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The Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) has reached financial close on its first investment in Nunavut, marking a milestone in clean energy development in Canada’s Far North. A $6.7 million loan through the CIB’s Indigenous Community Infrastructure Initiative (ICII) will help finance the Anuriqjuak Nukkiksautiit Project (ANP) in Sanikiluaq, a remote Inuit community on the Belcher Islands.
The project, led by the Inuit-owned Nunavut Nukkiksautiit Corporation (NNC), will include the installation of a 1-megawatt wind turbine and a 1 megawatt-hour energy storage system. Once operational, it will replace up to 70%—about 600,000 litres—of the community’s diesel consumption for electricity, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving local energy security.
In addition to the CIB’s loan, the project is receiving $11.3 million in funding from Natural Resources Canada through the Clean Energy for Rural and Remote Communities program. The electricity generated will be sold to Qulliq Energy Corporation (QEC) and integrated into Sanikiluaq’s local grid, which currently relies entirely on diesel.
The ANP is expected to create approximately 20 jobs during peak construction and deliver long-term economic benefits through a profit-sharing model. Revenues will be directed toward community priorities, including reducing household electricity costs and supporting local schools, daycares, and social programs.This is CIB’s second investment in Canada’s Far North, following a $100 million loan to the Inuvialuit Energy Security Project in the Northwest Territories.
“The CIB is proud to make its first investment in Nunavut as we continue to help residents of the Far North increase their energy security and reduce reliance on imported diesel fuel. Beyond reduced emissions in the region, there are also important community benefits which will improve education, social services and more,” said Ehren Cory, CEO, Canada Infrastructure Bank
“This project is a big step toward clean, reliable and affordable energy in Nunavut. By replacing most of Sanikiliaq’s diesel with wind power, the community will have lower electricity costs and less pollution. As a nation of builders, our government is committed to investing in infrastructure that strengthens communities – especially in the North – where clean energy projects like this help build a more sustainable and self-reliant future,” added Hon. Rebecca Alty, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations
“Nunavut Nukkiksautiit Corporation is proud to be a leader in the clean energy transition in Nunavut, working alongside communities across the Qikiqtani Region to implement clean energy solutions that enable social, environmental, and economic prosperity for Qikiqtani Inuit. Energy sovereignty in the Arctic is more pressing each and every day as we continue to feel the real impacts of climate change in Nunavut. The Anuriqjuak Nukkiksautiit Project represents an energy future that prioritizes Inuit rights and environmental sustainability to ensure future generations have access to a safe, clean environment for many years to come,” noted Harry Flaherty, President & CEO of Qikiqtaaluk Corporation & Group of Companies, of which, Nunavut Nukkiksautiit Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary
