Brian Avery was three years old when he and his parents packed their belongings into a boat and pulled away from Deer Harbour, N.L., leaving behind their home, their way of life and centuries of family history.
The Averys and their neighbours were abandoning their community on Random Island in Trinity Bay as part of Newfoundland and Labrador's resettlement program. Their boats were pointed toward Clarenville, N.L., and larger towns beyond, where roads, running water and the promise of jobs outside fishing and forestry awaited.
Fifty-seven years later, Avery is part of a new generation of Newfoundlanders navigating the painful history of resettlement and bringing people back to these abandoned communities through tourism.
"It was a lot of years before they went back, a lot of years before anybody went back. You don't want to go back to something that hurts," Avery said of his parents and other residents.
"But I always knew in the back of my mind … there would be a day that people would know about Deer Harbour and the beauty there."
For centuries, people in Newfoundland relied heavily on fishing and settled in towns near the coast, close to fishing grounds. But after Newfoundland entered Confederation in 1949, the provincial and federal governments began offering people money to leave far-flung communities and move closer to government services.
More than 16,000 people were resettled between 1965 and 1970, leaving behind nearly 120 communities, according to Heritage Newfoundland and Labrador. Some houses holding generations of stories were left standing, empty and intact. Others were lifted up and set afloat to be pulled by boat to the owners' new communities.
Resettlement broke people's hearts and divided communities. It still haunts the province today.
"Many people left extremely reluctantly, especially some of the older folks," said Duane Collins, whose mother was seven when she and her family left their home on the low-sloping rocks of Silver Fox Island, off Newfoundland's northeast coast in Bonavista Bay. The town was empty by 1961.
"The adults frequently decided to go knowing it was going to be tough for them, but they did it for — hopefully — a better future for their kids."
Collins' family kept up their house on the island and used it as a summer home when he was growing up. In 2018, when he was 41, he helped found Hare Bay Adventures, offering day trips to Silver Fox Island and other nearby resettled towns among a roster of other excursions.
The people interested in visiting these towns often have family history in the area, Collins said. Earlier this year, the company took a man living in Ontario to the abandoned community of Newport to spread his father's ashes on a family grave.
"We've had people standing in front of a grave of a relative they've never met," Collins said. "For a place reputed to have thin soils, the roots are very deep."
Avery launched his company, Gypsy Sea Adventures, with his wife in 2020. He was inspired in part by his father who, in the 1990s, finally went back to Deer Harbour for a visit. He has a cabin there now, and he returns regularly to spend parts of the year there.
"It changed his life," Avery said. "He had a new sense of purpose because now he's back to where his roots and his home was, and he can relive all that again."
His father has filled the cabin with old pictures of Deer Harbour, and he keeps the door open to anyone looking for a cup of tea and a chat about the history of the town.
Avery wants to continue that storytelling with his company, which offers trips to Deer Harbour, and a choice of three cabins for people to stay in. On the eastern end of a small island, tucked between high, rocky hills dotted with shaggy spruce, the town is accessible only by boat.
Avery said he was careful to talk to families with ties to Deer Harbour before launching the business, to be sure they approved of him bringing strangers to the long-isolated town. He wanted to make sure they understood his vision, and that they approved of him sharing the town's history — a history that is ultimately about the people who lived there, he said.
His clients so far have been a "mishmash" of people, he said. Some were visitors to the province from other parts of Canada, others had Deer Harbour connections.
Earlier this year, he brought out eight members from three generations of a family from Bermuda with ties to the area. They spent their time exploring, learning and eating big family meals.
"That was probably, for me, the most rewarding," he said. "Because that's what Deer Harbour would have been about: family."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 10, 2024.
The Pentagon's latest report on UFOs has revealed hundreds of new reports of unidentified and unexplained aerial phenomena but no indications suggesting an extraterrestrial origin.
Police say an officer who forcefully removed a 'weapon' from a protester outside of a Hindu temple in Brampton was acting 'within the lawful execution of his duties' after bystander video of the incident circulated widely online.
Taylor Swift is in Toronto to perform her first of six sold-out shows at the Rogers Centre tonight.
A disruption in Canada Post services would hit some Canadians harder than others. As the deadline approaches for a potential strike at midnight Friday, CTVNews.ca asked readers how it would affect them and how they are preparing.
Within days, thousands of frontline RCMP officers will be starting their shifts equipped with a body-worn camera, as the national police force begins deploying the program across Canada.
A teenage boy arrested along with more than 20 others following a gun battle in Toronto’s West Queen West neighbourhood was wanted in connection with a deadly home invasion in Etobicoke back in April, Toronto police say.
Starting in January, people will be able to make online reservations for campsites for the 2025 season.
Scotiabank users say they are having issues using their bank’s services following a scheduled maintenance period that ended days ago.
Amazon is targeting retail rivals Shein, Temu and TikTok Shop with a new deeply discounted storefront that sells a wide array of products for US$20 or less.
Police in North Vancouver say they prevented the theft of nearly $13,000 worth of cheese from a grocery store earlier this year. Now, they're asking the public for help finding the alleged thief.
The public is being invited to share messages in memory of late B.C. premier John Horgan this week.
Mounties in Nanaimo say they're investigating an incident at a local nightclub and are issuing "a generic warning to the public" about drinks being spiked.
Taylor Swift is in Toronto to perform her first of six sold-out shows at the Rogers Centre tonight.
Five unhoused people who were staying in tents near the Rogers Centre have been given spaces in a Toronto shelters ahead of six sold-out Taylor Swift concerts that are expected to result in a significant influx of visitors to the downtown core.
Police say an officer who forcefully removed a 'weapon' from a protester outside of a Hindu temple in Brampton was acting 'within the lawful execution of his duties' after bystander video of the incident circulated widely online.
New EMS data obtained from Alberta Health Services (AHS) outlines a substantial improvement in reducing “red alerts” for the Calgary Zone, in which no ambulances are readily available, but whistleblowers say the data is misleading and thousands of patients are still being left waiting for too long.
The Business Council of Alberta's latest winter snapshot has the province's economy showing signs of strain as national and global pressures begin to take a toll.
An Alberta court has acquitted a Calgary man who called 911 and told the dispatcher about his desire to kill his ex-wife's new partner.
Taylor Swift is set to hit in the stage in Toronto to kick off the Eras Tour run at the Rogers Centre, and Ottawa's Swifties who are gearing up for the big event share the excitement.
Seventeen people are facing charges following an 18-month investigation into the illegal drug trade operating in the Ottawa area.
A teenager is being treated for serious injuries after being struck by the driver of a vehicle in Barrhaven.
A Montreal court is hearing final arguments today in a constitutional challenge of a Quebec law that requires protesters to stay 50 metres away from abortion clinics.
A confinement measure with an 800-metre radius is currently in effect in part of Longueuil after a Canadian National Railway (CN) train derailed and spilt an unknown quantity of hydrogen peroxide on Thursday morning.
The president of the union representing workers at the CISSS de Laval (FSSS–CSN) said she was “insulted and dumbfounded” by the news that about 565 positions won’t be filled, with no timeline as to when it will start hiring again.
After filling the role left unexpectedly vacant for eight months, Eddie Robar has been made Edmonton's city manager.
Starting in January, people will be able to make online reservations for campsites for the 2025 season.
The Fairmont Hotel Macdonald marked the beginning of the holiday season with a mid-day tree-lighting ceremony Thursday.
New Brunswick’s health department says, as of Thursday, the number of confirmed measles cases in the province is 43, six more than had been reported the day before.
Halifax Water is asking residents and businesses supplied by the Lake Major Water Supply Plant to begin following voluntary water conservation measures.
New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt has given marching orders to her new cabinet ministers to fulfill promises made during last month's election. The government released 18 mandate letters today to the ministers outlining key priorities and responsibilities across their portfolios.
The Manitoba government has unveiled a new tough-on-crime plan to make Manitoba a safer place to live.
A Thursday morning crash on Chief Peguis Trail sent two people to hospital.
Chad Posthumus, a centre for the Winnipeg Sea Bears, is in critical condition after undergoing surgery for a brain aneurysm, the team announced Thursday.
The City of Regina released official election results Thursday afternoon and said nearly 53,000 people cast a ballot in either advance polls or on election day.
Two people have been charged after Saskatchewan RCMP seized 31 guns from a residence in Lafleche and a rural yard site south of the town.
Regina's mayor-elect Chad Bachynski believes a grassroots style campaign and the desire for change led him to victory in the Queen City on Wednesday night.
Some people from Guelph are looking for a new place to stay after the City of Guelph tried to clear a downtown encampment.
Waterloo Regional Police are looking for a missing 13-year-old teen from the Chandler Drive area in Kitchener.
Waterloo Regional Police are investigating a robbery at a Kitchener store earlier this month.
Cynthia Block is the 29th mayor of Saskatoon, and the first woman elected to the position in the city's history.
Saskatoon voters made their mark on Wednesday, casting ballots in the city's civic election and making history by electing the city's first female mayor. The election also brought fresh faces to the city council.
After 12 years under Greg Dionne, the City of Prince Albert has a new mayor.
The Pentagon's latest report on UFOs has revealed hundreds of new reports of unidentified and unexplained aerial phenomena but no indications suggesting an extraterrestrial origin.
A 72-year-old from Blind River has been charged with multiple counts of sexual assault involving a victim under the age of 16.
South Africa's government says it won't help a group of illegal miners inside a closed mine in the country's North West province who have been denied access to basic supplies as part of an official strategy against illegal mining.
Local MPs were joined by Mayor Josh Morgan and a number of business and non-profit representatives on Thursday to announce more than $89 million in affordable housing initiatives across the city.
A Huron County man has lost his hunting license after nearly hitting a municipal employee with an errant shot this past summer.
According to police, a victim reported that they were sprayed after an unknown individual approached them while walking through Lion’s Park.
Nick Vassilodimitrakis appeared in a Barrie courtroom Thursday morning by video from a detention centre in London, Ont. where he pleaded guilty to stabbing veteran Barrie police officer Jim Peters.
A man from Newmarket is facing 80 charges in connection with a series of commercial break-in across York Region.
Police arrested a 17-year-old accused of impaired driving after a single-vehicle collision in Wasaga Beach.
A Windsor resident is asking for the public’s help to capture two injured foxes roaming in the east end of the city.
Windsor police are asking for the public’s help to identify a suspect after an alleged assault in a grocery store parking lot.
Tickets sold throughout November and sales from October are being donated to local cancer patients.
Mounties in Nanaimo say they're investigating an incident at a local nightclub and are issuing "a generic warning to the public" about drinks being spiked.
A woman from B.C.'s Lower Mainland has been handed a $35,000 penalty after admitting she "carried on" as a mortgage broker in the preparation of 10 mortgage applications, despite lacking the necessary registration.
When he first moved to his urban neighbourhood, Barry Devonald was surprised to be welcomed by a whole flock of new neighbours.
A B.C. woman who stole more than $14,000 in volunteer-raised funds that were supposed to be spent on school supplies and programs – including hot meals for vulnerable kids – won't spend any time in jail.
The emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver, B.C., will be closed for 31 hours this weekend, the second such closure in a week and the third since the start of November.
Police in Kamloops, B.C., are reminding parents and guardians to check their children's Halloween candy after receiving a report of a mother finding a razor blade in one of her daughter's treats.
Drivers are being asked to avoid the scene of a serious crash near Drumheller, Alta.
Lethbridge police say a number of arrests have been made following an investigation on Thursday morning.
Lethbridge police have charged two people in connection with a weekend carjacking that saw a stolen vehicle driven dangerously throughout the city.
A 72-year-old from Blind River has been charged with multiple counts of sexual assault involving a victim under the age of 16.
A victim who tried to intervene as two people stole items from a Sault business Tuesday was threatened with a machete.
A northern Ontario couple has been charged in the death of their three-month-old baby girl who was found in September 2022 with no vital signs.
Police in Newfoundland say a man was electrocuted Saturday by a downed power wire about 10 kilometres north of St. John's, N.L.
On Thursday morning, Dave Penny officially ended a suggested hundred-day isolation period that followed his diagnosis and stem cell treatment for non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. On Thursday night, Penny returned to a stage at a downtown St. John's bar, regaling a small crowd with songs and stories with a distinctive Newfoundland flair.
A Memorial University scientist says the mysterious white blobs washing up on Newfoundland beaches are actually gobs of plastic -- and they need to be cleaned up.
Some Calgary residents caught what appeared to be a meteor streaking across the sky early on Wednesday morning.
Four years ago, Phill Hebb started up 'Phil’s Unique Birdhouses' and since then, they’ve made their way all across Canada and into the United States.
A New Brunswick fashion designer recently won the top prize at a national event for a dress she made using an unconventional material.
Dr. Ronald Weiss, who performed nearly 60,000 vasectomies on Ottawa men, establishing him as the "Wayne Gretzky" of the procedure, has died.
A congestion crisis, a traffic nightmare, or unrelenting gridlock -- whatever you call it, most agree that Toronto has a congestion problem. To alleviate some of the gridlock, the Ontario government has announced it plans to remove bike lanes from three major roadways.
For the second year in a row, the ‘Gift-a-Family’ campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.
Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.
A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.
As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.
The chair of the Liberal party's Indigenous caucus says Indigenous identity is 'complicated' after questions have been raised about the claims of two Liberal MPs who currently sit with the group and one cabinet minister who is no longer a member.
Within days, thousands of frontline RCMP officers will be starting their shifts equipped with a body-worn camera, as the national police force begins deploying the program across Canada.
With the cost of living playing a central role in provincial elections across Canada and in the U.S. presidential race, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is set to unveil a pre-campaign policy plank for the next federal election to differentiate his party from the governing Liberals.
There are certain phrases that Wachuka Gichohi finds difficult to hear after enduring four years of living with long COVID, marked by debilitating fatigue, pain, panic attacks and other symptoms so severe she feared she would die overnight.
With so many gaps in global vaccine coverage, there was a 60 per cent increase in the number of significant measles outbreaks in 2023.
New Brunswick’s health department says, as of Thursday, the number of confirmed measles cases in the province is 43, six more than had been reported the day before.
Zookeepers in Scotland have blamed pyrotechnics from annual Bonfire Night celebrations for the death of a baby red panda named Roxie.
It’s more than 100 feet long, at least 300 years old and visible from space. The world’s largest coral has just been discovered in the southwest Pacific Ocean, scientists announced Wednesday.
Apple announced that a new feature, 'Share Item Location,' will help users locate and recover misplaced items by sharing an AirTag location with third parties including airlines.
Taylor Swift is in Toronto to perform her first of six sold-out shows at the Rogers Centre tonight.
Taylor Swift has millions of fans worldwide, but Brampton, Ont.'s Jasmeet Sidhu has gotten closer to the musical icon than most.
A group of hotel service workers in Toronto is set to hold a rally today outside the Fairmont Royal York to demand salary increases as hotel costs in the city skyrocket during Taylor Swift’s concerts.
Amid a potential postal worker strike, here’s a look at how many letters and parcels the corporation delivers and how those numbers have changed in the internet age.
Amazon is targeting retail rivals Shein, Temu and TikTok Shop with a new deeply discounted storefront that sells a wide array of products for US$20 or less.
European Union regulators issued their first antitrust fine to Facebook parent Meta on Thursday with a penalty of nearly 800 million euros for what they call 'abusive practices' involving its Marketplace online classified ads business.
A sculpture bought for just £5 (US$6) and used as a doorstop could sell for more than £2.5 million (US$3.2 million) after a Scottish court gave the green light for its sale.
In case you can't get enough of the little pygmy hippo Moo Deng from Thailand, there's now an official song featuring the internet's favourite baby animal — released in four languages for her global fans.
My Little Pony finally made it to the winner's circle.
The Tampa Bay Rays will play their 2025 home games at the New York Yankees' nearby spring training ballpark amid uncertainty about the future of hurricane-damaged Tropicana Field, Rays executives told The Associated Press.
The world's tallest teenager might have to wait a year to become the world's tallest college basketball player.
Mounted police and helicopters surveyed fans on Thursday night as France hosted Israel in a Nations League soccer game, a week after violence erupted in Amsterdam in connection with an Israeli club team’s visit.
In part two of a three-part series into how thieves are able to drive off with modern vehicles so easily, CTV W5 correspondent Jon Woodward uses a device flagged by police to easily clone a car key.
When a Tesla crashed on Lakeshore Boulevard in Toronto last month, the first people on scene knew there were occupants inside but couldn't immediately get them out.
Almost four out of five Canadian drivers switch to winter tires when the weather calls for them, according to a new survey.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
