Yellowknife’s houseboats

I first heard about the houseboats in Yellowknife through the Animal Planet show Ice Lake Rebels. Little did I know then, thanks to my thick accent and vicinity to the location (at that time I was a fishing guide on Great Slave Lake) I would end starring in the show as a lost tourist. Yellowknife’s houseboat community began in the 1980s when one or two families built houseboats on old river barges on Great Slave Lake.

“The community has grown over the years, and the colourful and energy-efficient housing on Yellowknife Bay is now a one-of-a-kind attraction for the city.”

Today, there are about 30 houseboats that makeup Yellowknife Bay’s floating community. Heat and power are derived from solar panels, small wind turbines, diesel generators, wood stoves, or propane tanks. When it comes to houseboats, there’s no one-size-fits-all description.

The houseboat community is full of characters.

My favourite one, and the reason I go up north any time I’m able to, is my friend Matthew Grogono. He’s the creator behind Old Town Glassworks, a workers cooperative that has been creating beautiful recycled glassware from rescued bottles on the shores of Great Slave Lake since 1994. And now, a question for you.

“ Could you see yourself living on a houseboat?”