Deals made at Kivalliq Trade Show
Partnerships struck to bring renewable energy, infrastructure into the region from Manitoba
David Kakuktinniq, left, president and CEO of Sakku Investments Corp., shakes hands with Chris Avery, CEO of Arctic Gateway Groups, after signing a memorandum of understanding at the Kivalliq Trade Show in Rankin Inlet on Tuesday. (Photo courtesy of Karen Patterson)
Handshakes and signatures punctuated the Kivalliq Trade Show this week as corporate and government departments announced deals struck at the event.
Nukik Corp. and Qulliq Energy Corp. signed a memorandum of understanding Tuesday signifying the companies intend to collaborate on the planning and deployment of southern renewable energy into the region.
The Kivalliq Trade Show ran from Monday to Wednesday in Rankin Inlet.
Nukik is an Inuit-owned corporation formed between the Kivalliq Inuit Association and its economic development arm, Sakku Investments Corp., to draw hydroelectric power and fibre optic capacity from Manitoba into five Kivalliq communities.
The Kivalliq Hydro Fibre Link project would also supply energy to future mining operations, according to a joint statement released by the two corporations this week.
Currently in its development phase, the project, if implemented, could represent Nunavut’s first such infrastructure link to southern Canada.
Nukik plans to pursue environmental licensing next year with construction proposed to begin in 2028 for a 2032 launch, according to the statement.
“We look forward to becoming a long-term customer of the Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link, which will provide clean energy to the Kivalliq communities,” Ernest Douglas, Qulliq’s president and CEO, said in a statement announcing the signing.
Meanwhile, Arctic Gateway Group also signed a memorandum of understanding with Sakku Investments Corp., this one aimed at fostering regional economic development between the Kivalliq region and Manitoba.
Arctic Gateway Group, an Indigenous-owned and northern-owned company, owns and operates the Port of Churchill, the Hudson Bay Railway, and other critical trade infrastructure in northern Manitoba.
Its proposal for collaboration with Sakku on a trade corridor intends to promote joint initiatives with a focus on transportation, energy and telecommunications, infrastructure development, and workforce development.
“The revival of the Port of Churchill and Hudson Bay Railway is important for the Kivalliq region of Nunavut. We all benefit from increased frequency of resupply ships from Churchill, which will reduce costs for businesses and families in the region,” David Kakuktinniq, president and CEO of Sakku Investments Corp., said in a statement issued Tuesday.
Facilitating the plan is a series of infrastructure improvements undertaken recently by the federal and Manitoba governments, in which Arctic Gateway Group replaced hundreds of thousands of rail ties, rebuilt multiple bridges and cut rail travel times by two and a half hours, according to the statement.
The partnership would seek to fill remaining infrastructure gaps in northern Manitoba and Nunavut.
Will believe when we ever see it!
The majority of municipalities receive funding from ED&T to support the development of their road infrastructure. Nevertheless, I have observed limited progress over the past decade, primarily attributable to the lack of proactive engagement from the community’s CEDOs in pursuing funding. Additionally, hamlets with long overdue retirement SAOs have neglected to assign their CEDOs to oversee these projects. It is crucial for ED&T and other funding sources to establish monitoring mechanisms for the progress of these access roads, as the current lack of advancement is concerning.
Your statement isn’t quite accurate. ED&T provides up to $250,000 per year for access roads, not critical infrastructure. There’s only a total of $1.8 million available, meaning about seven access road projects can be funded annually.
With $250,000 per project, it’s difficult to show the kind of “progress” you’re expecting, especially with rising costs for fuel and materials. Nearly all communities’ CEDOs are applying for these funds, and are also submitting multiple applications for projects prioritized by their council.
But sure, let’s go ahead and blame the CEDOs, who often work alone in their communities, instead of acknowledging the lack of sufficient funding for their initiatives. If you have concerns about which projects your community is focusing on, I suggest addressing them with your elected officials, as they ultimately set those priorities and not throwing the CEDOs under the bus.
Kivalliq Manitoba Road. Where is it? 48 years of vain talks…..
Do KIA & Sakku and their newly formed corp, Nukik, to build a power line from Manitoba Hydro to the Kivalliq expect foreseeable long delays? As the Manitoba Southern Chiefs Organizations lawsuit against the Government of Manitoba and Manitoba Hydro works its way through the courts?
To declare Lake Winnipeg, a living person with constitutional rights to life and security. So Lake Winnipeg gets the protection it needs because, as they state, the lake is currently on life support.
Even though Nukik would tap a hydro power generating station above Lake Winnipeg. The lawsuit also wants the Manitoba Government to hold public hearings on Manitoba Hydro’s license renewal for power generation.
Your Right,the Manitoba Chiefs will stall,delay,and take it to court,thats is the way it is today.The Kivaliq will never learn,the New leadership,does not understand any of this,build the road from points north sask.and put a dam on one of the MANY RIVERS IN THE REGION,but no, we do not want dams,we in the Kivalliq need outsiders to do all our inside the box southern thinking,generate our own power and reap the benifits,but that takes some thinking,and doing.