INUVIK
Inuvik's business community and political leaders came together April 14 at the Chamber of Commerce annual general meeting and, despite an overall dreary economic outlook, had words of hope for the future.

Premier Bob McLeod tells attendees at the Chamber of Commerce event that Inuvik hasn't done anything wrong when it comes to being ready for devolution and that the region and territory are largely dependent on international resource markets. - Sarah Ladik/NNSL photo

"Of course we know it isn't all roses," said guest speaker Premier Bob McLeod. "Commodity markets are cyclical and we are confident they will return."

A few dozen people gathered in the community lounge at the Midnight Sun Complex for the event, which was followed by the Chamber's annual general meeting. McLeod, as a featured speaker, talked about the community and the territory needing to remain agile and responsive. He said the key to being ready is infrastructure.

"The Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway is just the first step in this vision that would see over 1,000 kilometres of all-weather roads built in the territory," he said.

Chamber president Bright Lubansa asked in his opening address what Inuvik was doing wrong - or failing to do - with regards to devolution and the promised benefits touted when the deal was being sold.

McLeod said Inuvik and the Beaufort Delta as a region weren't doing anything wrong.

"We're part of a circumpolar world and a large national and international market," he said.

Mayor Jim McDonald said the town needs to diversify to stay competitive, leaning heavily on the growing satellite technology presence to do so.

"Inuvik has been reliant on one thing for far too long," he said. "I think satellites will be a far more sustainable way to move forward."

He talked about the potential for growth in the existing facility and the creation of a new private satellite site in the future.

"Other pieces of the puzzle have strong economic potential," he said. "Though it may seem the outlook is bleak, we need to recognize the opportunities when they arise. Inuvik will always be a great place to live."