The McDowell Lake First Nation app is now availablenow availablefree to downloadon iPhone and Androidin your pocket

McDowell Lake First Nation, known in Oji-Cree as Mishi Sakahikaniing ("Big Lake"), is a remote Anisininew community in Treaty 9 Territory in northwestern Ontario. The community is about 155 km northeast of Red Lake. It can only be reached by float plane or ski-equipped aircraft.

Trapper Johnny Kenequanash came from Windigo Lake and founded the community in the mid-1940s. The James family soon joined his family. McDowell Lake received band status in 1985. In November 2025, the Nation celebrated the creation of the Mishi Sakahikaniing Reserve, about 4,536 hectares of land promised under the 1991 Six Nishnawbe-Aski Nation Agreement and set apart through the Additions to Reserve process.

Life here is shaped by the land. The economy is based mainly on traditional trapping and fishing, and community members have also worked seasonal jobs such as forest firefighting and tree planting. In 2015, a 10 kW solar system at the new Band Office became the community's first source of electricity.

The Nation is a member of Keewaytinook Okimakanak (Northern Chiefs Council) and Nishnawbe Aski Nation. Community programs include:

• Brighter Futures
• Diabetes
• Family Well Being
• Governance
• Health
• Lands and Resources
• Mental Health