Iqaluit Deep Sea Port Officially Opens

Iqaluit, Nunavut – Today, the Government of Canada, along with the Government of Nunavut and community members celebrated the grand opening of the Iqaluit Deep Sea Port.

“This is a landmark moment for Nunavut’s transportation sector. The Iqaluit port is the first of its kind in our territory,” said David Akeeagok, Minister of Economic Development and Transportation. “The arrival of the first cargo ship will be the first of many smooth and successful sealift seasons ahead, thanks to our new deep sea port facilities. We are pleased to have worked with the Government of Canada on this project. We look forward to future collaborations and support from the federal government to improve marine infrastructure in our territory.”

“Our government is committed to improving the quality of life of Nunavummiut and supporting economic development across the North,” said the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities. “This significant project will not only secure marine operations and cargo shipments for the territory but also build a more resilient economy by enhancing communities’ access to essential supplies.”

Iqaluit is Nunavut’s territorial capital and a regional hub with a growing population and increasing economic activity. The constraints of the old sealift beach impacted the community’s sealift operations.

The new Iqaluit deep sea port provides sealift operators and local companies safer conditions to offload and pick up cargo. The new port allows ships to offload at all tides, streamlines sealift operations and strengthens Nunavut’s marine transportation network.

In 2015, the Government of Canada announced $63.7 million in funding for the Iqaluit Marine Infrastructure Project through the New Building Canada Fund. This federal contribution represents 75 per cent of the total $84.9 million cost of the project. The Government of Nunavut provided the remaining $21.2 million.

The project consisted of building of a deep seaport capable of accommodating cargo, fuel, and Canadian Coast Guard vessels.

The Iqaluit deep sea port features a dredged fixed dock mooring space, cargo laydown area, barge ramp, and a fuel manifold. Additional improvements have been made to small craft marine facilities including an additional breakwater, floating dock infrastructure, and all-tide boat launching facilities.

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Media Contact:

Weichien Chan
Manager, Communications
Department of Economic Development and Transportation
867-975-7818
WChan@gov.nu.ca

Gillian Hanson
A/Manager, Communication Operations
Infrastructure Canada
343-576-3729
Gillian.Hanson@infc.gc.ca

NT5