Hopedale is situated 140 miles due north of Groswater Bay. Agvituk, the original Inuktitut name for Hopedale, means "place of the whales." Moravian missionaries from Germany arrived there in 1782 and it appears that the name was changed shortly thereafter. The approximately 625 inhabitants are of mixed Inuit and settler ancestry, with the majority of them being members of the Labrador Inuit Association (LIA).

Economic Activity and Potential

The community of Hopedale is rich in culture and traditional Inuit practices. The Hopedale Mission is considered to be the oldest wooden-frame building east of Quebec and, as such, the area was declared a National Historic Site. The Agvituk Historical Society has established a museum centered on the history of the Moravian mission on the site. The museum is the ideal tourism anchor for the area. Local economic development initiatives also include encouraging artisan industries, with particular emphasis on stone carving.

Municipal Services and Infrastructure

A seven-member municipal council manages the affairs of the town. Among the numerous groups and organizations dedicated to the betterment of the community are:

• The Woman's Group
• School Committee
• Housing Committee
• Crime Prevention Ground Search and Rescue
• Radio Society
• UjagaKutit Recreation Committee
• Moravian Women's Sewing Circle
• Citizens on Patrol Volunteers
• Alcohol Committee
• Kamatsiatet Committee

There are three retail outlets in town, including DJ's Gift Shop, Big Land Grocery and Northland Enterprises (Sylvia's Take-Out).

Health care is provided by both the Labrador Health Services Board and the Labrador Inuit Health Commission.

Amos Comenius Memorial School provides education for the town. Inuktitut is taught as a subject until grade nine. In addition, the Life Skills program is taught by local instructors who teach students traditional arts and crafts, igloo building and komatik making.