North Nunavut pitches major infrastructure projects at Canada’s Investment Summit
‘It’s the first of its kind and we’re really happy to be here,’ Nunavut Premier said
Inuit leaders and industry experts were on Toronto’s Bay Street this week to pitch Nunavut infrastructure projects.
They were invited by the federal government for Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Canada Investment Summit which ran on Monday and Tuesday in Toronto.
Nunavut Premier John Main said this summit was a “tremendous” opportunity for the territory to show off investment possibilities.
“It’s the first of its kind and we’re really happy to be here representing Nunavut,” he said. “Looking forward to sharing those opportunities, sharing information with potential investors about Nunavut.”
The Government of Nunavut and Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (NTI) held a luncheon on Monday to share the territory’s four proposed major infrastructure projects.
The list includes: the Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link, the Iqaluit Nukkiksautiit Hydro Project, the Grays Bay Road and Port, and the Qikiqtarjuaq Deep-Sea Port.
The Nukkiksautiit Hydro Project and the Grays Bay Road and Port have been referred to Carney’s Major Projects Office (MPO) as projects of national interest.
NTI: Inuit must be involved in decisions
Though investment is important, NTI vice president Paul Irngaut said anything that happens in the North has to go through a regulatory process and through Inuit.
“We’re saying come and invest, but at the same time Inuit has to be in the forefront of any investment in Nunavut,” he said. “Speak to us early, talk to us. Work with us at the very beginning instead of after the fact.”
With the world taking a renewed interest in the Arctic, Irngaut argues the time is right for these projects to get more funding.
“We’re pretty optimistic and this investment summit that’s happening in Toronto, we’re hoping to open the door for outside investors to look into Nunavut and start investing in the North,” he said.
Main said there’s a big infrastructure gap that exists in Nunavut and they are looking for federal government or private equity partners to help bridge the divide.
“When it comes to energy, when it comes to transport, when it comes to things that allow residents to thrive and to build families, build businesses, we are still really behind,” he said. “We have a huge infrastructure gap and we’re looking for investment.”
Main said this investment will help Nunavummiut live better lives in the future, adding that investing in the territory benefits Canada as a whole.
“The pitch that we’re making here in Toronto is, I hope an attractive one,” Main said. “We’re hoping that it will pay off in the future, even if it isn’t [in] announcements that come immediately this week.”
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: N.W.T., Yukon mining and energy projects get boost at Canada Investment Summit, CBC News
Finland: Lapland among regions not in favour of wind power compensation for eastern Finland, Yle News
Greenland: Greenland rules out winter 2026-27 drilling for Nunap Qeqqa/Jameson Land oil project, Eye on the Arctic
Russia: Europe boosts LNG trade ahead of the ban, The Independent Barents Observer
Sweden: Electricity prices climb in Sweden as Russian gas pipeline goes offline, Radio Sweden
United States: ‘You just move forward’: Greenland Energy oil exploration delayed by a year, The Canadian Press
