Introduction

History

Introduction
Hall Beach, in Inuktitut, Sanirajak, meaning "the place along the coast", is a small town located along the Foxe Basin along the 70th parallel. The population of Hall Beach is approximately 650 people, 92% Inuit and 8% non-Inuit. The language predominately spoken in Hall Beach is Inuktitut.
Hall Beach is a town where Inuit traditional culture and language are strong. On a walk around the town, you will find local residents camped in tents during summer, fishing and cooking walrus meat and maktaaq (beluga whale skin).

History
This area was once inhabited by the Thule people; evidence of their existence can still be found fairly close to town in the form of abandoned sites (sod houses). Tents rings, food caches, grave sites, and subterranean houses are found north of the community at places called Qimmiqturvik and Nappaqut. Resting on the beaches at the southern end of town are many Thule winter houses. Still visible are the flagstone floors, rafters, and walls.
Blocks of sod that once covered the roofs lie fallen on the ground.
Early contact between Inuit and outsiders was sporadic but intense. William Parry and G.F. Lyon were the first Europeans to visit the area in 1822-23, while wintering in their ships at Igloolik.
While most communities in Nunavut grew around trading posts, whaling stations, and missionaries, Hall Beach was created in 1957 when the Distant Early Warning (DEW) radar sites was established. The DEW line was set up to help monitor Canadian air space in the far north. Now Fox-MAIN, the Hall Beach radar station, uses the more advanced North Warning Radar System that has replaced the archaic DEW line technology. The outdated twin 120- foot tall antennas now serve as landmarks for aircraft and hunters.
In 1953, no one lived in Hall Beach on a permanent basis. By 1960, the number of qallunaat (white people) outnumbered the Inuit people. In the early 1960’s, Inuit families began to move to the community to take advantage of government housing programs, health care as well as for work and education.

The DEW Line

Weather

Wildlife

Weather
The temperatures in August to October range from 8°C to –15°C. The ice starts to freeze over in November. In January temperatures can go as low as –60°C. It can get very windy at times, too.
The dark season is from the middle of November to the middle of January. 24-hour daylight starts in the middle of May and runs until the middle of August. Spring camping is enjoyable. The snow does not completely melt until the middle of July.

Wildlife
The land around Hall Beach is very flat and covered by ponds and lakes. Many species of migratory birds come to the area in late spring and summer, some of which nest locally. Loons, geese, eider ducks, terns, jaegers, gyrfalcons, snow bunting and snowy owl are a few notable species.
Although caribou can be found some distance from town, Hall Beach is known more for its marine mammals. Strong ocean currents keep the water open throughout the winter.
Seals, walrus, beluga and polar bear are common in the area. There are large numbers of walrus in this region and hunting for them is best between the months of July to September. Foxe Basin is also one of the few areas in the Eastern Arctic that still holds a good population of Bowhead whales.

Beautiful Nunavut!

Transportation

Housing

Transportation
First Air flies scheduled flights in and out of Hall Beach several times a week. To get to Hall Beach, you must travel from either Ottawa or Montreal to Iqaluit, and then on to Hall Beach from there. You will either have to overnight in Ottawa or Iqaluit. The average cost of a ticket from Hall Beach to Ottawa is around $2000. Airfares are extremely expensive; try to use Aeroplan points if possible. If you plan on using Aeroplan points, you must book well in advance.
Locally, people travel around the community by ATV in the spring, summer and early fall. In the winter, snowmobile is the most practical method of transportation.

Housing
One, two and three bedroom apartments are available. There is a housing shortage in Hall Beach and there may be possibilities of sharing housing with other teachers. The units are furnished with complete bedroom and living room furniture, fridge, stove, as well as a washer and dryer. Microwave ovens, televisions, stereos and curtains are not included.
Some units may have curtains. Rent ranges from $950 to $ 1300 monthly and it is deducted from your pay.
Utilities such as water delivery, sewage pump out, power, telephone, and cable/satellite services are not included in your rent. Both water and sewage services are provided by trucks, and are usually delivered every other day. When you arrive in your town, visit the hamlet office to have your service initiated.
Be aware that some of the units are older then others. If you are placed in an older apartment, you may have to do some cleaning. They are in relatively good shape.

Hall Beach

School

School
Arnaqjuaq School goes from kindergarten to Grade 12. There are approximately 23 people on staff (including Classroom Support Assistants) and 239 students. There is a gym, computer room, kitchen, science lab facilities (limited), shop and a small library. There are 7 teaching periods in a day. School starts at 8:50am to 3:30pm with a 55 minute lunch period. Classes from Kindergarten to Grade3 are taught in Inuktitut.
Classes from Grade 1 to Grade 3 receive one to two periods of ESL per day. The school has many resources for teachers, however if you have material that you like to use in your teaching practices, it is recommended that you bring them with you.

Arnaqjuaq School

Food

Communications

Postal Service

Power

Medical

Police

Churches

Recreation

Food
There is a Northern store and a Co-op store in which to purchase groceries. Keep in mind things will be more expensive. There is also possibility of doing Food Mail. You order through a grocery store in Montreal. To do this, you must place a faxed order on Monday morning to receive food on Friday’s plane. The prices are the same as those down south but you pay 20% up charge and the cost of stamps. This offers an opportunity to get grocery items, which are not available in the community.
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 and are delivered between July and September. Orders can be made through several companies, including Marché Turenne (514-637-3231), or Marché Daoust (450-373-7347). This is recommended for items such as toilet paper, dog food, laundry detergent,
soft drinks, canned food, flour, and sugar.

Banks
There are no banks in Hall Beach. Normal banking activities can be done over the phone, Internet, or through mail. The closest banks are in Iqaluit, which includes the Royal Bank, Bank of Montreal, 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 radiobroadcasts on an FM station, which is interrupted at intervals during the day with local programming.

Call the CO-OP store at (867) 928-8876 to have your cable installed. Many people have Bell ExpressVu satellites because they offer more channels. Order the largest size dish if you choose to buy a satellite.

Internet service is available at the school. It is possible to get Internet service at your home, but you must pay for the long distance connection to the nearest server, which can be costly because the connection is extremely slow. However, there is high speed Internet on the way.

There is a Canada Post office and it is open daily (various times throughout the week). It is located at the CO-OP store. 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 Center 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 visit town on a regular basis. Contact the health center if you need to minor medical attention. Serious medical conditions, procedures, or emergencies are flown to Iqaluit or Ottawa.

Police
The RCMP has a detachment in Hall Beach manned by 2 police officers.

Churches
There are two churches located in Hall Beach - an Anglican and a Roman Catholic Church.

Recreation
Outdoor recreational activities are common, and you should take every opportunity to get involved in your community. These activities are what make the living in the north most enjoyable. Rod and reel fishing is popular in the early fall. Be sure to purchase a fishing license before you do, though.
Snowmobiling during the winter (November to March) is cold, but, come the spring, it is a different story. From the end of March to the end of May, snowmobiling is a pleasure. You may even have the opportunity to travel to Igloolik, a few hours away. Visiting is a common form of recreation. Home entertaining is usually quite informal and relaxing. There are also community activities such as feasts, dances, radio bingo and games. There
is a skating rink that offers recreational skating and hockey. The school gym is opened at selected times for community sports.

The Community of Hall Beach

The Coop Store in Hall Beach

Additional Information