Thorunn Howatt
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Oct 01/01) - Imagination could be the key to developing Northern resources into successful business propositions.

"The basic philosophy behind our projects at QC is to look at what we have available and see if we can't figure out some commercial value," said Matthew Spence from the Qikiqtaaluk Corporation in Iqaluit.

The corporation has been spearheading business projects like PuriOmega 3 -- edible gelatin capsules containing ringed seal oil.

"Seals, of course, are a fairly large resource that we have available to us. We are looking at the seal fat and turning it into seal oil capsules as a health food supplement," he said.

The corporation is also researching possible uses for seal meat and skins. It wants to make use of the whole animal.

Southeast Asia is the primary market for the seal oil product.

"There is a problem in Canada and the States and Europe, the perception. The anti-fur people have undermined any traditional or sustainable usage efforts by the Inuit," said Spence, referring to a campaign directed towards anti-sealing on the East Coast.

"There are a number of health benefits. Apparently it is very good for people with arthritis. The three fatty acids are essential in cellular growth. They benefit people with heart problems and improve circulation," said Spence.

Eating seal oil is supposed to relieve dry skin that is related to winter climates.

The corporation is studying the containers and labelling of the product.

"We've just finalized our nutritional information on our label, we're now in the process of bottling our product and we'll have it for sale probably in the next month," said Spence.

Loose capsules were sold to the Korean market via a middle man.

The company initially considered blister packaging but the costs were too high so the company settled on bottled capsules.

"They will be a small capsule, very easy to swallow, with liquid seal oil inside," said the corporation's Methusala Kunuk.

Bottling will allow the corporation to sell its product for less than its competitors.

The seal fat is harvested in Qikiqtarjuaq where it is cut up, vacuum-packed and sent on to a rendering plant in Quebec.

"It allows people to carry on a lifestyle, harvesting seals for their own consumption but in addition to that make a little bit of money," said Spence.

The corporation is also working on a plan to bottle iceberg water.

"We did about 150 litres of iceberg ice we harvested in Frobisher Bay," said Spence.

Kunuk snowmobiled out to an iceberg last winter and piled pieces of it onto his komatik. The chunks were then melted for drinking water.

The next step was to do a larger harvest. In the spring they picked up two tonnes from the community of Clyde River.

"We hope it will stay frozen until it gets to Montreal," said Spence. He said the berg will be shipped to Quebec in a liquicube -- a plastic liner with an insulated tarp.

"Eventually we would like to set up a bottling plant in one of the communities," said Spence.

The half-litre bottles should sell for about twice the price of other bottled water.

"We are still working through the marketing," said Spence.

The corporation expects to harvest about 100 tonnes or about 100,000 litres of water, he said.

Spence estimates it will cost $20,000 to harvest the ice. The project will employ 10 people for a few months of the year.

The corporation's other involvements include shrimp fishing, the sealift, turbot fishing and construction of a new hospital.