Marine projects moving forward
Pond Inlet harbour to be ready in 2019, Iqaluit port and harbour in 2020
Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services
Monday, October 10, 2016
IQALUIT
Nunavut's two major marine infrastructure projects are a go, with Pond Inlet's small craft harbour scheduled for completion in 2019 and Iqaluit's harbour and deep-sea port set to open in 2020.
"We've hired a prime consultant to do the architectural and engineering work that is required," said Art Stewart, Nunavut's director of transportation, policy and planning.
"The field work for geotechnical and environmental studies, that's going on as we speak," he said.
"We hope to have our applications for permitting for both projects to start early in 2017. Both projects will go through various stages of design. We hope to have tender-ready documents for both projects by November of 2017."
After the request-for-proposals process, the anticipated start date for construction is the summer of 2018. Once completed, the harbours and port will be Government of Nunavut capital assets.
"However, there's room there to possibly have the port authority in both Pond and Iqaluit, where the Hamlet of Pond Inlet and the City of Iqaluit would actually run the port. That's an option," Stewart said.
The $84.9 million Iqaluit project will see a $63.7 investment from the Building Canada fund and a $21.2 contribution from Nunavut, while the $41.2 million Pond Inlet project will see $30 million in federal funding and $11.2 million from Nunavut.
Both projects were approved by the Harper government, but last fall's election slowed the process down. The final go-ahead came earlier this year.
"It took a little longer to get all the paperwork through," said Stewart.
Iqaluit was chosen as the location for a deep-sea port based on several criteria.
"It's a hub for the sealift," he said. "By doing this project, the timing for the sealift has been cut drastically and also the cost for the vessels that come up here because they aren't dependent on the tides."
Being the capital and being home to the international airport were other considerations.
Nunavut has one small craft harbour, located in Pangnirtung. A 2006 study also identified Clyde River, Qikiqtarjuaq, Chesterfield Inlet, Naujaat and Kugaaruk as potential small-craft harbour sites. Stewart notes these projects are dependent on federal funding.
"They are certainly on the radar," he said.
A request for Building Canada funding for a harbour in Qikiqtarjuaq was denied.
