Nunavummiut have clear priorities for the future, emphasizing the need for community-driven decision-making, infrastructure that serves local needs, and stronger support for traditional knowledge and food sovereignty. These priorities reflect a collective vision for a more self-determined and interconnected Nunavut, where planning and development align with Inuit values and realities.

“We’re told a lot of things. Not asked a lot, but told a lot.” – Resident of Iqaluit, February 2023

Research participants spoke of many hurdles and suggestions, a selection of which are mentioned here:

– IQ Capacity Building: Support community-driven IQ programs for Inuit to expand social and sharing networks and improve navigational and harvesting knowledge, which support food sovereignty.

“When you take people out and share skills, you know that their knowledge is capable of teaching someone else down the line. It’s there forever once you learn it. Like navigating to another community, that would be good knowledge to transfer country food from town to town.” – Jeanine Nowdluk, Iqaluit, February 2023

“I’ve always said here in the North our work conditions should be changed. Where on good weather days, we have days off. And when it’s bad weather, we work. It doesn’t matter if it’s on a weekend or not. But meet the same number of days per month. And you have your 10 days a month of good weather days. You’ve already hunted, so now you have to work the rest. If we had that kind of system, that kind of work ethics would be great. The flexibility would be really great. It would actually increase your ability to harvest food for people in the community.” – Simeonie Akpalialuk, Iqaluit, February 2023

“But riding on a sled with your dog team, the sound it makes, they all have different names. The immense vocabulary of owning your Husky dog team went with the dog slaughter. And that’s the most effective and ensured way of passing the knowledge down so each family can have a food at their table. And at the same time carry on the wonderful practice of sharing the catch. Going out hunting is the most effective way.” – Hunter, Iqaluit, June 2023

– Nunavummiut-Centered Planning: More transparency in all stages of planning and policy development processes. Residents feel a lack of control over their destiny, which leads to some apathy.

“We don’t have representation… Like, you know how there’s Nunavut Housing Corporation in Cape Dorset, there’s other agencies located in different communities? There’s nothing here.” – Rosie Akavak, Kimmirut, March 2023

“We want this community to survive, but not by any means. Development is a good thing, if you do it right. But the thing I worry about, we are living so close to Lancaster Sound. They want to turn Lancaster Sound into a shipping lane, like Suez Canal and the Panama Canal. I don’t want that to happen. If we do, I want our country-, now, don’t forget what I’m saying, I said ‘our country’, Canada, to take a hold of Lancaster Sound, Northwest Passage, take control of it and use it for however it wants to lay down the foundation with Inuit people in the area and Nunavut government and federal Canadian government. (…) I think it can be a great joint effort.” – Larry Audlaluk, Grise Fiord, April 2023

“If our government is going to be honoring the claim, which is to make life better, the logical step to making life better up here, if you’re going to provide subsidy, you better demand cap on products. Instead of the company being given free will on how to use and apply that subsidy. That’s not making life better. That’s not being accountable as elected officials across Canada. We did not sign with Northern stores. We did not sign with Arctic Coops. We did not sign with Canadian North. We signed with federal government, territorial government, to make life better in the North.” – Resident of Iqaluit, June 2023

– Multi-Use Infrastructure: Combine commercial, community, and resource development needs to maximize benefits. There is strong support for multi-use infrastructure, such as harbours that can accommodate both fishing vessels and smaller hunting boats, warehouses with community vehicle repair space, and resource development roads that allow access to hunting grounds.

“A lot of the infrastructure is only for work related things [like mining, community services] but it would be helpful if infrastructure could be used by everyone.” – Alooloo Arreak, Pond Inlet, March 2023

“We don’t have the infrastructure in place. If we did, we would have thriving fisheries. We would have things like a university that where we could do research. For example, alternative energy research we could be doing here in the cold environment. Nobody’s ever done that. All the alternative resources that have been developed in the south comes up here and fails. It’s not cut out for this environment.” – Simeonie Akpalialuk, Iqaluit, February 2023

– General Aviation Upgrades: Improved navigation, weather instruments, and potential for a second airline focused on cargo transport. There is a need for more reliable transportation.

“Canadian North has to really knock on their heads and say, we cannot stop. We cannot have one flight per week for Grise. If we’re going to have one flight per week, let’s do five flights in that one day. (…) That’s going to hurt the tourism because the people who are coming up to tour won’t have room in the plane. Or they might be the only ones taking the plane and the people that want to come home are going to have to wait for next week.” – Resident of Grise Fiord, June 2023:

– Desire for Increased Jet Service: Many communities desire jet service and paved runways to improve connectivity, attract larger medical and educational opportunities, and support local economies.

“It’s the jet service to Resolute I want to see come back. Right now, the way the High Arctic is, ideal place for High Arctic headquarters? Pond Inlet. They should have jets go to Pond Inlet as well. Igloolik, Hall Beach, Pond Inlet, Clyde River, Resolute Bay and Grise Fiord – that’s the High Arctic. We need to have a hospital in Pond Inlet. The nearest hospital is in Iqaluit. It is urgent. And Pond Inlet? Perfect, has everything we need. And they can live off of the airline services that come out of Pond Inlet.” – Larry Audlaluk, Grise Fiord, April 2023:

– Expanding Country Food Networks: Establishing a country food handling facility in Iqaluit could improve redistribution and reduce storage burdens at the airport. Offering a second airline that deals only with food distribution could reduce food insecurity. Making hunting a salary position would eliminate financial risk and support stability in country food access.

“Because medical travel is highly dependent on the airline travel it has taken up a lot of the transportation, and they take priority. And then when we try and look at food, that becomes secondary. And that’s why often a lot of the food that goes into the community is not fresh because of that priority. So there needs to be a change in how the infrastructure is used. Especially because the only way in and out of these communities is by airlines, and they got no choice. We need another airline that does not compete with this company, doesn’t do passengers, but services the food sector, primarily just the food sector. And that needs to be realized by all the partners. (…) I’m sure they have money to do something like that. The real issue is the will of these people to work together and make this happen.” – Resident of Iqaluit, February 2023:

“We need to set up a network in every community with whatever food resources they can offer and their seasonality. And develop a network, whether it be Facebook or another system where everybody can connect on and have the ability to sell and trade food. And then have the transportation infrastructure along with that. It would help a lot of communities.” – Simeonie Akpalialuk, Iqaluit, February 2023: