Move Pangnirtung’s airport, MLA urges
Proposal costly, not on government agenda, says transportation minister
Passengers board a Canadian North flight at Pangnirtung’s airport in April 2026. MLA Johnny Mike is calling for the airport to be relocated entirely due to safety concerns at the current location, and economic benefits of a safer landing strip. (File photo by Daron Letts)
Pangnirtung MLA Johnny Mike is calling on the Government of Nunavut to support and seek funding to relocate his community’s airport.
The airport sits in the middle of the hamlet of about 1,500 people, which is itself nestled in a fiord on southern Baffin Island.
Visibility, wind and turbulence present challenges for pilots making their final approach to the runway, he said Monday in the legislative assembly. These challenges often result in cancellations or delays.
But Mike’s proposal is costly and not on the territorial government’s agenda, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister George Hickes said in response.
Mike’s idea isn’t new. He spoke of past proposals to relocate the airport, including a rejected 2017 GN proposal to seek federal funding.
“Although those applications were not approved, the relocation of Pangnirtung’s airport remains a priority for the community,” Mike said in question period.
“Can [Hickes] assure me today that the Government of Nunavut remains committed to the goal of relocating the airport?”
Hickes acknowledged Mike’s concern and said his department prioritizes airport safety.
“I do look forward to opportunities to include an airport relocation into some future capital planning process,” Hickes responded.
“We just don’t have the resources as a territorial government to take on such a task as to actually fully relocate an airport on our own dime.”
Mike brought up the airport issue again during Tuesday’s question period.
This time, he brought up the economic benefits of improving travellers’ abilities to fly in and out of Pangnirtung, noting its world-renowned reputation for tourism, fisheries and arts and crats.
Hickes’ response to Mike Tuesday was similar to the one he offered Monday.
He added that currently, the GN’s three priority airport projects with the federal government include runway work in Cambridge Bay, Rankin Inlet and Resolute Bay.
But Hickes encouraged Mike and the Hamlet of Pangnirtung to continue advocating for the project.
“Hopefully we can gain legs at some point… Or wings, in this case,” he said.
In the meantime, Hickes said that the runway at Pangnirtung’s airport will be resurfaced this summer.
“The runway will not be out of service,” Hickes said, noting that work will be done “in phases.”
Isnt that gonna cost CrackZillion to move a whole airport.. because it cost boozillion just to extend a runway in nunavik thats why they only did Boovinnituk nunavik.
Someone should ask the MLA for Pangnirtung if any studies have been conducted on the feasibility of building a road up the very steep hill behind town that would be required to access an airport built up there – and the cost of keeping it open year-round. While anyone who has been to Pangnirtung can appreciate the desire to relocate the town’s runway, the geography of the place makes doing so impossible.
Feasibility studies were done decades ago on moving the airport up the mountain, and also on building it on the tidal flats by building them up. I have no idea what the costs were except that they were prohibitive at the time. No doubt they still are.
To where! Yes Pang is beautiful like other places in Nunavut. Like other places there are limits with the airports. Smaller planes, and loads will make the airport safer.
Greenland uses heliports in small communities and in communities where runways aren’t feasible. Has canadian north considered this?
No.
Why would a company change it’s business model because of a lack of infrastructure. First Air worked hard with great expense to get the steep slope approach approved for YXP to deal with the issue of the short runway but as the ATR age there are not many viable replacements
Canadian North doesn’t run helicopters and it would hardly be worth it for a single community.
I used to work for Bradley Air service going into that airport on both Twin Otters and DC-3. There is no where it can be moved to, unless the ice becomes thick enough in the winter for the existing temperature, A longer strip can then be constructed just off shore. It should be noted the strip would be useful and would handle heavier loads by being longer, Temperature charts would be used to plot ice thickness required. Yes it would work, all dependent on the thickness. Local people are familiar with that and drilled cores are taken out to check it.