01 -44 RENEW MAY-JUNE25 PT - Flipbook - Page 20
average, other provinces and territories have 200 times
more roads than Nunavut. And in Nunavut only two per
cent of the roads are paved, all within municipal areas,
compared to the national average of 40 per cent for a region.
What does this mean for the future of the Inuit and
northern communities? How do they 昀氀ourish if winter
roads are not viable? How do we engage communities to
The Grays Bay Road
and Port route is a
230-kilometre allseason road and deep
seaport. It will link
Nunavut to Canada’s
mainland via the
Northwest Territories.
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help envision future year-round roads and infrastructure?
How do we build resilient infrastructure in ways that we
haven’t before?
Inuit Elders and community leaders. It is built across Inuit-owned lands.
The GBRP route is a 230-kilometre all-season road and
deep seaport. It will link Nunavut to Canada’s mainland via
the Northwest Territories. The 昀椀rst phase of the GBRP vital
corridor will connect a deep-water port in the center of the
Northwest Passage to Contwoyto Lake—the northern end
of the Tibbit to Contwoyto winter road.
Future phases will provide year-round
road access from southern Canada to the
Coronation Gulf. Pending a positive decision on the environmental assessment,
the plans call for a start of construction
of the Grays Bay Road and Port in 2030;
full operations are set to begin in 2035.
For all projects, it is important to
balance economics with environmental
protection. This is especially true in the
North. Understanding and addressing
the impacts of our projects guide our decisions. The project’s success hinges on
working closely with local communities,
con昀椀rming that development is respectful and bene昀椀cial to those who call the
Arctic home. In addition to partnerships,
we are using the latest technology to design these projects. We are using technology to cost-e昀昀ectively identify climate
risks and collect informative data.
Our teams use remote sensing and 3D
imaging to help reduce 昀椀eld programs
and improve safety for environmental
assessments such as wildlife counting and surveying. This leads to more
informed decision-making during the
planning and design phases. The GBRP
project shows what is achievable through innovation and
a strong commitment to the people and landscapes of the
Canadian Arctic.
Partnerships and innovation
We can look at two projects that are underway as case studies: Kivalliq Inter-Community Road (KICR) and the Grays
Bay Road and Port (GBRP) project. These projects will link
the Canadian Arctic. And they will provide road access
from southern Canada and bringing economic bene昀椀ts to
northern communities. We are building once-in-a-lifetime
infrastructure. It’s thrilling to work on projects that will
connect remote communities without relying on winter
roads, sealift, or 昀氀ights. These projects will bring economic
bene昀椀ts to the Canadian Arctic and make essential goods
and resources more easily accessible.
Our partnerships with K’alo-Stantec Limited and Nunami Stantec Limited have helped us integrate Indigenous
values into the projects. Indigenous leaders from the North
are part of the decision-making process. As we work on
these crucial projects, involving local and Indigenous communities is a top priority.
These partnerships stress collaboration and learning from
the knowledge of the Dene, Métis, and Inuit communities.
It enriches our projects. GBRP is on a route in昀氀uenced by
Completing the Northern Trade Corridor for supplies and
industry
Research shows that the rate of food insecurity in northern
First Nations is eight times the national average. Fresh
produce like apples, tomatoes, and bananas are, on average,
between 120 to 175 per cent more expensive in winter-road
communities. Meat products are from 46 to 77 per cent
costlier. Residents often rely on the winter road season to
travel south and stock up on an annual supply of basic
needs. These include a long list of items, from cleaning supplies and groceries to larger purchases like vehicles, 昀椀shing
equipment, and appliances.
A new study, Levelling the Playing Field, reveals the cost to
explore and build new mines is as much as 2.5 times higher
in northern Canada, largely because of a lack of critical
infrastructure. This creates major obstacles to exploring and
operating in Canada’s remote and northern regions. More
than just infrastructure, these key roadways aim to forge
a signi昀椀cant northern trade corridor, strengthening both
Indigenous and Canadian sovereignty. At the core, these
projects symbolize progress. They will unlock Canada’s
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