Introduction

History

Introduction
Qikiqtarjuaq, formerly known as Broughton Island, is located just four kilometres off of the east coast of Baffin Island in Davis Strait. It is 100km north of the Arctic Circle and 483 km north of Iqaluit, the territory's capital. Although the island is referred to as the island, as its Inuktitut name suggests, the island is in fact only 12km wide and 16km long. The community has a population of approximately 520 people and 95% of these people are Inuit. Inuktitut is the language used in and around town by the Inuit.
The island consists almost entirely of Precambrian rock and sand. The area surrounding the island is very mountainous, with peaks rising to 2700 metres. Qikiqtarjuaq is at the north end of the Pangnirtung Pass, the largest icecap in North America. Qikiqtarjuaq also borders on Auyuittuq National Park. Mount Thor, a 1500 metre vertical cliff, which is reputed to be the tallest cliff in the world, is also located in Auyuittuq Park (one of the scenes from a James Bond movie was filmed on Mount Thor). More information on Auyuittuq National Park can be obtained from Parks Canada website or call 1-867-473-8828. The email address for Auyuittuq National Park is nunavut.info@pch.gc.ca.

History
From the early 1800s, European whalers had been traveling in Davis Strait and trading with Inuit who were in the area during the summer months. Kivitoo, a whaling station 64km north of the current community location, and Padloping Island, 96km south of the island, were the main Inuit gathering points.
The community of Broughton Island did not become a settlement until the mid 1950s when a runway for the new Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line site was being built (the military pulled out of the area in 1992). A number of Inuit families from Padloping Island and Pangnirtung moved there to find employment. Inuit continued to live at Kivitoo until 1962 when a tragic drowning accident took the lives of a number of men who were returning from trading at Broughton Island. The Kivitoo population abandoned their camp and by 1963 had relocated to Broughton Island. Between 1964 and 1968, the Padloping settlement folded up and its residents were relocated to Broughton Island. The community has since been renamed Qikiqtarjuaq.

On the water - Qikiqtarjuaq

Weather

Wildlife

Weather
The annual precipitation in Qikiqtarjuaq is about 272 cm of snow and 3.5 cm of rain. The coldest months are from December to March with temperatures ranging from -30°C to -40°C. But the wind chill factor brings them much lower. The summers are short, lasting trough most of July and August. Summer temperatures are cool, usually in the 10°C range. Snow can be expected in any month, but usually begins in late September.
Qikiqtarjuaq has an occasional blizzard, but the area is not known for extreme high winds and blowing snow. Most of the time the skies are clear and during the light season, the sun is shining for most of the day. Since the air is so dry, a humidifier is a necessity. Likewise, a good moisturizer is necessary since your skin will probably get dry.

Wildlife
Abundant wildlife and beautiful scenery attract many visitors to Qikiqtarjuaq. The area is rich in marine mammal wildlife and you can see Right Whales, belugas, narwhal, killer whales, walruses, and ringed and harp seals in the waters surrounding Qikiqtarjuaq.
Arctic char are also found in the rivers, lakes, and offshore waters; however, they are not usually fished near town.
Polar bears often wander near town, especially during the fall. Although they are a great attraction, keep in mind they are very dangerous animals. Caribou are not found in Qikiqtarjuaq, but local hunters often travel great distances to get them.
There are also a variety of birds found on the island, such as snow geese, ducks, ravens, snowy owls, snow buntings, gulls, and many other species of birds found only in a northern environment.
The Department of Renewable Resources wildlife officer, Russell Dignam, can provide you hunting and fishing licenses. It is best to get the hunting and fishing regulation brochures from that office regarding residency, open seasons, catch limit, fees, etc. their telephone number is 927-8863. Qikiqtarjuaq also has a hunters and trappers organization that can be reached at 927-8836.

There ARE polar bears...

....AND Icebergs!!

Transportation

Housing

Transportation
Since Qikiqtarjuaq is an isolated community, the only means of transportation in and out of town is by air. First Air has scheduled flights from Mondays to Fridays (Iqaluit-Pangnirtung-Qikiqtarjuaq). Kenn Borek airlines has flights on Monday to Friday, and Sunday. Therefore, the only day without scheduled flights is Saturday. First Air is an Air
Canada partner.
Airfares are expensive in Nunavut. The average flight from Qikiqtarjuaq to Ottawa ranges from $1600 to $2100.
Locally, there are approximately 8 km of dirt and gravel roads in the town. The roads are maintained and in good condition. During the winter, they are plowed and sanded. There are quite a few vehicles in town, some are personally owned, with others are owned by the hamlet of Qikiqtarjuaq. Most people, however, use ATVs and snowmobiles as a means of travel. Boats are also used during the summer and fall.
The road to the DEW line site is also approximately 8 km long, but since the military pulled out in 1992, the road is no longer maintained and should be considered a 4x4 road at best. However, in the spring of 2004, the road will be upgraded so that the DEW line station can be disassembled. These roads are great for the mountain biking enthusiasts.
There is no taxi service in town right now; however, there isn't usually any problem getting a ride to and from the airport. Upon arrival, someone from the District Education Authority or the school will be there to meet you. Everything in town is within walking distance, so this usually isn't a problem.

Housing
As with most communities in Nunavut, housing is in short supply. There are a few houses available for teachers that are government owned and rented for approximately $1200 to $1400 per month for couples and $600.00 to $800.00 per month for singles. These houses are in relatively good condition, and are maintained by the Housing Association in Qikiqtarjuaq. Each government house is furnished and includes the basic appliances(washer, dryer, fridge, oven). This, however, does not include television, or small kitchen appliances. Talk to your principal as well about available housing. Heating oil for the furnace is included in the monthly rental, but utilities such as electricity, water delivery, garbage collection, and sewage removal are extra. Water is delivered by truck to a water reservoir tank in your house and sewage is pumped out by a truck from the sewage tank). If you live in the five-plex apartment building, water and sewage is included in your rent. Separate dwellings have water and sewage costs, at about $40 per month. Garbage removal is also about $25 per month.

School

School
The enrollment in the school, as of September 2003, was 160 students. The school is divided into two wings, with four classrooms in each wing. Kindergarten to grade five use one wing of the building and grades six to twelve use the other wing.
There is a regular-sized gym that the students use on a daily basis.
The school library has a large selection of books for all ages. This year, part of the library has been converted to a classroom in the morning, for use by the grade one students. There is also an industrial arts room where shop is taught in the afternoons. The kitchen is used for the breakfast program (which is offered to all students from 8:30am to 9:00 each school day), baking classes, and for afternoon sewing classes, and such cultural activities as preparing country foods, making kammiks, etc.
The computer room has 18 computers and a printer. Many students learn the basics in keyboarding, but they have use of the Internet for research and e-mail services.
Most classrooms are multi-graded, where the students usually progress through the grades with their peers. There is a high school credit system in place, based on the Western curriculum. Since this is the case, students in senior high must get all of their required credits in each grade before they can move to a new grade level.
The staff allotment for each year depends upon the school enrollment at the end of September of the previous year. At present there are 13 teachers, one school community counselor, four student support assistants, a secretary, and a janitor.
Inuktitut is the primary language of instruction for classes in kindergarten to grade four. From grade five to grade twelve the primary language of instruction is English. ESL is also taught to all students from K-4, and classes from grade 5 to 12 have Inuktitut on a regular basis.
When funding becomes available, through programs like Brighter Futures, the school is able to offer Cultural Inclusion programs for students, especially in the senior high classes. This year, due to available funding, students were taught Qamutiq making, fishing, and weather forecasting. Most of these traditional skills are taught by skilled hunters or elders in the community.
Qikiqtarjuaq is a growing community and as a result a school extension is planned in the next few years that would see additional space to effectively deliver more courses and programs at Inuksuit School.

Inuksuit School

Food

Communications

Postal Service

Power

Medical

Police

Churches

Recreation

Food
In Qikiqtarjuaq, food may be purchased from either the Northern Store or the Coop. There is also a small convenience store called Leelie Enterprises.

The food costs are very high. Some examples of the cost are:
2L 2% milk............$6.69
1 doz eggs............$3.39
1 loaf of bread.......$4.29
1 lb butter...........$4.49
1 kg bag of flour.....$4.39
1 can of Coke.........$2.10
170g bag of chips.....$4.39
1 doz oranges.........$11.49

The selection of fresh produce is not always available, so many teachers make a foodmail order from Marche Central, a grocery store chain from Quebec. Usually, the company faxes a copy of weekly specials on a Wednesday, and the mail-order must be placed by noon on the following Monday. The food then arrives on Friday by mail and can be picked up at the airport (when you order make sure that you specify food-mail and not cargo). There is a tremendous difference in the price. To set up an account with Marche Central call 1-450-581-5551
For non-perishable food items, including frozen food and produce, many teachers place a sea lift order with Marche Turenne, a sea lift company in Montreal. This is usually done in May or June for the following year. Get a copy of their catalogue by calling 1-514-637-3231. Once you have a copy of their catalogue, fill out the form. This company will arrange with the sealift company to have your bulk food items shipped to Qikiqtarjuaq.
Sea-lift services to Qikiqtarjuaq are provided by Nortran Inc. They can be contacted by calling 1-867-979-0095. Email address is nortran@nunanet.com.

Banking
There are no banks in Qikiqtarjuaq, so it is strongly advised that you have your pay cheques directly deposited into your bank account. The local businesses are also reluctant to accept any personal cheques. 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 to obtain cash and you can use it to pay for your purchases
at both the Northern store and the Coop. Visa is also accepted.

Communications
Northwestel serves the Eastern Arctic and long distance rates are reasonable, even by southern standards. Out of town calls are relayed by satellite, so there is a noticeable delay when talking.

CBC radio broadcasts on an FM station, which is interrupted at intervals during the day with local programming.

Cable television is available. Without cable, there is one channel, APTN, which has a combination of English and Inuktitut programs. The cost of cable is $69.55 per month. To have your cable connected call the Tulugak Coop at 927-8061.

Access to the Internet is available, but it is currently expensive since it is long distance. By the end of May 2004, Qikiqtarjuaq should have local dial up services through Nunanet. Contact Nunanet at 979-0772. Inuksuit school also has Internet connections.

Mail arrives from Montreal and Ottawa via air. First Air brings it on their regular flights. Services vary and letters take from four days to two weeks from the south. Parcels take from four days to six weeks. An updated schedule will be available upon arrival. The post office is located in the Northern Store and a limited number of post office boxes are available. To get a box, you can go to he Northern Store or call 927-8197 to be connected
to the post office. The postal code is X0A 0B0.

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. to $150. per month. It is recommended that you bring a battery-operated clock because electric clocks will gain and lose time on a regular basis.

Police
The Qikiqtarjuaq RCMP is a two-member detachment. To contact the RCMP, call 927-1111 or 927-0123. There are also two community by-law officers, employed by the Hamlet, who regularly patrol the community.

There is a volunteer fire department in the community. Recently, a new fire truck was purchased for the community. There are no insurance agencies in town, and you may have difficulty getting a policy in the south. Most people get tenant's insurance through Nunavut Insurance in Winnipeg. Call them at 204-988-4691.

Medical
There is a health center in town with two nurse practitioners, a community health nurse, a community counselor, and a social worker. Serious illnesses are flown to Iqaluit or Ottawa. A doctor and a dentist visit the community on a regular basis.

Recreation
As in most communities, most recreation is of the make it yourself variety. Depending on the interest, the gym can be used for organized sports. There is a gym at the school and one at the Hamlet building. The school also has a room that contains a universal gym and two tread mills. There is a recreation director working at the Hamlet and may be reached at 927-8401.
A new skating arena was constructed in 1996, which is usually open from January to April or May. There is also a swimming pool, but due to funding it may not be open this year.
During the fall, the area provides great hiking trails and during the spring, cross-country skiing is popular. Ski-dooing is also popular when the weather warms a little in April.
During the winter, it is often too cold for outdoor activities, so it is recommended that you bring along what you need for a hobby.

View of the "nuna" in Qikiqtarjuaq

Lots of Opportunity to dogsled...

...and camp in winter!

Beautiful view of the land!

Views of the Community of Qikiqtarjuaq

Additional Information