Summer Beaver began as an intentional community in 1975 when a group of Anglican people, related by kinship, decided to leave Lansdowne House, a Catholic settlement. Violence had reached epic proportions in Lansdowne House in the 1970’s and the community was divided along religious lines. The Summer Beaver people felt that they could make a better life for themselves and their children back at Nibinamik Lake. The Canadian government was wary of this move, and offered nothing in the way of support for quite some time. Nibinamik was not recognized as a reserve until recently.

In 2017, the provincial government of Ontario pledged support for the construction of a road that would connect Nibinamik, Webequie and the Northern Ontario Ring of Fire to Ontario Highway 599 at Pickle Lake.