The community of Umiujaq was founded in 1986 following a clause added to the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement which provided the Inuit of Kuujjuarapik the opportunity to relocate to an area not affected by the La Grande and Great Whale hydro-electric projects. Located approximately 160 km north of Kuujjuarapik and almost 1500 km north of Montreal, Umiujaq is a community of 370 inhabitants situated at the foot of a hill that resembles an overturned boat near the Hudson Bay.