Englee is a town on the east side of the Great Northern Peninsula in a sheltered harbour on the northern headland of Canada Bay. In the early 1800's four families inhabited the area, however, most settlers came between 1870 and 1900. The French were active in fishing operations in the 1860s and 1870s. The first settlers were fishermen, builders and trappers. Like many other outports of the time, each family grew its own vegetables and raised its own sheep and cattle.

In the late 1880's the first fishing establishment was built and operated by Baxter Crocker and it was still operating in 1980 as John Reeves Limited. In 1940 Canada Bay Cold Storage Company Limited began a fresh-frozen codfish and fresh salmon operation. The first school was built in 1900 and had an enrolment of twenty-five. In 1978-79 the school had an enrolment of 305. The first churches established were the Church of England and Wesleyan Churches. In 1981 other churches included the United, the Salvation Army, the Pentecostal Assemblies, the Apostolic Faith, and the Roman Catholic.

In addition to the fishing industry in the community, the Marine Centre has been the main employer for a number of years. Like most rural communities, Englee has seen a decrease in population over the years.