Arviat ᐊᕐᕕᐊᑦ (Inuktitut) | |
|---|---|
 Two of the churches in Arviat | |
 Flag | |
  Arviat  Arviat | |
| Coordinates:61°06′30″N094°03′30″W / 61.10833°N 94.05833°W /61.10833; -94.05833[1] | |
| Country | Canada |
| Territory | Nunavut |
| Region | Kivalliq |
| Electoral district | Arviat North-Whale Cove Arviat South |
| Government | |
| • Type | Hamlet |
| • Mayor | Joe Savikataaq Jr. |
| • Senior Administrative Officer | Steve England |
| • MLA forArviat North-Whale Cove | John Main |
| • MLA forArviat South | Jamie Kablutsiak |
| Area | |
• Total | 126.14 km2 (48.70 sq mi) |
| • Population Centre | 2.42 km2 (0.93 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 10 m (33 ft) |
| Population | |
• Total | 2,657 |
| • Density | 22.7/km2 (59/sq mi) |
| • Population Centre | 2,766 |
| • Population Centre density | 1,143.6/km2 (2,962/sq mi) |
| Demonyms | Arviaqmiut,[7] Arviatmiut[8] |
| Time zone | UTC−06:00 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−05:00 (CDT) |
| Postal code | |
| Area code | 867 |
| Website | www.arviat.ca |
Arviat (Inuktitut pronunciation:[aʁviˈat],syllabics: ᐊᕐᕕᐊᑦ; formerly calledEskimo Point until 1 June 1989) is a predominantlyInuithamlet located on the western shore ofHudson Bay in theKivalliq Region ofNunavut, Canada. Arviat ("place of the bowhead whale") is derived from theInuktitut wordarviq meaning "Bowhead whale". Earlier in history, its name wasTikirajualaaq ("a little long point"), andIttaliurvik ("a place where the people make tents").[9]
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 848 | — |
| 1981 | 1,022 | +20.5% |
| 1986 | 1,189 | +16.3% |
| 1991 | 1,323 | +11.3% |
| 1996 | 1,559 | +17.8% |
| 2001 | 1,899 | +21.8% |
| 2006 | 2,060 | +8.5% |
| 2011 | 2,318 | +12.5% |
| 2016 | 2,657 | +14.6% |
| 2021 | 2,864 | +7.8% |
| Source:Statistics Canada [4][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17] | ||
In the2021 Canadian census conducted byStatistics Canada, Arviat had a population of 2,864 living in 632 of its 694 total private dwellings, a change of7.8% from its 2016 population of 2,657. With a land area of 126.14 km2 (48.70 sq mi), it had a population density of22.7/km2 (58.8/sq mi) in 2021.[4]
| Panethnic group | 2021[18] | 2016[19] | 2011[20] | 2006[21] | 2001[22] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | |
| Indigenous | 2,730 | 95.62% | 2,525 | 95.28% | 2,190 | 94.6% | 1,915 | 93.19% | 1,790 | 94.46% |
| European[a] | 95 | 3.33% | 105 | 3.96% | 115 | 4.97% | 120 | 5.84% | 100 | 5.28% |
| South Asian | 20 | 0.7% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 10 | 0.49% | 0 | 0% |
| African | 10 | 0.35% | 20 | 0.75% | 0 | 0% | 20 | 0.97% | 10 | 0.53% |
| Southeast Asian[b] | 0 | 0% | 10 | 0.38% | 0 | 0% | 10 | 0.49% | 0 | 0% |
| East Asian[c] | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 10 | 0.49% | 0 | 0% |
| Latin American | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 10 | 0.49% | 0 | 0% |
| Middle Eastern[d] | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
| Other/multiracial[e] | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 10 | 0.43% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
| Total responses | 2,855 | 99.69% | 2,650 | 99.74% | 2,315 | 99.87% | 2,055 | 99.76% | 1,895 | 99.79% |
| Total population | 2,864 | 100% | 2,657 | 100% | 2,318 | 100% | 2,060 | 100% | 1,899 | 100% |
| Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses | ||||||||||
Arviat is the southernmost community on the Nunavut mainland and is close to the geographical centre of Canada. In Arviat, Inuktitut and English are primarily spoken, having the third largest population in Nunavut, behindRankin Inlet andIqaluit. From the2011 Canadian census to the2016 Canadian census there was a population increase of 14.6%.[23]
The community became a hamlet under the name Eskimo Point (name first appeared on maps in 1738) in 1977.[24]
Cargo and passenger air service is provided byCalm Air,[25]Canadian North[citation needed] andNolinor Aviation (charter only)[26] out ofArviat Airport. Destinations include other settlements in Nunavut andManitoba, includingWinnipeg.[25]
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Hunting and fishing are very active in the community; they are the primary source of sustenance.
To the south, the town ofChurchill,Manitoba is accessible by boat during the summer and fall. Churchill is accessible by snowmobile and Bombardier from Arviat. Churchill is often travelled to for supplies.
Arviat is well known around the Arctic for its artistic qualities. It is a thriving community with many talented musicians:Susan Aglukark, a well known musician; Simon "Johnny Cash of the North" Sigyariaq; the band Uniaqtuq, with Arsene, Pelagie and Mary Angalik; the Arviat Band, with John and Billy Kuksuk, Paul Kattau and others; the Irksuk band, played by Paul Irksuk and sons. All have had CDs recorded commercially.
Many types of wildlife are abundant. Within the vicinity of Arviat,polar bears, millions of migratory birds,beluga whales, andcaribou are often spotted.
The only access is by air and snowmobile, but the Nunavut government and the federalSenate member for Nunavut,Dennis Patterson, are investigating the possibility of a highway fromThompson, Manitoba,Lynn Lake, orGillam, Manitoba, or an extension of theHudson Bay Railway fromChurchill, Manitoba toRankin Inlet via Arviat. Similar to other Arctic coast communities there is an annualsealift but it is not available to passengers.
Arviat was originally inhabited by thePaallirmiut, a coastal/inland Inuit band. In 1957, dying of starvation, the last remainingIhalmiut, anotherCaribou Inuit band, were relocated to Arviat by theRoyal Canadian Mounted Police. Though there are differences between the two bands, they recognize a need to work together in order to benefit the community.[27]
In 1993,Mark Kalluak[28] published a historical essay on soapstone carving in Arviat, entitledPelts to Stone. A History of Arts and Crafts Production in Arviat.[29]
Arviat was featured inDancing Towards the Light, a 2017CBC News short film and article telling the story of the hamlet's annual dance competition.[30][citation needed]
The community is home to Arviaqpaluk Radio, acommunity radio station which operates under an exemption fromCRTC licensing for low-power broadcasters.[31]
The community is represented in theLegislative Assembly of Nunavut byJohn Main in the electoral district ofArviat North-Whale Cove, andJoe Savikataaq inArviat South. Savikataaq wasPremier of Nunavut from 2018 to 2021.
Savikataaq's son, Joe Savikataaq Jr., became mayor of the community in March 2020, following the death in office of Bob Leonard.[32]
The Hudson Bay Quest sled-dog race was run from Churchill to Arviat for the first time in 2004.
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 Micro. In 2017, the network was upgraded to4G LTE technology, and 2G-GSM for mobile voice.
According to theKöppen climate classification, Arviat has asubarctic climate (KöppenDfc). However, usingNordenskjöld's alternate formula for distinguishing Arctic from subarctic climates,[33] it has apolar climate (KöppenET); as expected from this, it is north of the Arctictree line. Spring is slow to warm up, with June being cooler than September and May cooler than October. With a yearly mean of −9.3 °C (15.3 °F) it is the third-warmest in Nunavut and the maximum of 33.9 °C (93.0 °F) recorded on 22 July 1973[34] is second only to that ofKugluktuk. Arviat has a yearly rainfall of 174.4 mm (6.87 in), the fourth-wettest in Nunavut, but only 112.4 cm (44.3 in) of snow, the third-least.[citation needed] Temperatures above freezing have never been recorded between 18 November and 17 March, inclusive; conversely, accumulating snow has never been recorded in July or August.
| Climate data forArviat (Arviat Airport) WMO ID: 71174; coordinates61°05′38″N94°04′18″W / 61.09389°N 94.07167°W /61.09389; -94.07167 (Arviat Airport); elevation: 10.4 m (34 ft); 1991–2020 normals,[f] extremes 1973–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record highhumidex | −1.8 | −3.3 | 2.6 | 4.0 | 15.0 | 30.5 | 34.3 | 32.6 | 26.2 | 19.1 | 1.9 | −0.4 | 34.3 |
| Record high °C (°F) | −1.5 (29.3) | −1.5 (29.3) | 3.5 (38.3) | 4.0 (39.2) | 21.3 (70.3) | 30.8 (87.4) | 33.9 (93.0) | 30.0 (86.0) | 23.0 (73.4) | 18.1 (64.6) | 2.1 (35.8) | −0.1 (31.8) | 33.9 (93.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −24.4 (−11.9) | −24.2 (−11.6) | −18.1 (−0.6) | −9.4 (15.1) | −1.1 (30.0) | 8.3 (46.9) | 15.2 (59.4) | 14.1 (57.4) | 8.0 (46.4) | −0.4 (31.3) | −11.0 (12.2) | −19.4 (−2.9) | −5.2 (22.6) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −28.2 (−18.8) | −28.1 (−18.6) | −22.8 (−9.0) | −14.2 (6.4) | −4.3 (24.3) | 4.8 (40.6) | 11.2 (52.2) | 10.7 (51.3) | 5.2 (41.4) | −2.9 (26.8) | −15.0 (5.0) | −23.2 (−9.8) | −8.9 (16.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −31.9 (−25.4) | −32.0 (−25.6) | −27.4 (−17.3) | −18.7 (−1.7) | −7.3 (18.9) | 1.3 (34.3) | 7.1 (44.8) | 7.3 (45.1) | 2.4 (36.3) | −5.5 (22.1) | −19.0 (−2.2) | −27.0 (−16.6) | −12.6 (9.3) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −48.3 (−54.9) | −47.0 (−52.6) | −41.5 (−42.7) | −36.7 (−34.1) | −26.7 (−16.1) | −11.0 (12.2) | −4.0 (24.8) | −0.6 (30.9) | −8.3 (17.1) | −26.0 (−14.8) | −34.6 (−30.3) | −42.5 (−44.5) | −48.3 (−54.9) |
| Record lowwind chill | −62.7 | −64.7 | −62.4 | −49.5 | −35.7 | −19.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | −14.0 | −37.2 | −51.6 | −59.3 | −64.7 |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 12.4 (0.49) | 10.9 (0.43) | 16.3 (0.64) | 19.4 (0.76) | 19.2 (0.76) | 30.0 (1.18) | 42.0 (1.65) | 60.1 (2.37) | 47.3 (1.86) | 27.4 (1.08) | 19.6 (0.77) | 13.4 (0.53) | 318.0 (12.52) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.1 (0.00) | 0.5 (0.02) | 6.7 (0.26) | 25.7 (1.01) | 38.3 (1.51) | 61.3 (2.41) | 43.5 (1.71) | 9.2 (0.36) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 185.2 (7.29) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 7.4 (2.9) | 4.9 (1.9) | 9.2 (3.6) | 10.1 (4.0) | 11.7 (4.6) | 1.1 (0.4) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 3.4 (1.3) | 12.5 (4.9) | 12.1 (4.8) | 9.0 (3.5) | 81.4 (32.0) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.2 mm) | 10.7 | 10.1 | 11.2 | 11.3 | 9.8 | 10.3 | 11.0 | 16.6 | 14.8 | 13.0 | 11.6 | 11.1 | 141.5 |
| Average rainy days(≥ 0.2 mm) | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.33 | 2.4 | 8.1 | 10.1 | 15.4 | 12.2 | 3.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 52.1 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.2 cm) | 6.0 | 5.5 | 7.7 | 6.6 | 5.2 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 8.1 | 9.9 | 6.9 | 57.7 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%)(at 1500LST) | 74.2 | 73.7 | 77.5 | 82.2 | 84.5 | 77.1 | 72.3 | 75.6 | 76.2 | 84.9 | 83.4 | 78.1 | 78.3 |
| Source:Environment and Climate Change Canada[35](May maximum)[36] | |||||||||||||
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