in real time, and ask questions along the way.
Check out the Birch Bark Canoe 2026 Video below for highlights of the project:
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