Qikiqtarjuaq ᕿᑭᖅᑕᕐᔪᐊᖅ | |
|---|---|
 Qikiqtarjuaq in 2011 | |
  Qikiqtarjuaq  Qikiqtarjuaq | |
| Coordinates:67°33′17″N064°01′41″W / 67.55472°N 64.02806°W /67.55472; -64.02806[1] | |
| Country | Canada |
| Territory | Nunavut |
| Region | Qikiqtaaluk |
| Electoral district | Uqqummiut |
| Government | |
| • Type | Hamlet Council |
| • Mayor | Jonah Audlakiak |
| • MLAs | Gordon Kautuk |
| Area (2021)[4] | |
• Total | 130.8 km2 (50.5 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 6 m (20 ft) |
| Population (2024)[4] | |
• Total | 593 |
| • Density | 4.5/km2 (12/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (EDT) |
| Canadian Postal code | |
| Area code | 867 |
Qikiqtarjuaq (Inuktitut pronunciation:[qikiqtaʁjuˈaq] 'big island';[6] formerly known as Broughton Island until November 1998/ˈbrɔːtən/,[7]) is a community located onBroughton Island in theQikiqtaaluk Region ofNunavut, Canada. The island is known forArctic wildlife (ringed seals, polar bears,bowhead whales,narwhals), and bird watching at theQaqulluit National Wildlife Area (qaqulluit is theInuktitut word fornorthern fulmar).[8] The community serves as the northern access point forAuyuittuq National Park withPangnirtung as the southern access point.
Qikiqtarjuaq hosts an annual Suicide Prevention Walk.[9] Local participants would walk a total distance of 60 km (37 mi) across the tundra fromKivitoo, an oldwhaling station.[10] Today the walk is much shorter than the original two and a half days, but it is still meant to promote hope among the community.
The community hosts a two-week celebration over the Christmas and New Year period every year. Visitors are warmly welcomed and encouraged to join the festivities and games.
Near Qikiqtarjuaq was the home of FOX-5, aDistant Early Warning Line and now aNorth Warning System site.
In July 2011, Qikiqtarjuaq was featured in theBBC Radio 4 comedy seriesCabin Pressure.
Qikiqtarjuaq is situated above theArctic Circle and off easternBaffin Island. BothDavis Strait andBaffin Bay run to the east, and theBaffin Mountains are located to the west, more specifically theArctic Cordillera mountain range. It is also one of the Nunavut communities closest toGreenland.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 354 | — |
| 1981 | 378 | +6.8% |
| 1986 | 439 | +16.1% |
| 1991 | 461 | +5.0% |
| 1996 | 488 | +5.9% |
| 2001 | 519 | +6.4% |
| 2006 | 473 | −8.9% |
| 2011 | 520 | +9.9% |
| 2016 | 598 | +15.0% |
| 2021 | 593 | −0.8% |
| Source:Statistics Canada [4][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19] | ||
In the2021 Canadian census conducted byStatistics Canada, Qikiqtarjuaq had a population of 593 living in 164 of its 193 total private dwellings, a change of-0.8% from its 2016 population of 598. With a land area of 130.8 km2 (50.5 sq mi), it had a population density of4.5/km2 (11.7/sq mi) in 2021.[4]
It is served byQikiqtarjuaq Airport,IATA:YVM,ICAO:CYVM.
There are two grocery stores; theCo-Op and theNorthern Store (with aCanada Post kiosk). There are no restaurants or banks. Various accommodations are available. A health centre andRoyal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) detachment are present as well. The health centre is composed of two nurses, an X-ray technician, a community health coordinator, a mental health worker, and administrative staff.
The community has a hamlet building where municipal affairs are conducted with a large community hall and meeting room. There is one school for K-12 students called Inuksuit School, and attached to the building is a small campus forNunavut Arctic College. The Piqalujaujaq Visitors Centre shares a building with theAuyuittuq National Park office. Access to Auyuittuq National Park north entrance is approximately two hours by boat in the summer months, two - two and a half hours by vehicle or snowmobile in winter months. All park visitors must register and book an orientation session prior to entry into the park, and non-Inuit who visit Auyuittuq must do so by hiring a local licensed operator.
Qikiqtarjuaq is a popular stop for pilots who fly smalleraircraft to and from Europe. The airport has a 3,803 by 100 ft (1,159 by 30 m) gravel runway that is maintained. Qikiqtarjuaq is considerably closer toKangerlussuaq, Greenland thanIqaluit (CYFB). Theinstrument approach minima for thenon-directional beacon (NDB) approach at CYVM is relatively high (2,000 feet barometric, 1,982 AGL) due to high terrain surrounding the airport. An airport advisory service, Qikiqtarjuaq Airport Radio, a Community Airport Radio Station (CARS), provides assistance to pilots during normal business hours, and provides weather observation services. Anautomatic weather observation service (AWOS) operates when Qikiqtarjuaq Radio is unattended.
There is also an access road that was built to Tisunaaq, also known as Ceetee Land to the Elders, and another road is in construction toQikiqtarjuaqruluk, or Old Broughton, anabandoned settlement. Kivitoo, an old whaling station, is located 90 km (56 mi) to the north and is currently abandoned.
The community has been served by theQiniq network since 2005. Qiniq is a fixed wireless service to homes and businesses, connecting to the outside world via a satellite backbone. The Qiniq network is designed and operated bySSi Canada. In 2017, the network was upgraded to 4G LTE technology, and 2G-GSM for mobile voice. In 2020,Bell Mobility established a data tower and provides high-speed mobile and internet connectivity within the community.
Qikiqtarjuaq has atundra climate (ET), with the warmest month averaging below 6 °C (43 °F). Summers tend to be cool with chilly nights, while winters are long and cold. Early winter is the snowiest time of the year, with more than half of all year snowfall on average falling during this period.
| Climate data forQikiqtarjuaq (Qikiqtarjuaq Airport /AWOS) WMO ID: 71338; coordinates67°32′45″N64°01′53″W / 67.54583°N 64.03139°W /67.54583; -64.03139 (Qikiqtarjuaq Airport); elevation: 5.5 m (18 ft); 1991–2020 normals[a] | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record highhumidex | −3.5 | −5.9 | 1.7 | 6.1 | 9.0 | 17.9 | 23.8 | 21.5 | 16.6 | 11.3 | 4.7 | 6.2 | 23.8 |
| Record high °C (°F) | −2.2 (28.0) | −3.0 (26.6) | 2.2 (36.0) | 6.8 (44.2) | 9.2 (48.6) | 17.4 (63.3) | 23.8 (74.8) | 24.0 (75.2) | 15.6 (60.1) | 11.5 (52.7) | 6.8 (44.2) | 6.9 (44.4) | 24.0 (75.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −22.1 (−7.8) | −23.7 (−10.7) | −19.9 (−3.8) | −11.3 (11.7) | −2.1 (28.2) | 4.1 (39.4) | 8.3 (46.9) | 7.8 (46.0) | 4.0 (39.2) | −1.0 (30.2) | −7.5 (18.5) | −16.3 (2.7) | −6.6 (20.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −26.6 (−15.9) | −28.1 (−18.6) | −24.6 (−12.3) | −16.6 (2.1) | −5.8 (21.6) | 1.5 (34.7) | 4.9 (40.8) | 5.2 (41.4) | 2.0 (35.6) | −3.9 (25.0) | −11.0 (12.2) | −20.5 (−4.9) | −10.3 (13.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −31.0 (−23.8) | −32.5 (−26.5) | −29.4 (−20.9) | −21.7 (−7.1) | −9.4 (15.1) | −1.1 (30.0) | 1.5 (34.7) | 2.5 (36.5) | 0.0 (32.0) | −6.7 (19.9) | −14.4 (6.1) | −24.5 (−12.1) | −13.9 (7.0) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −48.5 (−55.3) | −47.1 (−52.8) | −47.5 (−53.5) | −39.5 (−39.1) | −29.0 (−20.2) | −13.0 (8.6) | −4.0 (24.8) | −5.0 (23.0) | −11.5 (11.3) | −21.0 (−5.8) | −31.5 (−24.7) | −41.5 (−42.7) | −48.5 (−55.3) |
| Record lowwind chill | −56.4 | −55.1 | −57.0 | −45.4 | −32.6 | −12.9 | −8.9 | −7.2 | −14.0 | −22.8 | −42.7 | −51.6 | −57.0 |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 12.3 (0.48) | — | — | 21.5 (0.85) | 20 (0.8) | 22.3 (0.88) | 33.5 (1.32) | — | — | — | 31.3 (1.23) | 16.1 (0.63) | — |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.0 (0.0) | — |
| Average extreme snow depth cm (inches) | 48.0 (18.9) | 51.0 (20.1) | 56.0 (22.0) | 60.0 (23.6) | 53.0 (20.9) | 7.0 (2.8) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 1.0 (0.4) | 14.0 (5.5) | 28.0 (11.0) | 43.0 (16.9) | 30.0 (11.8) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.2 mm) | 9.8 | — | — | 13.1 | 13.1 | 9.7 | 11.8 | — | — | — | 13.4 | 12.0 | — |
| Average rainy days(≥ 0.2 mm) | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.0 | — |
| Averagerelative humidity (%)(at 1500LST) | 71.2 | 70.8 | 69.8 | 75.2 | 82.3 | 85.2 | 82.5 | 84.2 | 79.2 | 78.1 | 76.7 | 75.0 | 77.5 |
| Source:Environment and Climate Change Canada Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020[20] | |||||||||||||
