On behalf of the Honourable Joanne Thompson, Minister of Fisheries, Lori Idlout, Nunavut Member of Parliament, today announced an investment of over $77 million in a new, multi-use small craft harbour for Arctic Bay, Nunavut. The harbour will provide critical infrastructure to support commercial fishing in the region, as well as access to economic opportunities, cultural activities, marine transportation and tourism.
Public Services and Procurement Canada has awarded the construction contract for the Arctic Bay small craft harbour to Pilitak Enterprises Ltd. of Iqaluit, Nunavut. The contract includes an Inuit benefits plan to support local training and employment. Construction is scheduled to begin in August 2026 and will continue until 2029, with the harbour anticipated to be operational by the open-water season of 2030.
The new harbour will include the construction of a breakwater, launch ramp, fixed wharf for larger vessels, and float wharves for small craft vessels, as well as dredging for the harbour basin and the entrance channel.
“Harvesters and hunters in Arctic Bay will have a safe place to launch and tie up, with shelter, a safe area to unload, electricity and better access to the water,” said Minister Thompson. “In a northern community, a harbour is how people reach the water they live on. This will support fishing, hunting and the movement of goods and people for years to come.”
(Photo from Fisheries and Oceans Canada)