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Hoping for harbours

David Ryan
Northern News Services

Pond Inlet (Sep 11/06) - The community of Pond Inlet has enough fishers and more than enough fish, but it doesn't have a harbour.

It's among the communities waiting for a federal and territorial decision whether seven small-craft harbours will be built around Nunavut.

In fact, people in the community haven't just been waiting - they've been busy developing a complete set of technical plans for a harbour and the prosperity it could deliver.

"Jobs would be created," said Pond Inlet Mayor David Qamaniq. "It would be a lot safer to off-load catches,"

A Pond Inlet man died in 2005 attempting to move his boat, which was anchored in deep water off-shore, he said.

Building a harbour would also increase employment and bring economic spin-offs to the community.

"It is about time the federal government put some breakwater harbours in communities," he said.

The idea has been floating around for more than a decade now, yet so far nothing has been built.

Now, a joint federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans-Nunavut Harbours Working Committee report is suggesting such harbours be built in seven communities throughout Nunavut.

The communities include: Pond Inlet, Pangnirtung, Clyde River, Repulse Bay, Kugaaruk, Chesterfield Inlet and Qikiqtarjuaq. There would be a number of significant socioeconomic benefits created by building and maintaining the proposed small craft harbours, said Alan Kathan, DFO's Arctic regional manager. The construction program could potentially cost $41.2 million over a seven-year span.

Communities would benefit from construction, creating 173 jobs. Once built, the harbours would create ongoing employment for 198 people, according to the report.

"Compared to the rest of Canada, Nunavut is a century behind with respect to harbour infrastructure," it states.

Unemployment is expected to drop by 26 per cent in the communities as a result, the report also states. The federal cabinet now has a copy of the findings, but no decision has yet been made.

"The project has not been approved at this time," said Kathan.

"Both governments at the senior level are looking at the needs, costs and benefits."

The small craft harbour could help to attract more business to the community of Qikiqtarjuaq, said Harry Alookie, manager of the Nattivak Hunters and Trappers Organization.

Fishing vessels fishing off the community would be more likely to off-load their catch with a quality harbour, he said.