The government of Nunavut is pushing the federal government to allow tourist, recreational and outfitting activities in the Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area in the high Arctic.
With some exceptions, no human activity has been allowed there for the past five years.
In a letter, Nunavut’s Department of Environment asked Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) to adopt a ministerial order that says “certain activities may take place in a marine protected area” or that recognizes “specific tourism activities, recreation and equipment as “of- in accordance with section 35.1 (1) (c) of the Oceans Act.”
“Our support is not merely conditional, but contingent on immediate and substantial action by DFO,” Nunavut Deputy Environment Minister Yvonne Niego wrote in a letter addressed to DFO Deputy Minister Annette Gibbons on March 25.
Niego also wrote that “new considerations” have emerged since the Nunavut transfer agreement was signed in January.
Niego did not share specific details about the type of tourism, entertainment or amenities planned for the area.
Photo of the Milne Ice Shelf, about 2 years after its breakup, in 2020. (Submitted by Cameron Fitzpatrick)
The Last Ice Zone
The 319,000 square kilometer Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area is located northwest of Ellesmere Island in Nunavut’s High Arctic.
In Inuktitut Tuvaijuittuq means “place where the ice never melts”.
According to DFO, the marine protected area is considered one of the last places in the world with year-round sea ice. It also has the oldest and thickest sea ice in the Arctic Ocean.
When it was established in July 2019, the marine protected area became the first in the country to receive temporary protection.
This temporary protection was intended to give the Government of Canada, the Qikiqtani Inuit Association and the Government of Nunavut more time to study the feasibility of long-term protection measures in the area.
The parameters of this temporary protection are set out in a ministerial order in the federal Oceans Act. There are some exceptions, including “the exercise of Inuit rights with respect to wildlife harvesting as provided for in the Nunavut Agreement, marine scientific research consistent with conservation objectives [marine protected area]safety, security and emergency activities and certain activities carried out by a foreign national, entity, ship or country.”
That protection is due to expire in July. DFO wants to renew it for a five-year period, but the Nunavut government thinks that’s too restrictive.
“The proposed interim measures, as they stand now, appear to unduly restrict activities, which is a serious concern to us,” Niego wrote in the letter.
Yvonne Niego is Nunavut’s Deputy Minister of Environment. (Matthys Harvey/Radio-Canada)
Niego’s department declined an interview with Radio-Canada and sent a statement via email.
“A balanced approach allows for sustainable use while protecting the environment,” wrote Leanne Babstock, spokesperson for Nunavut’s Department of Environment.
“The Government of Nunavut recognizes the importance of sustainable recreation, tourism and equipment activities within the Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area. The Government of Nunavut seeks to expand the proposed list of ‘ongoing’ activities as defined in Part (III) of Act Oceans and seeks to formally include these activities,” Babstock wrote.
For its part, DFO acknowledged receiving Niego’s letter but declined an interview request for this story.
“While the department considers a response, it would be inappropriate to comment further on this matter,” Robert Rombuts, DFO’s communications adviser, wrote in an email.
Between July and September 2023, DFO also received support to renew the order from municipalities as well as hunter and trapper associations from the five closest communities, namely Grise Fiord, Resolute Bay, Pond Inlet, Arctic Bay and Clyde River.
The Milne Ice Shelf in the Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area. (Submitted by Adrienne White)
‘Job Opportunities’
Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA) president Olayuk Akesuk said he supports the territorial government’s request and that tourism in the High Arctic will have positive economic benefits.
“We want to make sure we respect the tourism industry in this area,” he said. “It is very important for us as we all know that the job opportunities in our area are very limited.
“It’s an opportunity for people outside of Canada to go and see what we have on our territory.”
He also said the matter would be the subject of discussions at the upcoming QIA board meeting in June.
“We still have to go through our board, our executive director to make sure we’re all on the same page,” he said.
A researcher has questions
Derek Mueller is a professor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at Carleton University. The glaciologist has been studying the effects of climate change on the region’s ecosystem for more than 20 years, including the Milne Ice Shelf.
From a conservation perspective, he said, the protected area at Tuvaijuittuq is a refuge for ice-dependent ecosystems around the Arctic.
Derek Muller is a glaciologist at Carleton University. (Submitted by Derek Mueller)
“Climate models that predict climate change in the future suggest that of all the places in the Arctic, this will be one of the last places where there will be relatively thick sea ice that can last the longest,” Muller said.
Mueller said the territory claim raises several questions about the scale of future tourism activities.
“Whatever activity is done in this area should be evaluated for its impact,” he said.
“It will depend on the scale of these operations. If it’s small groups going on ski tours or snowmobiling, this may not be too problematic for the environment. Obviously a larger operation like cruise ships running 24/7 would be a different matter, I think.”
