Discussions for GN to buy in to Canadian North ‘ongoing’
Territory has two weeks to decide whether to become a minority shareholder of Nunavut’s biggest airline
A Canadian North flight touches down in Pangnirtung in a file photo from September 2023. The Nunavut government has yet to decide whether it will become a minority owner of Canadian North. (File photo by Corey Larocque)
The Government of Nunavut is still considering becoming a minority owner of Canadian North, as the deadline to buy in nears, according to a GN spokesperson.
“I can confirm that discussions are still ongoing,” wrote Casey Lessard, communications director for the Department of Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs, in an email to Nunatsiaq News.
The deadline is July 15.
The territorial government received the option to buy equity in Bradley Air Services (operating as Canadian North) as part of a 2025 agreement with Winnipeg-based Exchange Income Corp., which owns Calm Air, Keewatin Air and Canadian North.
The deal replaced separate agreements the territorial government had with Calm Air and with Canadian North, which covered duty and medical travel, as well as cargo services.
But the government hasn’t “formally notified” Exchange Income Corp. on its decision, company’s CEO Mike Pyle said in an email Friday.
Before the November 2025 territorial election, then community services minister David Akeeagok said the decision to acquire the airline would be made by newly-elected MLAs.
However, the spring siting wrapped up June 11 without a vote, and the fall sitting is scheduled to start in October.
Lessard didn’t say if the government will meet the deadline or whether it will be extended.
Canadian North is Nunavut’s largest airline and the territory’s only “road system,” Akeeagok has said. Exchange Income Corp. bought it from Makivvik Corp. and Inuvialuit Regional Corp. for $205 million in February 2025.
“The acquisition of Canadian North has exceeded all of our expectations thus far,” Pyle wrote Friday. “The company is profitable.”
In 2023, Pita Aatami, president of Makivvik Corp., the airlines previous co-owneer, said it was “losing millions” on the airline.
I hope if Government of Nunavut ends up buying or be a share holder, the cost will go down because the cost if outrageous now. So many people cannot go south like Ottawa due to the highest cost. You can go somewhere hot for $599 for week or 2, and just to go to Ottawa you pay close to $3000. This is crazy when it is only 2.5 hrs or so to fly to Ottawa. Highway robbery Canadian North.
We also seriously need another airline for Competition. I know Canadian North is known to chase away Competition like Air Canada, but never give up other Completions because Nunavumiut deserve to go on Vacations or go shopping for groceries for the year. If the GN does not buy, they need to start covering the cost of freights on sealift to help us Nunavumiut. The MLA’s make allot of money and do not care abut the cost of living, because they have it made.
The reason costs are so high are because of the governments medical travel contract stipulations.
Expecting prices to go down because of GN buy in? Think of government project management and procurement…
supply and demand.
The population of Canada is 41,410,000 people. Population of NWT and Nunavut combined is 88,000 people; that’s 0.002 percent in the North compared to Canada. The infrastructure of southern airports allow much different aircraft to fly there along with numerous other airlines from around the world. That is why it is cheaper to fly down south.
We have one major airline along with a couple of others that support other regions.
The GN may buy into Canadian North and yes it will help. But you will not see $500 fares from Iqaluit to Ottawa or Gjoa Haven to Edmonton when and if they do.
Canadian north rules the north ! The new norm since 1st air merged with Cdn. No competition from any other airlines. Canadian north rules Nunavut airspace. Government gonna go broke trying to buy this airline of the north. In Nunavut we’re all broke trying to survive
Number one. If anyone thinks the GN getting involved in any type of private enterprise is a good idea, then please check your coat at the door. Think about what they are involved in right now such as Hydro, Housing, etc, etc.. and let me know how that is working out. Second, anyone who thinks that the prices are going to come down as a result of the GN buying in, needs to give their heads a shake, vigorously. Sure, we might see an upfront slight reduction in ticket prices (perhaps a couple of hundred dollars) and which the GN and the politicians will photo op to death. However, if anyone thinks the prices are going to drop super low. They are not. Also, any money used is taxpayer money. It is simply going to be moving it from one pocket to the other without any upside benefit. Perhaps the GN should focus of the multitude of unresolved issues plaguing the territory before it talks about buying into an airline.
Anyone thinking this makes any sense at all has their heads in the clouds. Literally.
Doesn’t it make sense to just buy stake in the company? The government of nunavut already spends far more then 200 million in subsidies every year to candian north for medical travel, medical supplies, subsidies for nutrition north and more. They would have control over the medical travel for patients and have better communication under GN. Just add up the total from all the funding canadian north gets every year.