IKPIARJUK/ARCTIC BAY
The installation of two fuel storage tanks is largely underway at the Nanisivik Naval Facility, along with platforms to support piping that will extend from the tanks to the shoreline.

Fuel holding tanks were recently installed at the Nanisivik Naval Facility, which is currently under construction near Arctic Bay. The seasonal refuelling site is expected to reach completion by 2018. - photo courtesy of Rodney Watson

The seasonal Department of National Defence refuelling station, to be used by the Canadian Coast Guard and the Royal Canadian Navy, will hold 7.5-million litres of naval distillate fuel between them, an annual supply.

Site completion is expected in 2018, to line up with arrival of the first of the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships that are being built to conduct naval operations in the North during the ice-free season.

"The goal is that by the time the season is over the fuel tanks should be empty," said Rodney Watson, the Department of National Defence project manager for Nanisivik construction. Any remaining fuel will freeze, but also thaw again at - 17 degrees C.

Construction at the site is led by the Iqaluit-based company Almiq Contracting Ltd.

Work for the season concluded on Sept. 23, said Joseph Kigutaq of Arctic Bay, the community representative and a wildlife monitor at the site.

Watson said most plans for this season were accomplished, despite having to close because of weather. "The site is really taking shape now as we envisioned it," Watson said.

Aggregate production continued this year, to create rock bedding required for construction on permafrost.

Work was started on a wharf operators shelter, control centre and general storage building.

Repairs were also made to the existing jetty, adding armoured stone for shoreline protection and metal plating to the existing wharf cells to extend its service life.

The refuelling station is being built at a closed mine site.

"We're building new industrial infrastructure on land that was previously used for industrial activities," said Watson, so ongoing environmental remediation is required.

Environmental safeguards being taken

"The site did have hydrocarbon contamination on it before we started construction. But it was entirely the responsibility of the mining company to remove and remediate all of that soil before we started building."

He said all modern environmental safeguards are being taken.

"That's a promise that we made to the community, that we weren't going to build on dirty soil," Watson said.

Nanisivik is positioned near a common entrance to the Northwest Passage, and was chosen as a convenient location for government vessels travelling in and out of the Arctic. The site has been used in past by the Coast Guard and commercial shipping companies as a meeting point for dropping off and picking up resupply. At one point a school bus was delivered to the site. Watson said this kind of use, which services Northern communities, will continue.

In 2013 the project was returned for re-review by the Nunavut Impact Review Board, on account of insufficient information and clarification needed in the project proposal, said Ryan Barry, executive director of the Nunavut Impact Review Board.

"What was required was understanding how the facility would interact with the community of Arctic Bay," Barry said. This included for the construction period and the lifecycle impact of the naval station.

"The announcement for the facility was made at a high political level," said Barry, and on-the-ground planning had to catch up. "Getting all the information required to support environmental assessment took quite awhile."

The scope of activities also changed, when the project was reduced to a seasonal site from a year-round naval base first announced by the Conservative government.

Watson said the initial application was in part an effort to received feedback from NIRB and the Nunavut Water Board, so the returned proposal was part of the planning process.

Last year's annual project report provided to the Nunavut Impact Review Board by the Department of National Defence showed 15 local hires and $455,585 spent on contracting Arctic Bay companies, and $1.090 million to Baffin region companies.

On-the-job training was also offered by the primary contractor.

Little communication with hamlet

Arctic Bay senior administrative officer Deborah Johnson and Mayor Geela Arnauyumayuq both said that other than the project purchasing fresh water from the hamlet, there has been little communication with the hamlet now that the project is underway.

Joseph Kigutaq, the Arctic Bay community representative for Nanisivik, said there were nine workers on site this year. His role is to act as liaison for the local employees and provide workplace health and safety information. "We worked around 100 days on site, or just a bit more."

The campsite accommodates up to 60 people and was at capacity during the season.

He said supplies for the 2017 season are on site and work will begin in the spring.

"The resupply ship was there last month to drop off material for next year."

Kigutaq said no dredging is to take place because the water is already around 50 feet deep.

Plans for the coming season include finishing fuel tank installation, pump platforms, pipe racks and fuel piping, finishing the buildings and adding concrete surfaces to the dock cells. It will also include testing of controls used for refuelling.

The new site has a lifespan of 40 to 50 years. One vessel will be able to dock at a time to refuel or unload supplies.

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