We are excited to release 9 reports on Nunavummiut uses and needs for weather, water, ice, and climate information and services!

Weather, water, ice, and climate (WWIC) information and services are not meeting the needs of Inuit and northerners. This is especially problematic because weather, water, and ice conditions in Inuit Nunangat (Inuit homelands in the Canadian Arctic) are increasingly unpredictable. Social and political changes have also impacted the intergenerational transfer of Inuit knowledge and subsistence harvesting practices, creating challenges for Inuit to travel safely on the land, water and ice.

The goal of our ArcticNet-funded project was to build a broader understanding of the WWIC information that is available, and how it is shared and used in Nunavut communities.

We followed the Aajiiqatigingniq research methodology, outlined by the Aqqiumavvik Society working with Elders from across Nunavut. This methodology guides our collective efforts at consensus-building and decision-making throughout the project. Our collaborative approach focused on engaging Local Research Coordinators (LRCs) in co-creating and facilitating a survey to document WWIC uses and needs across Nunavut.

In a Nunavut-wide and community-specific reports, we share the results of 360 questionnaires facilitated by 19 LRCs in their home communities of: Arviat, Cambridge Bay, Clyde River, Coral Harbour, Gjoa Haven, Iqaluit, Sanikiluaq, and Pond Inlet, Nunavut.

Through two collaborative analysis workshops (Fall 2021 and Fall 2022), northern and southern research partners interpreted results to highlight Nunavummiut-identified:

1. travel habits (spatial, temporal, and purpose);
2. environmental conditions that inform decision-making about travel safety;
3. sources of environmental information used from community and polar service providers (source type, access, and challenges); and,
4. training interests.

Reports also share key messages for service providers and community organizations seeking to tailor WWIC products and services to support safe travel in Nunavut.

Ultimately, we hope that the results of this project will lead to improved services that can help people travel more safely on the land.