Nasittuq Corporation awarded $122M contract for Alert
Company has been providing services to Canadian Armed Forces base since 2012
A view of the remote Canadian Armed Forces base in Alert, Nunavut, which is near the top of Ellesmere Island. Nasittuq Corporation has been awarded a $122-million contract over eight years to provide support services at the outpost. (File photo)
Nasittuq Corporation will get $122 million to run Canada’s most northern outpost, the Canadian Armed Forces base in Alert.
The contract is for eight years, with two extension options at four years each, the Department of National Defence announced Monday in a news release.
“It’s very rewarding,” said Jody Langelier, president of Nasittuq.
“[It’s] just very satisfying to be able to continue providing those services to the Department of National Defence.”
Nasittuq has been providing operations services to Alert on contract with the department since 2012.
Alert is located 725 kilometres north of Grise Fiord. It consists of 90 buildings, a gravel runway, fuel and antenna farms, a quarry and several miles of road.
Nasittuq, which is Inuit-owned and based in Ottawa, will continue to provide food and accommodation to the base. The company will also still maintain and operate key structures, such as the runway, roads, power plants and water systems.
The contract will also create opportunities for Inuit through employment and subcontracting, said Langelier. There are opportunities to become an apprentice, red seal technician or heavy equipment operator.
“There’s quite a number of positions that are available for Inuit,” Langelier said.
For larger projects, she said, such as quarry or other infrastructure work, Nasittuq will hire subcontractors, with an eye toward offering contracts to Inuit firms first.
The operations at Alert allow the Canadian Armed Forces to continue focusing on military operations in the Arctic, according to the news release from the Department of National Defence.
After Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in April to discuss Arctic sovereignty and security.
On June 20, National Defence Minister Anita Anand announced the federal government was committing $4.9 billion over six years to modernize the North American Aerospace Defense Command defence capabilities, which includes surveillance and defence in the North.
“There’s quite a number of positions that are available for Inuit,” Langelier said.
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Yet when a qualified and experienced local Inuk applies for a job at one of their DEW Line operations that’s advertised for fly-in fly-out rotational positions, they don’t even get a call back.
Yes I agree with the post..
When one applied online. A person received an email for a position in the kitchen as dish washer/ janitor although this beneficiary held managment positions over the years.
Nasittuq needs to get better handle in employing individuals according to their experience and education.
And leave nepotism out of the workplace!!!
Yes, this “Inuit-Owned Company” is only Inuit-owned on paper, like many. In reality it is managed and run by Calgary-based ATCO, while the Inuit shareholders (QIA, KivIA, KitIA, IRC, Makivik, and NGC) are only interested in receiving those sweet, sweet profit shares that ATCO makes by claiming its Inuit-owned status and getting preferential treatment on bids.
If this is “Inuit owned” count the heads in total, Inuit, others/non Inuit in Nunavut, others outside of Nunavut… please provide the details. This will help to understand that statement