Iqaluit, Nunavut - The Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor), today announced six geoscience research projects in Nunavut. This initiative was made possible through Canada's Economic Action Plan and will encourage future investments in resource exploration in Nunavut.

“Building our knowledge of Nunavut's unique geography will support long-term economic growth in the Territory,” said Minister Strahl, who is also Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor of Metis and Non-Status Indians. “By investing in research now, we are developing opportunities for Nunavut communities for the future.”

“Resource development is an important part of Nunavut's economy and this investment will help provide further growth in the future,” said the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister Responsible for the North and Minister of Health.

The Government of Canada is providing funding of $1.1 million from the Strategic Investments in Northern Economic Development (SINED) program. This investment will support six separate geoscience projects targeted for completion during the 2009 field season. The Government of Nunavut's Department of Economic Development and Transportation is overseeing the 2009-10 geoscience research program, and the work will be conducted by the Canada-Nunavut Geoscience Office in cooperation with the Geological Survey of Canada. Details about each of these projects are provided in the Backgrounder.

“Geological mapping and research in Nunavut are crucial to maintain the mining industry's interest in exploring for resources in our territory,” said Economic Development and Transportation Minister Peter Taptuna. “The Canada-Nunavut Geoscience Office's work will also contribute to developing new opportunities in our communities. This funding is vital.”

The SINED program falls under the mandate of CanNor and focuses on the long-term economic development in the three territories. CanNor is responsible for coordinating and delivering federal economic development activities in the territories, and for policy, research and advocacy. Promoting social and economic development in the North is one of the four pillars of the Government of Canada's integrated Northern Strategy.


Backgrounder - The Six Geoscience Research Projects for Nunavut

The geoscience research projects funded by CanNor will improve the public availability of geoscience information; apply new technologies to assist the resource exploration in the north; provide resource inventories of materials for community improvement and commercial developments, and assess landscape hazards in northern communities for planning or risk mitigation.

Project 1: Continued development and maintenance of Nunavut Geoscience Web site

Project total: $130,000
CanNor funding: $50,000
In order for mineral development to occur in Nunavut, clients require well-managed and web-accessible data to make the best decisions. Nunavutgeoscience.ca helps to achieve that by managing quality geoscience data in a web-based application. The work proposed for 2009-10 includes updating and upgrading the application, development of a “New Releases” page, adding an Oil and Gas view and working with new partners to include community-area geology data.


Project 2: Airborne hyperspectral remote sensing as a mineral exploration tool, Kitikmeot Region (zinc/silver and gold deposits)

Project total: $325,000
CanNor funding: $250,000
The objective of this project is to map the hyperspectral response of areas known to host massive sulphide and orogenic gold mineralization in the northern Slave Province. This project will significantly assist in the geoscience mapping and exploration of Nunavut. Having better geoscience information will help attract exploration and mining investments in Nunavut.


Project 3: Detailed geological investigation of gold deposits and their genesis (Hope Bay Belt)
Project total: $60,000
CanNor funding: $60,000
The Hope Bay Belt contains a number of significant gold occurrences and although they have been studied in varying degrees of detail, there are still significant parts that are poorly understood. New mapping and research will help to develop a deeper understanding of the gold occurrences in this area, help make better exploration decisions and attract further investment to Nunavut.


Project 4: Aggregate resource mapping
Project total: $150,000
CanNor funding: $150,000
In order for infrastructure development to occur and related economic development be carried out, sufficient quantity and quality of granular material must be available for every Nunavut community. It is not possible to build anything without sufficient and proper material. This project is intended to locate, map and describe potential sources for aggregate or granular materials in three Nunavut communities. These are: Gjoa Haven, where presently there is no material for road maintenance; Pangnirtung, where there is insufficient material to complete major infrastructure projects including roads and; Repulse Bay, where there is insufficient material for road maintenance.
By identifying potential resources and mapping them, the infrastructure development so badly needed in many of these communicates can continue.


Project 5: Investigation of location and extent of industrial minerals, limestone (carbonate) resources (Southampton Island)
Project total: $40,000
CanNor funding: $40,000
Certain compositions of limestone are better for use at industrial mine sites than others. Generally, these contain more carbonate. Areas around Coral Harbour, Nunavut contain extensive amounts of this limestone which could potentially be used in water treatment at mines, explosion abatement at mines, cement manufacturing and for many other industrial uses. The limestone deposit near Coral Harbour is in a strategic location for barging to major mining projects in the Kivalliq Region. This project will result in an assessment of the limestone and its potential industry use. Should the limestone be found to have properties favourable to mine-use, the potential for further development could be explored.


Project 6: Community landscape hazard mapping
Project total: $650,000
CanNor funding: $550,000
Economic development in Nunavut is undoubtedly impacted by climate change. New infrastructure construction linked to community and resource development, the integrity and maintenance of existing municipal infrastructure needs are all affected. This project began in 2006 and aims to identify and characterize potential climate change impacts and adaptation strategies for municipalities. It will integrate geoscience information into the decision making process. The project plans for 2009-10 are to be active in several Nunavut communities with a focus on evaluating landscape hazards. The results of this work will allow for better community planning, better information for infrastructure development and a greater understanding of permafrost characterization to identify risks.
The 2009-10 geoscience projects have been funded through the Strategic Investments in Northern Economic Development (SINED) program. Canada’s Economic Action Plan (Budget 2009) renewed funding for the SINED program at $90 million over five years. Funding available under SINED is divided evenly between the three territories.
SINED is administered by CanNor, the newly established agency responsible for coordinating and delivering federal economic development activities in the territories, and for policy, research and advocacy. This announcement reinforces the Government of Canada’s work to advance an integrated Northern Strategy to exercise Canada’s Arctic sovereignty, protect the North’s environmental heritage, promote social and economic development and improve and devolve northern governance.