there are about 1,700 residents, including students and temporary workers seven business licences were issued in 2004 $8 million in residential building permits were issued last year $300,000 in major additions were done to existing buildings in 2004 the Kitikmeot Health Centre was built at a cost of about $14 million over the last two years and will open soon there are about 70 hotel rooms for rent at an average of $150/night

The Kitikmeot Corporation has a new joint-venture in the form of Kitikmeot Explosives looking to tap into seismic supply needs in the region. Other ventures close to being finalized include Kitikmeot Cementation Mining and Development as well as an exploratory/contract drilling operation.

"These are all very imminent," said Clare Basler, chief operating officer for the corporation. Toromont Arctic Cat, which already operates facilities in Iqaluit and Rankin Inlet, eventually plans to open a location in Cambridge Bay.

"We're likely four years away from that," said Pat Calder, who handles Nunavut sales of Caterpillar equipment.

There's no secret why business in Cambridge Bay is so brisk.

"Mining is the big opportunity here," said Rudi Philips, First Air base manager in the community of about 1,700.

The aviation business is a busy one thanks to Cambridge Bay's role as a hub for the other Kitikmeot communities: Gjoa Haven, Taloyoak, Kugaaruk, Kugluktuk, Bathurst Inlet and Umingmaktuuq. With an annual average of 5,861 aircraft movements over the last four years, the airport is the busiest in

Canada among manned facilities without an air traffic controller. The Bathurst Inlet Port and Road Committee of the Kitikmeot Corp. is looking to spur the bullish economy further with a $164 million docking and storage facility as well as an all-weather land-link to Contwoyto Lake - the end of the winter road out of Yellowknife.

"We've gone through the consultation process and expect a hearing some time this year," said Charlie Lyall, president and chief executive officer of the Kitikmeot Corp. "I'm hoping once we get approvals we can start construction in the spring of 2006."

Should the project go ahead, he estimated there would likely be five producing mines in the region very soon after.

"It's not just good for Cambridge Bay or the region, it's good for the entire country," he said. But the Cambridge Bay businesses are poised for growth in other areas too, said economic development officer Chris King. A community economic development plan is at the consultation stage and will likely be approved by the hamlet council by the end of June.

"It will provide us with very specific one-, two- and three-year targets as well as five- and 10-year goals," he said.

"Included in that will be a skills survey that not only looks at what we have, but also the skills people would like to develop."

Among the initiatives to be examined in the blueprint is the idea of building massive warehouses at the airport so the community could better serve as an exploration hub.

A five-year study began recently to look at developing additional fisheries around Cambridge Bay.

Already home to the Kitikmeot Foods plant where Arctic char is processed and shipped to retail and wholesale outlets the world over, there are flounder, crab, sea urchins and cod in the surrounding waters as well.

"We're working with government and the Marine Institute to answer two questions: Are those populations sustainable? And, would the products be economically viable?" he said.