Commercial fish harvesters in Canada's Arctic will gain a major infrastructure upgrade this season with the completion of a new small craft harbor in Clyde River, Nunavut. Fisheries and Oceans Canada announced the project's completion March 27.
The nearly $38 million facility features breakwaters, a fixed wharf, floating wharves, a launch ramp, and dredged access, and can accommodate 72 small craft vessels, giving commercial operators safe docking, shelter, and shoreside electricity for the first time.
A contract to construct the harbor was awarded following a competitive process in 2022 to Pilitak Enterprises Ltd. of Iqaluit, Nunavut. The Niutaq Harbour Authority, a not-for-profit corporation led by local community members, will manage day-to-day operations, with the facility expected to be operational by this year's open-water season.
Minister of Fisheries Joanne Thompson said the harbor "will help fish harvesters and hunters safely launch and dock their boats, providing shelter, safe unloading, electricity, and better access to the sea."
Clyde River Mayor Liemikie Palluq said response from local users has already been positive. "I've heard from hunters and fishers that the breakwater and harbor are really nice," Palluq said, adding that before the harbor was built, rough waters would damage boats. He also noted a demographic shift driving future demand: "Roughly 70% of the Clyde River population is a very young generation. This young generation are buying more boats, and we are looking forward to having more floating docks added in the future to make room for them."
Olayuk Akesuk, president of the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, said, "Inuit across the Qikiqtani region rely on the marine environment everyday," citing its importance for travel, cultural continuity, food security, and economic development.
Akesuk added that the harbor supports the association's stewardship program and helps "guardians have access to marine resources that mitigate food insecurity while enabling country food sovereignty and security."
Clyde River is an Inuit hamlet located on the shore of Patricia Bay on the northeastern coast of Baffin Island in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada, situated within the scenic fiord landscape of the Baffin Mountains.
The new harbor is part of Canada's commitments under a parallel agreement to the Inuit Impact Benefit Agreement, linked to the 2019 designation of Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area and the Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area.
Nunavut's Minister of Environment Brian Koonoo noted the facility's value beyond commercial fishing. "The harbor in Clyde River will be useful not only for hunters but for other essential services such as search and rescue operations," he said.
