NUNAVUT
CanNor is pumping $5.5 million into five Nunavut geoscience projects over the next four years.

Last year, geologists with the Canada-Nunavut Geoscience Office travelled to 25 sites near Nunavut communities to identify potential sources of carving stone for Inuit artists. A recent investment of $5.5 million from CanNor will ensure that that program – as well as several other geoscience programs – can continue for the next four years. Here, Robert Hallauk operates the water pump and Jerry Ell takes a carving stone sample near Padlei/Kingarjualik, about 100 miles northwest of Arviat. - photo courtesy of the Department of Economic Development and Transportation

The Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency made the announcement last week.

CanNor's benefactor, the Canada–Nunavut Geoscience Office – the office tasked with amassing technical information on Nunavut's mineral and petroleum exploration potential – will ultimately cull the information together and make it available on its website for industry's perusal.

"The goal of the geoscience programs is to get a better understanding of the geology of Nunavut so that we can use that information for attracting investment in mineral exploration and mining and future economic sustainability, so that we can plan for gravel resources and the kind of geologic resources that communities require to work on things like carving stone," said Gordon MacKay, assistant deputy minister for Nunavut's Department of Economic Development and Transportation.

The investment is well-timed given the current boom in Nunavut exploration, he added.

Investment in that sector is expected to total $280 million this year, up by nearly $100 million from 2009.

"The geoscience database in Nunavut is far behind what it is in the rest of the country, so doing this geoscience activity now – into a strong market – means it's very favourably received by the mineral exploration and mining industry," said MacKay.

But as David Mate, chief geologist with the Canada-Nunavut Geoscience Office, pointed out, it's not just industry that stands to benefit from the five projects funded.

Finding sand and gravel pit sources – as well as deposits of stone that could be used by Inuit carvers – near Nunavut communities accounts for $1.5 million of the funding announced.

"There's a lot of old reports on sand and gravel work, but they're not really archived anywhere... One thing we're looking at doing is building that functionality into our (online) database. It's not for the layperson, but it applies to engineers, hopefully community SAOs, land and planning administrations..." said Mate.

"Most Nunavut communities are bursting at the seams and there's lots of new infrastructure that needs to be built, so it's quite a key challenge."

Another study – to be be conducted in collaboration with the Canadian Institute of Planners, Natural Resources Canada, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and university-based researchers – will look at the potential impact of climate change on future development in Iqaluit, Clyde River and Pond Inlet. Ultimately, the goal is to develop a landscape-hazard mapping tool that will reveal areas of concern and risk for development in those communities.

"...one thing that really leaped out at us is that all communities were really asking us for information on their permafrost. That was one thing that was really unknown... Things really are a little bit wonky these days," said Mate.

"Hopefully, over time, we might look at this kind of work for maybe larger infrastructure projects in the territory."

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