Saint Lawrence Gulf

The Gulf of Saint Lawrence opens the great river system of northeastern North America to the Atlantic. Indigenous peoples travelled and fished along its shores before European expeditions arrived. In 1534 Jacques Cartier entered the gulf through the Strait of Belle Isle, explored its coasts and encountered Indigenous people, including Mi'kmaq communities with whom his party traded.

On his following voyage in 1535 Cartier travelled up the Saint Lawrence River. The gulf later became a maritime approach to New France, linking Atlantic shipping with settlements and trade networks inland. Seasonal ice, storms and shoals made navigation difficult, while fisheries and exchanges continued to connect communities around its shores.