Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link

Logan Williams (right) and Logan Manik (left) speak about the key points on their study. Plus extra gag reel.

Ever since we can remember power outages have been a part of our life. Like the south we get occasional power outages, but we also get outages that last for days. On one occasion we had power between the hours of 7pm and 7am for close to a week. Just enough to keep the -50C to -60C from invading our beds, destroying our pipes, and allowing us to cook and prepare food. This lead us to ask if there was a better solution then three and half (Its older then my parents and perhaps WWII Tech) deiseal engines to power our entire infrastructure: RCMP, Health Center, Schools, Hamlet Operations, grocery stores, and Kindergarten. With a population of 3200 people, 48% of that population aged between 0-18yrs old, this has been a difficult reality. Our government spends hundreds of millions to keep the 'lights on', and it isn't sustainable or reliable.

As Nunavut continues to grow, the current energy solution struggles to keep up to the needs of the growing population. In our community there are new projects like a Inuit university, and a possible Mining Project (Hook Lake) that will require increased power. With all this, we started looking for an alternative solution and found an Inuit owned corporation called Nukik. Nukik has been working on a project called the Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link, this project is a plan to connect Nunavut’s Kivalliq region to Manitoba’s power grid. This project also follows Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and specifically: Avatittinnik Kamatsiarniq.

The Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link (KHFL) is part of the Nukik Corporation. Nukik is an Inuit own company that oversees major infrastructure projects in Nunavut’s Kivalliq region. Nukik, with contributions from the Nunavut and Manitoba governments, began development of the KHFL in 2018.

From 2018 to 2021 the Kivalliq Inuit Association (KIA) started engaging ideas from local communities and organizations. After this process, they decided that the fiber line would connect to Arviat, Rankin Inlet, Baker Lake, Whale Cove, Chesterfield Inlet, Meliadine (Meadowbank Mines) and bring clean energy to these important communities. In 2021 KIA created the Nukik corporation to headline and get 'this moving'. They also talked to

Immediately after this, Nukik held meetings environmental experts, Nunavut wildlife workers, local elders/hunters, the Kivalliq Inuit Association, and Sakku Investments. As a group they established a route for the fiber line as well as a viable commercial plan that included four stages/goals of development. (see first image).

In the next two years they are heading into engineering and procurement. Engineering a viable model, with partners and outside companies, that can provide insight in to the realities of the Arctic while also purchasing the correct equipment and materials needed. For example the engineers have to decided on building a road or a cable system.

By 2028 Nukik also wants to finalize all financial contracts for the project and move into the construction phase. In the summer/fall of 2028 is when they hope to 'break ground'. Nukik will employ a contractor, which many hope will be a local company, to help construct the transmission lines, substations, and fibre optic.

The Kivalliq Hydro Fibre-Link is a linear infrastructure that would go about 1200 km, providing 150 Mega watts of renewable power from Manitoba to Nunavut. It will also provide Nunavut with high-speed fibre internet connecting us to more opportunities in the online community. This project would also open Nunavut to the untapped ecological and financial possibilities Nunavut has found difficult to achieve.

About 6 months ago the Manhattan Corporation Ltd. found a high-grade gold system near Arviat, Whale Cove, and Ranking Inlet. The Hook Lake Project is about 225 km (140 miles) southwest of Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd.'s 6.7-million-ounce Meliadine gold mine. Plans have been made to launch a drilling campaign in the summer of 2026, and it's the first modern exploration since 1988. This brings exciting possibilities for jobs, and a boost to our community.

The Prime Minster and our Premier have also announced that Arviat will be the first Inuit-led university in Canada. The Inuit Nunangat University is a university grounded in Inuit culture and knowledge; set to open in 2030 and housing approximately 100 students and 80 staff. This is proof that Nunavut is expanding, and progress into modern day infrastructure and systems; if we don't change and modernize Arviat will be trapped in the past without the ability to change or grow.

Nunavut is growing at a very fast pace, Nunavut has the highest birth and fertility rates in Canada. In our community around 100-150 children are born each year, and its only going up. Arviat's young population (0-18yrs) runs between 38-42% of the total population. What will they have to look forward do

Keeping, all this, in mind we started to see just how important Nukik's project was. We wondered how Nunavut is going to keep up to the needs of mining projects, a new university, a housing boom, and local businesses. After all, this all requires reliable power.

Our community has a large unemployment rate in Nunavut 16.6%, also the highest in Canada, and this has lead to a lot of undo hardship for struggling families. There is a quality of life many other Canadians enjoy, and take for granted, that we would like for our people as well.

While doing this project we learned a lot about Avatittinnik Kamatsiarniq (Respecting and caring for the land, animals, and environment.) and that clean reliable power is possible. As we said growing up here is not like the southern provinces. Power can come and go and in some cases aid was on available by flying a power company crew from the south or other communities: Sometimes this could take days.

Nunavut's priorities are: animals and people come first. We were very excited to see that Nukik was taking those factors into account. Inuit society is rooted in the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ), and this is the direction our elders expect of our decision makers.

The Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link make this IQ a priority. Changing to clean renewable energy, it keeps our land and waters safe from diesel spills and continued pollution. Our community is about 260km away from Churchill '...the polar bear capital of the world' so Polar Bear (An endangered species) migration is important. The Caribou are also a vital source of food for us, and in our region businesses have been made from drying, grounding, cooking and selling caribou meat/fur. If their migration pattern had been affected, our region would struggle with basic needs. Inuit elders warn us if we don't respect the animals, they will leave.

Nukik corporations plan will allow Nunavummiut to respect the land, and have sustainable power for new infrastructure, fast internet, and economic prosperity to the last of Canada's frontiers.

We trust that Nukik will use the Kivalliq Hydro-Fiber Link as a stepping stone for future infrastructure. This project has the potential to bring Nunavut into a new Era of Inuit prosperity.

Nunavut is commonly associated with the stereotype of uneducated, unemployed and uninterested, but this couldn't be farther from the truth. Inuit built their own territory, provided healthcare, education to our people, and now a real chance to have the same privileges of our southern cousins. This makes us proud, and most of all brings us hope.

We would like to acknowledge our science teacher Mr. Alex Broughton, who was taken away from us too early. Alex was our math and science teacher here and was a good friend to both of us. We miss him everyday, and want to thank his family for their continued encouragement and love.

We would also like to thank Brody Morrison, for assisting us, after the loss of Alex.

We would also like to thank Ash Greening, Samantha Lake, Chi-chi Arinze, Glen Brocklebank, Eric England, and Mohsin Khawaja for help with the regional science fair.

Thanks for having our backs.

A Special thanks to Premier John Main, Elizabeth McLintock, John Hussey, The Kivalliq Inuit Association, the Hamlet of Arviat, Sakku Investment Corporation and the Nukik Corporation for supporting and inspiring us to do this project.

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Hamlet of Arviat. (2013). Arviat, Nunavut: Canada’s accessible Arctic [Tourism handbook]. https://www.arviat.ca/sites/default/files/public/files/Visitors/arviat_tourism_handbook_-_2013.pdf

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Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. (n.d.). Inuit Nunangat University. https://itk.ca/projects/inuit-nunangat-university/

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Manik, L. (n.d.). Photographs of Arctic wildlife and tundra in Arviat, Nunavut [Unpublished photographs].

Nukik Corporation. (n.d.). Kivalliq Hydro‑Fibre Link. https://nukik.ca/

Statistics Canada. (2021). Census profile, 2021 census of population: Arviat [population centre], Nunavut. https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&DGUIDlist=2021S05101393&GENDERlist=1,2,3&STATISTIClist=1,4&HEADERlist=0

Williams, L. (n.d.). Photographs of Arctic wildlife and tundra in Arviat, Nunavut [Unpublished photographs].Nukik Corporation. (n.d.). Kivalliq Hydro‑Fibre Link. https://nukik.ca/

Hamlet of Arviat. (n.d.). Home. https://www.arviat.ca/

Williams, L. (n.d.). Photographs of Arctic wildlife and tundra in Arviat, Nunavut [Unpublished photographs].

Hamlet of Arviat. (2013). Arviat, Nunavut: Canada’s accessible Arctic [Tourism handbook].

https://www.arviat.ca/sites/default/files/public/files/Visitors/arviat_tourism_handbook_-_2013.pdf

Statistics Canada. (2021). Census profile, 2021 census of population: Arviat [population centre], Nunavut. https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&DGUIDlist=2021S05101393&GENDERlist=1,2,3&STATISTIClist=1,4&HEADERlist=0