Naujaat hunters want to halt the Baffinland’s railway and port project

Arviq HTO, Naujaat’s hunters and trapper’s organization, wants the federal government to halt the Steensby railway project so it can consider more recent research into the environmental impacts.

In January, Baffinland Iron Mines said it received “all relevant authorizations” to construct the Steensby component of its Mary River iron ore mine on Nunavut’s Baffin Island.

The project would allow the company to ship more iron ore from its existing Mary River mine by building a railway south to a proposed port at Steensby Inlet.

But the HTO in Naujaat, situated 525 kilometres from the proposed port, wants the project to be reconsidered. Naujaat is in the Kivalliq region, so at first glance, Arviq HTO didn’t anticipate being affected by a project far away on Baffin Island, where communities like Igloolik and Sanirajak have previously expressed their opposition to the project.

But it said since the project was first approved by the Nunavut Impact Review Board (NIRB) in 2012, new research has emerged, and the HTO now believes the project could affect Naujaat residents. On Feb. 6, the HTO asked NIRB and the federal government to reconsider the project.

“I’m scared because my great great grandchildren will hunt in that area,” said John Ell-Tinashlu, Arviq HTO’s chairperson.

Arviq HTO believes the Steensby railway could bisect some migration routes of caribou on Baffin Island, he said. That would push those hunters to the mainland, thereby affecting the caribou that Naujaat residents rely on.

Of greater concern is the increase in shipping through the Foxe Basin, he added.

Previous research from the eastern end of Baffin Island suggests narwhals are sensitive to the sound of ships, and Arviq HTO is worried that could affect the narwhal passing through their waters.

“When that train route is done, that ship will go in and out for 200 ships a year or more,” Ell-Tinashlu said.

Arviq HTO says it wasn’t consulted

Arviq HTO is asking for the reconsideration on the basis that it was never consulted about the rail and road project.

It asked Ecojustice, a Canadian non-profit environmental law organization, for assistance.

“They [Arviq HTO] are a group that is directly impacted by this proposed project. And so you can’t consult some people and call it complete,” said lawyer James Gunvaldsen Klaassen.

Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada said it acknowledges Arviq HTO’s concerns, and a response to the request for reconsideration will be sent shortly.

Meanwhile, Baffinland said Arviq HTO did not participate in the NIRB public review, and as a result, was not integrated into project certificates or engagement plans.

“Despite this, the NIRB’s environmental assessment and monitoring processes have always been public and open to participation, and the concerns raised by Arviq HTO … are being addressed,” Baffinland said, pointing to the Canadian Transportation Agency consultation process.

When asked, Ell-Tinashlu didn’t say why Arviq HTO did not participate in the NIRB public hearings.

He took aim at the Kivalliq Inuit Association (KIA) and Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI), who he said have not properly engaged with concerns he’s raised through them.

“They have to step up. They have to help Inuit – not just mining and receiving money. They have to include culture. They have to include hunting, Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit,” he said.

In a written statement to CBC News, NTI said it has a long history of advocating for Inuit concerns with the Mary River project, which it is working with Arviq HTO and KIA to address.

NTI said its influence has been successful in the past and it has called on the NIRB to include Naujaat in a cumulative effects assessment related to the railway.

NTI also said there’s an information session in Naujaat coming up on May 12.

CBC News also reached out to KIA. The organization acknowledged the message but did not respond to the questions.

Some outstanding permits

There are still some outstanding permits Baffinland needs to receive for the Steensby component of the railway and port project.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada said it’s still reviewing two applications that must be in place before in-water works near fish habitat can begin.

Meanwhile, Transport Canada said there are 13 applications still in the works, including for eight bridges along the railway and five pieces of infrastructure at the proposed port facility.

Baffinland has received a permit from the Canadian Transportation Agency to build the railway line itself. As with other projects of this scale, Baffinland said there are additional permits and approvals that will continue.

“But as we stated before, Baffinland has all key regulatory authorizations required to begin construction of the Steensby Component,” the company wrote.

Ecojustice’s Gunvaldsen Klaassen said Arviq HTO will continue conversations with the Crown until its concerns are fully heard and accommodated. If that still isn’t satisfactory, Gunvaldsen Klaassen said Arviq HTO isn’t ruling out taking legal action.

“If that doesn’t result in any tangible changes or action, then it really becomes relatively meaningless,” he said.

A report written by Samuel Wat

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