Introduction

History

Introduction
Surrounding Repulse Bay there are countless inuksuit (plural of inukshuk). These rocks piled on top of each other in the shape of a human, and other forms, are referred to in English as stone cairns. Some of these inuksuit were built hundreds or thousands of years ago by Inuit to show where they had traveled, or to mark good fishing and/or hunting locations. The landscape is dotted with scenic inlets and rolling hills, some of which are snow-covered year round.

Repulse Bay is located on the Arctic Circle, 66oN. Buildings in town include: a two bay fire station, Arctic College, new RCMP detachment, Social Services office, small hotel, airport, three churches (Anglican, Roman Catholic, and Glad Tidings), post office, two stores (Northern and Co-Op), arena, and the new Hamlet building. Presently, the approximate population of Repulse Bay is 738. 95% of the population of Repulse Bay is Inuit. The first language of most people here is Inuktitut.

History
Before 1964, Repulse Bay consisted of a Hudson Bay Company store and a Roman Catholic Mission building. The Inuit of the area lived in small camps and came into Repulse Bay for supplies and to trade at the Bay store. In 1964 the first houses came. These houses were small one-room dwellings, often referred to as "matchbox houses". As the number of people moving into the community increased, so to did the demand for additional housing.

In 1968, the Federal Department of Indian and Northern Affairs launched a major building program that included Tusarvik School, 20 three-bedroom houses for local Inuit people, and three staff houses for government employees coming from outside of the community. They also constructed a power plant, three bay garage, a warehouse, and two bulk oil storage tanks.
Along with time comes great change. In 1989, the Hudson Bay store became the Northern store. In 2002, the first permanent RCMP officers were stationed in Repulse Bay. There is now mining exploration taking place outside of the community, and there has been a drilling camp established approximately seven kilometers from town.

Weather

Wildlife

Weather
It is an area of true Arctic climate, characterized by extreme long and cold winters and cool short summers. The temperature ranges from 15 to 20°C in the summer and between -40 and -50°C in the winter. Winter usually sets in during mid-October and ends around the end of April. Snow can be expected at any time during the year, as can winds, which are usually from the northwest at an average speed of 17 km per hour.

During winter storms, winds are severe and can reach speeds of up to 90-100 km per hour. During these storms, people are advised to stay indoors, as it is extremely easy to become disoriented when all visual reference points have been removed by the ‚"white out" conditions. Several days of school each winter are lost due to such severe storms. The majority of precipitation is in the form of snow; the yearly average is approximately 254 cm. During the shortest days of winter one can expect only a couple hours of daylight, and during the longest days of summer only a couple hours of darkness.

Wildlife
Just north of the community is a cliff where seagulls nest in the early summer. It is from this nesting place that Repulse Bay got its Inuktitut name: Naujaat (fledgling, or baby seagull). Other birds that make this region part of their annual migratory tour include: snow buntings (signaling the beginning of spring), loons, eider ducks, long-tailed ducks, jaegers, snowy owls, terns, ravens, ptarmigan, tundra swans, peregrine falcons, gyrfalcons, rough-legged hawks, Canada geese, snow geese, and sandhill cranes. There is also an abundance of marine wildlife around the community of Repulse Bay. When out boating in the ocean one has the chance to see bearded, ringed, harbour, or harp seals, as well as, beluga, orca, narwhal and, if extremely lucky, bowhead whales (the second largest animal on the planet), and possibly even polar bears or walrus.
When "out on the land" in either the fall or spring it is not uncommon to see herds of caribou within 25 kilometers of town. As well, arctic hares, wolves, foxes, and the occasional wolverine roam the tundra outside of Repulse Bay.

Transportation

Housing

Transportation
Both Calm Air and Kivalliq Air fly in and out of Repulse Bay once daily (Monday through Friday) and on Sunday. It costs approximately $1700.00 (Q sat or Excursion fare) to fly from Repulse Bay to Winnipeg (return). For more information regarding flight information, baggage allowance, and scheduling contact the airlines themselves. Phone numbers can be found in this document.

In the winter, flights are frequently delayed or cancelled due to inclement weather. The airline does not reimburse travelers for any expenses or costs incurred due weather delays or cancellations on flights to Repulse Bay.

As well, baggage handling can be challenging. Calm Air has different baggage allowances than Air Canada: on Calm Air, you are allowed to have two pieces of luggage, which cannot exceed a combined total of 80 lbs. If your bags are over 80 lbs, you will be charged $26.75 per bag. As well, when you check in at the Calm Air counter in Winnipeg, they will ask you to prioritize a bag that you want to make it with you to Repulse Bay. Be sure to pack your bags so that important articles are in one bag, and all less-important articles are in another. Pack essential items in your carry-on bag.

Housing
There are currently 97 two, three or four-bedroom houses in the Hamlet of Repulse Bay, six of which are designated for use by government employees. Staff houses have either two or three bedrooms and are owned by either the Government of Nunavut or Piruqsaijit Ltd. Rent in Repulse is expensive. Houses are furnished with the following: fridge, stove, washer and dryer, and living room, kitchen, and bedroom furniture. All other appliances (microwaves, vacuums, stereos, toasters etc.) should be brought up with you in your personal effects.

Water and heating oil are delivered to the houses on a regular basis, and septic tanks are pumped out every other day. Heating oil is included in the rent; utilities such as water delivery, sewage removal, garbage removal, telephone, cable, and power are not included in the rent.

If any problems or questions should arise, the following people can be contacted:
Nunavut Housing Corporation 857-8700
Piruqsaijit 645-2185 (Tracey Jackson)

School

School
Tusarvik School: The main school was constructed in 1968. There were numerous additions and renovations made throughout the seventies and early eighties. In 1997 the school was expanded- a new gym and many more classrooms were added during this time. Tusarvik School offers classes from Kindergarten to Grade 12, with a student population of approximately 240. There are 15 teachers on staff (including the administration), along with two custodians and one teaching assistant.

All instruction in Kindergarten is in Inuktitut, and throughout grades 1 to 3 students receive approximately one hour per day in English as a Second Language instruction. Between the grades of 4 and 9, students receive half an hour per day in Inuktitut instruction (the remainder being in English). And in grades 9 through 12 students receive, on average, one hour of Inuktitut instruction per day.

Tusarvik School is equipped with a Science Lab and a Computer Lab that has twenty computers, all of which have the capacity to access the Internet. Each classroom has a number of student computers and one teacher computer. The school also has a library with many books in both English and Inuktitut. There is a woodworking shop with numerous power tools and a kitchen/sewing room with many sewing machines and cooking supplies.

Tusarvik School

Tusarvik School

Food

Banks

Communications

Power

Medical

Recreation

Food
As mentioned above, the Hamlet of Repulse Bay has two stores. The Co-op (newly constructed in the fall of 2003) is located near the centre of town, while the Northern store (newly constructed in the fall of 2004) is located towards the northwest end of town, close to the shore. Both stores have a good supply of food, clothing, and general merchandise, and quite regularly bring in a fresh supply of fruits and vegetables (usually on Wednesday). Prices are fairly expensive when compared to the cost of goods "south of sixty".

When wanting to order items in bulk, sealift orders can be placed during the spring and summer and will arrive in the fall. It is highly recommended to order only frozen goods and non-perishable foodstuffs when placing a sealift order due to everything being prepaid and at the customer's own risk.

Banks
There are no banks in Repulse Bay. The nearest Royal Bank and CIBC are in Rankin Inlet. Normal banking activities can be done over the phone, Internet, or through mail. You can use your ATM card at the bank machine at the Northern Store to obtain cash and you can use it to pay for your purchases at both the Northern store and the Coop. Visa and Mastercard are also accepted.

Communications
The Hamlet of Repulse Bay has telephone hook-up, with Northwest Tel, that provides service through a local satellite. For phone service, call Northwestel at 1-800-661-0493. A residential line costs $35.00 per month. A long distance calling plan is available for $25.00 per month.

There is also a local radio station (CBC Radio One) that broadcasts part time in Inuktitut (the local language) and on the weekends in English.

Cable television is available, with approximately forty stations. The Co-op store handles the installation of cable and hook-up.

Satellite television is also available for those having their own dish. If you bring a satellite dish to Repulse Bay with you, it is advisable for you to get the largest size dish, as this will improve your reception, especially during bad weather.

There is currently local residential Internet service for a fee of $25.00 per month this gets you 100 hours of online time. The Internet is available at both schools, as well as at the local library.

Mail comes in and goes out daily, weather permitting. The post office is open from 1-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Regular post takes between 2 and 3 weeks to and from Winnipeg. Express post takes between 2 and 3 working days, again, weather permitting. Priority courier allows your mail to arrive in Winnipeg on the same day a much higher price.

Power
The Nunavut Power Corporation supplies the town with diesel driven electricity. Power service is well subsidized and fees vary depending on your residence, consumption, and household anywhere from $50.00 to $150.00 per month.

Medical
The Department of Health and Social Services operates a Health Centre in Repulse Bay, and consistently has two nurses on staff. A doctor serves the community approximately two weeks out of every two months. Dentists, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, and other specialists visit the community periodically. There is also a Home Care nurse operating out of the Health Centre, as well as, both an Income Support Worker and Social Worker.

If any serious medical conditions arise which require immediate medical response (doctor or service), patients are promptly evacuated to the nearest hospital (Churchill or Winnipeg).

Recreation
In 1985, a new recreation and office complex was built in Repulse Bay; however, this building and the hamlet office were lost in a fire on Christmas Eve of 2002.
Some activities you can expect to find in Repulse Bay are: bingos, dances, community sports, and celebratory feasts on special days and/or holidays. The community and school share the community gymnasium (it opens to the
community at 6:00 p.m. nightly).

Activities such as fishing, hunting, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, kayaking and hiking are popular with those who enjoy the outdoors. Something definitely worth considering if you enjoy the outdoors is the purchasing of either a fourwheeler or snowmobile (or both) to allow you better access to the outdoors. The majority of folks in town use these machines to transport themselves both in and out of town.

Church in Repulse Bay

Dog on the nuna

Housing units in Repulse Bay

Repulse Bay's Coop Store

Water trucks are a common sight in Nunavut

Additional Information