Iqaluit’s 2024: Emergency landings and a cold case arrest
Year in city ends with dozens of break-and-enters
Elisapee Sheutiapik holds a framed photo of her sister Mary Ann Birmingham outside the Iqaluit courthouse on Oct. 29. In September, a man was charged with second-degree murder in Birmingham’s death in May 1986. (File photo by Jeff Pelletier)
Nunatsiaq News reports the news from a vast area. It covers 25 Nunavut communities, 14 Nunavik northern villages, as well as stories from southern Canada and across the circumpolar region.
Iqaluit — Nunavut’s capital and only city — is frequently in the headlines. It is the home of three resident reporters, and it hosts many of the territory’s major political, business and cultural events.
Reporters stayed busy in 2024 covering emergencies, important meetings and everything in between — even after a fire destroyed their workspace. Here are some of the year’s biggest stories.
Arrest made in 1986 cold case
The homicide of 15-year-old Mary Ann Birmingham, killed in her home in Iqaluit in 1986, went unsolved for over three decades. But on Sept. 25, Jopey Atsiqtaq appeared in court to face a charge of second-degree murder in the teen’s death.
That day would mark the second time Atsiqtaq was charged with Birmingham’s murder. The previous charge was dropped after a preliminary hearing.
More than 50 family members and supporters attended the court appearance earlier this year. The courtroom was so packed that some people were forced to either stand or sit on the floor.
The new charge came as relief for Birmingham’s family, but they acknowledged this could be a long court case. Atsiqtaq’s next court date is Feb. 11.
“Let’s not give up hope,” said Elisapee Sheutiapik — Birmingham’s sister and a former Iqaluit mayor and MLA — in an interview after Atsiqtaq’s Oct. 29 court appearance.
“I’m trying to be hopeful that this won’t be a long process, trying to remain positive because that’s what kept us, I guess, taking all these steps forward all these years.”
An August of emergencies
August was certainly a busy month for Iqaluit’s emergency services.

An Iqaluit firefighter looks at the charred remains of two derelict vehicles in summer 2024. (File photo by Jeff Pelletier)
At the beginning of the month, several derelict vehicles were set on fire in separate incidents. Two young people were hospitalized in one of these occurrences.
An Iqaluit man was charged with arson following an Aug. 4 incident in which he allegedly attempted to set Uquutaq Society’s low-barrier shelter on fire.
In the early hours of Aug. 10, RCMP blocked off a section of Sivumugiaq Street after a pedestrian was struck and killed by a vehicle. A youth was charged with dangerous driving causing death.
Iqaluit residents’ phones buzzed the morning of Aug. 26 when the RCMP issued an alert telling residents to shelter in place due to an operation in Upper Plateau. Police were seen armed with assault-style rifles moving around the neighbourhood. The advisory was lifted in the early afternoon when the RCMP said there was “no imminent danger.”
International flights grounded in Iqaluit
Hundreds of travellers were grounded for several hours at the Iqaluit airport on two separate occasions this year when their U.S.-bound flights were diverted.

An Air India jet sits parked at the Iqaluit airport on Oct. 15 after being forced to land due to a security threat. (File photo by Jeff Pelletier)
On May 7, an Air France flight from Paris to Seattle was forced to land due to what the airline described as a “heat” smell in the cabin. Those passengers were picked up when Air France flew a replacement plane to Iqaluit that evening.
On Oct. 15, Iqaluit residents woke to the sight of an Air India jet parked at the airport. That flight, headed from New Delhi to Chicago, was grounded due to a security threat. Passengers were forced to disembark and wait 18 hours in the terminal before being flown out by the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Dozens of break-ins target businesses, non-profits
This fall there were almost weekly stories about break-ins and thefts in Iqaluit impacting businesses and non-profit organizations.
Some of the places targeted include First Steps Daycare, Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum, Qajuqturvik Community Food Centre, Canada Post, Arctic Ventures and the Royal Canadian Legion.
Staff Sgt. Darrell Gill, Iqaluit RCMP’s detachment commander, told city councillors Nov. 26 that a majority if not all suspects in break-and-enters to that date had been caught. Then just hours later, the Arctic Survival store’s sea can was broken into.
New bridge connects Apex to Iqaluit
The U.S. military-built bridge that connected Apex to Iqaluit for nearly 70 years was replaced this year.
Demolition of the old bridge began in the summer.
The new bridge, which is wide enough for two-way traffic and has a pedestrian lane, opened in November and a community celebration followed.
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