Sanikiluaq ᓴᓂᑭᓗᐊᖅ | |
|---|---|
 Sanikiluaq in December | |
  Sanikiluaq  Sanikiluaq | |
| Coordinates:56°32′N079°14′W / 56.533°N 79.233°W /56.533; -79.233[1] | |
| Country | Canada |
| Territory | Nunavut |
| Region | Qikiqtaaluk |
| Electoral district | Hudson Bay |
| Government | |
| • Type | Hamlet Council |
| • Mayor | Johnnie Cookie |
| • MLA | Daniel Qavvik |
| Area (2021)[4] | |
• Total | 109.68 km2 (42.35 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 32 m (105 ft) |
| Population (2021)[4] | |
• Total | 1,010 |
| • Density | 9.2/km2 (24/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (EDT) |
| Canadian Postal code | |
| Area code | 867 |
| Website | www.sanikiluaq.ca |
Sanikiluaq (Inuktitut:ᓴᓂᑭᓗᐊᖅ[sanikiluaq]) is a municipality andInuit community located on the north coast ofFlaherty Island inHudson Bay, on theBelcher Islands. Despite being geographically much closer to the shores ofOntario andQuebec, the community and the Belcher Islands lie within theQikiqtaaluk Region ofNunavut, Canada.
The community was developed in the early 1970s to replace "South Camp", located further south in the island group. To the north of the town is Kinngaaluk Territorial Park,[6] a 3,300 acres (1,300 ha) space designed for camping, cultural expression, and seasonal hunting. The park contains archaeological remains deposited by theDorset andThule cultures. The park was formally designated as such by theNunavut legislature in 2019.[7] The master plan for the park, drawn up by NVision Insight Group, won an award from theCanadian Society of Landscape Architects in 2019.[8][9]
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 235 | — |
| 1976 | 300 | +27.7% |
| 1981 | 383 | +27.7% |
| 1986 | 422 | +10.2% |
| 1991 | 526 | +24.6% |
| 1996 | 631 | +20.0% |
| 2001 | 684 | +8.4% |
| 2006 | 744 | +8.8% |
| 2011 | 812 | +9.1% |
| 2016 | 882 | +8.6% |
| 2021 | 1,010 | +14.5% |
| Source:Statistics Canada [4][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] | ||
In the2021 Canadian census conducted byStatistics Canada, Sanikiluaq had a population of 1,010 living in 228 of its 252 total private dwellings, a change of14.5% from its 2016 population of 882. With a land area of 109.68 km2 (42.35 sq mi), it had a population density of9.2/km2 (23.9/sq mi) in 2021.[4]
Sanikiluaq had aneider down factory for 20 years. It closed down in 2005 due to government funding running out and the population ofeider ducks decreasing at a rapid rate.[19] The factory reopened in June 2015.[20]
It is the southernmost community in the territory, and is served by theSanikiluaq Airport. Air service is provided byAir Inuit,Calm Air and Panorama Aviation.
There are two schools in the community, Nuiyak School, with 11 teaching staff, teaches grades K-6, with 125 students enrolled.[21]Paatsaali School has 177 students and teaches grades 7-12.[22] In 2007, former principal Lisi Kavik was named one of Canada's Outstanding Principals.[23]
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.
The community is in theHudson Bay electoral district andDaniel Qavvik is themember of theLegislative Assembly of Nunavut. He replaced long time incumbent,Allan Rumbolt, in the2021 Nunavut general election.[3]
In the territorial election held October 25, 2021, the candidates were Mick Appaqaq, Ronald Ladd, and Daniel Qavvik. Allan Rumbolt who had represented the riding since the2008 Nunavut general election did not run. Qavvik won with 227 votes (70.1%) over Appaqaq with 86 (26.5%) and Ladd with 8 (2.5%).[3]
The local municipality has a Hamlet Council of eight elected councillors and a mayor. At the last hamlet election, held October 28, 2019, Johnnie Cookie was re-elected mayor with 191 (67.5%) over Jonasie Emikotailuk with 21 (7.4%), votes, and Elijassie Kavik with 69 (24.4%) votes.[2]
| Year | Liberal | Conservative | New Democratic | Green | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 30% | 77 | 30% | 75 | 40% | 101 | 0% | 0 | |
| 2019 | 27% | 62 | 19% | 44 | 52% | 118 | 1% | 2 | |
In 1996,Nunavut Arctic College began a project in Sanikiluaq, to revive the art of sewing baskets,qisiq, fromivigag or lyme grass (Leymus mollis), which is common along the shorelines ofHudson Bay.[25] Traditional grass baskets made by the Sanikiluaqmiut, residents of Sanikiluaq, are finely crafted, and are unique: they have lids and handles often carved from soapstone, and it "can take weeks to make just one grapefruit-sized basket".[26]
The baskets are of great significance to the community, because of the complexity of the sewing and coiling techniques used, but there were no remaining experienced basket-makers practising the art.[27] Therefore, community members came together to revive the art of traditional Sanikiluaq basketry, consulting Elders for their advice and knowledge, as well as using photographs and descriptions from theCanadian Museum of History (then the Museum of Civilization) inOttawa, and relying on their collective cultural memory and extant skills.[26]
Written and directed byJoel Heath, with support from the community of Sanikiluaq,People of a Feather is a documentary film about the relationship between climate change, hydroelectric dams, eider ducks and the people of the Belcher Islands.[28]