'Nobody wants this to die, that's for sure.'

Stung by a federal decision to locate a new Arctic port in Nanisivik, officials with the City of Iqaluit are looking at private investors to help fund the construction of a dock in the capital.

Mike Bozzer, Iqaluit's economic development officer, said he's not ready to identify investors, but said the city is serious about pressing on with the project.

"Even if we didn't get the feds' support on this I think it's important that we have this," he said. "We're a bigger town, we're right on the ocean. We're a port town. We need a port."

Iqaluit had been lobbying hard to be the site of a much-ballyhooed military port and refuelling station promised by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in 2006.

But that key piece of infrastructure went to Nanisivik because a working dock and fuel tank farm remain there from the days of zinc mining, and because the former town site is located right on the eastern approaches to the Northwest Passage.

Even though most of the infrastructure is in place, the federal government expects to spend $100 million to bring the facility up to snuff by 2015.

Iqaluit mayor Elisapee Sheutiapik said she's "very disappointed" with the federal decision to locate the port in Nanisivik.

But she pledged to push on with efforts to build a port in the capital. The Qikiqtaaluk Corporation, the department of Economic Development and Transportation and Uqsuq Corporation each have an interest in a deep water facility, she said.

"Nobody wants this to die, that's for sure," Sheutiapik said.

A port, the mayor said, would serve as a boost to the local fishing and tourism industries. Cruise ships would benefit from a proper dock, she said, because moving passengers from ship to shore with small boats can be dangerous. At the breakwater and the causeway slick rocks at low tide make getting in and out of those small boats difficult for even the most physically fit passengers

The city still wants to use the same design it's been pitching for years to the federal government: a single-berth dock with marshalling and storage space connected to Iqaluit by road.

An August 2005 report commissioned by the city speculated a port could cut unloading time for sealift ships by 80 per cent and for fuel tankers by 60 per cent. It also suggested fishing boats could reduce the time they spend unloading cargo and resupplying by six days per trip.

The original proposal called for the port to be installed at Inuit Head, but Bozzer said several sites are now in play.

One is Jayne's Inlet, a site that's also touted by Qulliq Energy Corporation as a possible location for a hydroelectric dam to power Iqaluit. An all-weather road would be needed to connect both projects to the city.

"Obviously I think we need to go back to the drawing board and figure out once and for all where the best location is," Sheutiapik said.

Whatever site is chosen, Bozzer said it's likely the price tag would climb from the original cost of $50 million.

"Being a capital city, we'd like to have financial support [from Ottawa]," he said.

Writing in the Hill Times newspaper this past week, Nunavut Premier Paul Okalik welcomed Harper's Nanisivik announcement but said the federal government needs to give the territory more help exploiting its fish stocks and mineral resources.

"We lack the small craft harbours, commercial and civilian deep sea ports, roads and rights to participate in and benefit from our resources," Okalik wrote.

In November 2005 a working group of Fisheries and Oceans Canada recommended Ottawa spend $40.4 million over five years to build small craft harbours in Chesterfield Inlet, Clyde River, Kugaaruk, Pangnirtung, Pond Inlet, Qikiqtarjuaq and Repulse Bay. "Compared to the rest of Canada, Nunavut is a century behind with respect to harbour infrastructure," the report said.

"[The harbours] are fundamental to the further development of Nunavut's subsistence and commercial economy at the community and regional level," the report said. "Fishing, hunting, tourism, resupply, travel and socialization, and national claims to sovereignty will be significantly advanced by federal investment in Nunavut harbours."