Early predictions on construction too high, too low

NWT/Nunavut

Early predictions by Statistics Canada on capital construction spending by private and public companies this year were too high for Nunavut but not high enough for the NWT, compared to more recently-issued revised projections.

Earlier this year, the organization predicted companies in Nunavut would spend $646 million, but that estimate has since been reduced to $613 million.

However, companies in the Northwest Territories were projected to spend $1.16 billion this year; Stats Can now says companies will plunk down $1.37 billion by year's end.

Good spring harvest

Ikaluktutiak/Cambridge Bay

Kitikmeot Foods in Cambridge Bay had a successful spring fish harvest this year, according to the Arctic Coast Visitor Centre.

Four local fishermen caught a total of 15,000 pounds of Arctic char, the centre reported.

"Five thousand pounds of char went directly to Boston, Los Angeles, and San Francisco to a company called Queen Fish," the centre wrote in its weekly newsletter. "From there, the fish go to all of the high-end restaurants in the United States."

The fall harvest begins in the middle of this month.

Joint-venture formed in Baker

Qamanittuaq/Baker Lake

A 100-percent Inuit-owned business in Baker Lake has formed a joint venture with a Quebec company to provide services to the mining industry in Nunavut and northern Canada.

Qamanittuaq Development Corporation has partnered up with Fernand Gilber Ltee, a civil engineering contractor.

The joint venture company will specialize in road and dike construction, crushing and environmental services.

"The head office will be located in Baker Lake," said Gavin Wilkinson, a staffer at the corporation.

Accommodating need

Iqaluit

Accommodations providers in Nunavut are being particularly hard-hit by a decrease in tourism this year due to the global economic slowdown, since they cater to both leisure and business travellers, said Jeff Russ, acting CEO of Nunavut Tourism.

But the industry of building new hotels and bed-and-breakfasts is "consistently improving," said Russ.

"Iqaluit sees year-round high occupancy. Hotels throughout the territory are investing in significant improvements. We have also seen new hotels built."

That includes Nova Hotel, which opened this year in the capital.

Tags to highlight Northern products

Hay River

The NWT Chamber of Commerce has launched an effort to recognize manufacturers based in the Northwest Territories.

The chamber, which represents 865 members in the territory, has a supply of "Made in the NWT" stickers that will be issued to stores free of charge upon request.

Arlene Hansen, owner of Originals on Mackenzie Ltd. in Inuvik, said, "I'm very enthusiastic about it. As a gallery owner, I think it's a great idea. I think the (GNWT) should take notice."

The GNWT once issued tags for Northern products that specified what specific region the product came from but discontinued the tags after the NWT separated with Nunavut, much to Hansen's disappointment.