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Arviat

Arviat is a traditional community located on the western shore of Hudson Bay. It is the most southern mainland community in Nunavut and is named after a nearby island that is shaped like a bowhead whale.

The area is home to a rich variety of wildlife including beluga whales, polar bears, and caribou. The nearby McConnell River Migratory Bird Sanctuary, one of the Ramsar designated Wetlands of International Importance, provides nesting habitat for hundreds of thousands of waterfowl. 

Potential non-renewable resources in the region include: gold, diamonds, uranium, base metals, and nickel-copper platinum group elements (PGEs).

Land Use Planning

Approved Land Use Plan

The community of Arviat is located within the planning region of the Keewatin Regional Land Use Plan (KRLUP). The NPC reviews all project proposals in and around Arviat to determine if the proposed activities conform to the requirements of the KRLUP.

Draft Nunavut Land Use Plan

Between 2004 and 2011, NPC staff visited every Nunavut community to conduct individual “Use and Occupancy Mapping” interviews to collect information on traditional land use activities “within living memory”. This community land use information is included in the Draft Plan and has been used to support decision-making.

The Commission also visited the Community on November 6-7, 2013 for community engagement meetings on the Draft Plan.

Information was presented and received from participants in Arviat in accordance with Nunavut Planning Commission’s Engagement Strategy. The summary report of the Community Meetings on the Draft Nunavut Land Use Plan held on November 6-7, 2013 in Arviat can be found below. 

The community views and comments have been very informative in the ongoing process of development and revisions of the Draft Nunavut Land Use Plan. In particular, all areas of importance identified by the community are included in the Draft Plan as “Community Priorities and Values”.

Fact Sheet
Region: 
Kivalliq
Population: 
2060
93% Inuit
Longitude: 
61° 6.0' N
Latitude: 
94° 4.2' W
1,260 km north of Winnipeg