Community Based Research: Iqaluit

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A large part of our project is to explore northern views on water through community-based research. Our geographic scope for this summer is focused around Hall Beach, Igloolik and Iqaluit with varying degrees of response coming from each community.

Iqaluit

The opinions that we’ve collected so far in Iqaluit come from different friends and acquaintances that we’ve met through our time living here. Iqaluit is unlike any other northern community due to its size and population, collecting information from this city was approached differently than from the other two communities. Since we would be based within Iqaluit for 2 months, we tried to integrate ourselves within the community through volunteering at different organizations (such as the humane society, soup kitchen, thrift store, and Senior Society). Through our volunteer work and other experiences within the community we’ve noticed that the topic of water comes up a lot, even when unprompted.

For instance, while attending an ulu making workshop at Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park, the park ranger mentioned how the ice was melting at the Sylvia Grinnell River and that soon it would be time to collect water for the elders in the city. Locals also mentioned that the ice on the lakes stayed longer this year, and wondered if there would be any implications on the town’s water supply. The security of Iqaluit’s water supply seems to be a matter that crops up time and time again.