| Grise Fiord
Introduction
History
Introduction
At 76° 24’ N, Grise Fiord is Canada’s most northerly community. It is situated on the southern coast of Ellesmere Island, overlooking Jones Sound. The community rests at the foot of 600 metres of high mountains - 1544 km from the North Pole. At this latitude, the midnight sun of summer, from April through August, means that days end only when your energy does. This 24 hour of daylight is appropriately referred to as the 'light season'.
By September, some darkness returns to the high arctic, increasing until the end of October, when darkness prevails throughout the day (the dark season). The sun makes its reappearance in early February.
History
There is evidence of pre-Dorset, Dorset, and Thule cultures inhabiting Ellesmere Island; however, by at least the 18th century, these inhabitants had disappeared. The area between Craig Harbour and Lindstrom Peninsula, just west of Grise Fiord, is dotted by the remains of houses, tent rings, fox traps, and graves. Some of these sites date back as far as 4 000 years ago. The next occupation was temporary, by several Inuit from Pond Inlet who migrated to Greenland via Ellesmere Island in the mid-nineteenth century.
For the next century, the only inhabitants, apart from passing European explorers, were occasional hunters from Greenland and RCMP officers and the Inuit families that they employed. Otto Sverdrup, a Norweigan explorer, mapped the area at the turn of the century. The expedition’s ship spent the winter of 1899 in what Sverdrup named Harbour Fiord, the fiord west of Grise Fiord. After Sverdrup, the next non-Inuit to inhabit southern Ellesmere Island were members of the RCMP. The Canadian government established posts in the 1920’s. Plans were to build a detachment near Fram Fiord, but sea ice conditions during the summer of 1922 forced the government to build further east.
The community itself was created in 1953, when the Canadian government relocated three families from Inukjuak in northern Quebec, and one family from Pond Inlet. The reasons for this move have been the source of great controversy in the north. This original settlement was 8 km of the current location.
The Community of Grise Fiord
Beautiful Scenery!
Weather
Wildlife
Weather
Temperatures can reach as low as –40°C in January, with temperatures regularly hovering in the –30°C range. Temperatures in July can reach as high as 10°C, but they usually stay around 5°C. The coldness of the area causes the sea to remain frozen for ten months of the year. Snow covers the ground from late September to late June.
Wildlife
Among the attractions of Grise Fiord is the possibility it offers to view various species of marine and land mammals, as well as birds. The ringed seal is the primary local source of food. Harp and bearded seals are also seen in and around the area. Muskox congregate by the shores of Fram Fiord and Sor Fiord. There is an annual community hunting quota of 78, which provides meat for the local population. Beluga, narwhal, walrus, and polar
bears are also found around the area. Ravens, ivory gulls, Canada geese, jaegers, gyrfalcons, northern fulmars, and black-legged kittiwakes are some of the more commonly seen birds in and around the Grise Fiord area.
Just a light snowfall...
Transportation
Housing
Transportation
Transportation to Grise Fiord is by Twin Otter from Resolute Bay. Kenn Borek Air provides twice-weekly service. It is extremely expensive to get into Grise Fiord. A ticket to Ottawa can cost anywhere from $2500. to $3000. As well, travelers are unable to use Aeroplan points to fly into Grise Fiord; however, you can use them as far as Resolute Bay. Seats are extremely difficult to book, so if you plan on using points to fly to or from Resolute Bay, be sure to book well in advance. Resolute Bay can be reached directly from Montreal and Ottawa on First Air.
Locally, people travel around the community by ATV in the spring, summer, and early fall. In the winter months, snowmobile is the most practical method of transportation.
Housing
There are one or two bedroom units available. All government units in Grise Fiord come furnished. If you decide to rent privately be sure to inquire about furnishings. Furniture, stove, fridges, washers, and dryers come standard with government housing. Some things you may want to consider bringing or purchasing from outgoing staff are microwaves, televisions, toasters, and deep freezers for sea-lift orders. Rent ranges from
$900.00 to $1400.00 per month depending on the unit. Arctic Bay has had existing government houses upgraded in recent years, and several new units have been constructed, so your housing needs should be easily met.
Utilities such as water delivery, sewage pump-out, cable, satellite, power, and telephone are not included with your rent, although heating fuel is in all government housing.
Landing in Grise Fiord
School
School
Food
Communications
Postal Service
Power
Medical
Police
Churches
Recreation
Food
There is one store in Grise Fiord: the Grise Fiord Inuit Co-op. This store sells a variety of groceries, household goods, and supplies. Fresh produce is flown in regularly, but the variety is not comparable to that that you would find in grocery stores down south. The prices are much higher than those down south, too. Many items are expensive because of freight prices.
Some examples of prices are:
Can of Coke........... $3.00
4L milk................$12.00
6 oranges..............$6.50
5lbs potatoes..........$8.00
For non-perishable and frozen foods, people often place sealift orders: large orders that are delivered by large barges during the summer. Orders are usually made in May or June are are delivered between July and September. Orders can be made through several companies, including Marche Turenne (514-637-3231) or Marche Daoust (450-373-7347). This is recommended for items such as toilet paper, dog food, laundry detergent, soft drinks, canned food, flour, and sugar.
For other items to be sealifted, you can contact North Eastern Arctic Shipping at 1-888-908-0000.
There are no banks in Grise Fiord. Normal banking activities can be done over the phone, Internet, or through mail. The closest banks are in Iqaluit, which includes the Royal Bank and CIBC. You can use your ATM card at the bank machine at the Northern Store and the Co-op 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
For phone service, call Northwestel at 1-800-661-0493. A residential line costs $35. per month. Along distance calling plan is available for $25. per month. You will need ID for a phone, a security deposit of at least $100. (a one time connection fee of $42.50). Please allow several days for your telephone line to be ready.
CBC radio broadcasts on an FM station, which is interrupted at intervals during the day with local programming.
Call the Grise Fiord Inuit Co-op to have your cable installed.
Internet service is available at the school or the library free of charge.
The government has a plan to introduce broadband internet service to all communities within the next year. Everybody is patiently waiting for this service to arrive.
There is a Canada Post office and it is open from 9 to 12 and 1 to 5 from Mondays to Fridays. Allow two to three weeks for letter or parcel delivery in Canada. ExpressPost is available.
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. A typical power bill can cost anywhere from $50 to $150 per month. To set up your electricity account, call Nunavut Power Corporation at 1-800-491-8127.
Medical
The Health Centre is open weekdays from 9am to 5pm, staffed by registered nurses who treat routine health problems. Nurses are also on call for emergencies. Doctors, dentists, and other specialists visits town on a regular basis. Contact the health center if you need to have minor medical attention. Serious medical conditions, procedures, or emergencies are flown to Iqaluit or Ottawa.
Police
The RCMP have a detachment in Grise Fiord manned by two police officers. There are also community by-law officers, employed by the hamlet, who regularly patrol the community.
Churches
There are Anglican, Roman Catholic, and Glad Tidings churches in town.
Recreation
There are many opportunities for people to go on land trips. Many teachers either purchase a skidoo or bring one with them to go out exploring on the land. The springtime in Grise Fiord is very beautiful. This is the best time of the year to get out and experience the land surrounding Grise Fiord.
There are other social opportunities in Grise Fiord. Many people use the library, which is opened one evening a week and offers a wide selection of material. There are also community activities such as feasts and games. There is a skating rink that offers recreational skating and hockey.