Nanisivik Naval Facility
Encyclopedia
The Nanisivik Naval Facility is a Canadian Forces
naval
facility
which is to be constructed on Baffin Island
, Nunavut
. The station will be built at the former lead
-zinc
mine site
near the former company town
of Nanisivik
.
, lead-zinc on Baffin Island. The mine was serviced by a jetty
for receiving ocean freight, later used by the Canadian Coast Guard
for training, and the Nanisivik Airport
, which was capable of receiving jet aircraft and closed in 2011. Falling metal prices closed the mine in 2002.
On August 8, 2007, CBC News
reported that Canadian Forces
documents showed plans to convert the site into a naval station. The plan would turn the former mine's existing port into a deepwater facility at a cost $60 million although total costs in 2011 were set at $175 million with an extra $12 million for the design. On August 10, 2007, Prime Minister
Stephen Harper
announced construction of a new docking and refueling facility in Nanisivik for the Canadian Forces, in an effort to maintain a Canadian presence in Arctic waters
during the navigable season (June-October). The choice for Nanisivik as a site was partially based on its location within the eastern entrance to the Northwest Passage
, via Admiralty Inlet
, and the existence of a deep-water berthing facility at the site, as well as a location of the airport. The United States Air Force
's Thule Air Base
is 600 km to the north east.
Detailed planning for the project began in August 2007, with environmental studies and assessments being carried out in the summer of 2008.
On 20 August, 2010, the Kingston-class Coastal Defence vessel HMCS Goose Bay became the first Canadian warship to secure to the Nanisivik jetty as part of OP NANOOK 2010. Two days later, the frigate HMCS Montreal secured alongside for a photo opportunity. The Coast Guard icebreaker CCGS Henry Larsen was also present, but did not go alongside at that time.
capability and help the current government's goal to enforce Canada's sovereignty over the region. These ships will likely allow the Victoria-class submarines
to travel in the Arctic
regions.
office of WorleyParsons
for a cost of $900,000. This phase will include preliminary design work and construction requirements. Construction was expected to begin in 2011, and was expected to be operational by 2014. However, it was announced in 2011 that construction would be delayed until 2013 as they are still in the design stage and the site would not be completed until 2016. At the same time the decontamination of the site had not begun but was expected to start in summer of 2011.
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
naval
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
facility
Canadian Forces base
A Canadian Forces Base or CFB is a military installation of the Canadian Forces. For a facility to qualify as a Canadian Forces Base, it must station one or more major units .Minor installations are named Canadian Forces Station or CFS A Canadian Forces Base or CFB (French Base des forces...
which is to be constructed on Baffin Island
Baffin Island
Baffin Island in the Canadian territory of Nunavut is the largest island in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, the largest island in Canada and the fifth largest island in the world. Its area is and its population is about 11,000...
, Nunavut
Nunavut
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
. The station will be built at the former lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
-zinc
Zinc
Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
mine site
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
near the former company town
Company town
A company town is a town or city in which much or all real estate, buildings , utilities, hospitals, small businesses such as grocery stores and gas stations, and other necessities or luxuries of life within its borders are owned by a single company...
of Nanisivik
Nanisivik, Nunavut
Nanisivik was a company town which was built in 1975 to support the lead-zinc mining and mineral processing operations for the Nanisivik Mine, in production between 1976 and 2002...
.
History
The community of Nanisivik was built to support the Nanisivik MineNanisivik Mine
Nanisivik Mine was a zinc-lead mine in the company town of Nanisivik, Nunavut, north of the Arctic Circle on Baffin Island. It was Canada's first mine in the Arctic....
, lead-zinc on Baffin Island. The mine was serviced by a jetty
Jetty
A jetty is any of a variety of structures used in river, dock, and maritime works that are generally carried out in pairs from river banks, or in continuation of river channels at their outlets into deep water; or out into docks, and outside their entrances; or for forming basins along the...
for receiving ocean freight, later used by the Canadian Coast Guard
Canadian Coast Guard
The Canadian Coast Guard is the coast guard of Canada. It is a federal agency responsible for providing maritime search and rescue , aids to navigation, marine pollution response, marine radio, and icebreaking...
for training, and the Nanisivik Airport
Nanisivik Airport
Nanisivik Airport was located south of Nanisivik, Nunavut, Canada, and was operated by the Government of Nunavut. Although Nanisivik Mine closed in September 2002 the airport was in operation until 2011 and served the community of Arctic Bay. This was due to the small size of Arctic Bay Airport...
, which was capable of receiving jet aircraft and closed in 2011. Falling metal prices closed the mine in 2002.
On August 8, 2007, CBC News
CBC News
CBC News is the department within the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the news gathering and production of news programs on CBC television, radio and online services...
reported that Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
documents showed plans to convert the site into a naval station. The plan would turn the former mine's existing port into a deepwater facility at a cost $60 million although total costs in 2011 were set at $175 million with an extra $12 million for the design. On August 10, 2007, Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
announced construction of a new docking and refueling facility in Nanisivik for the Canadian Forces, in an effort to maintain a Canadian presence in Arctic waters
Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region, is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceanic divisions...
during the navigable season (June-October). The choice for Nanisivik as a site was partially based on its location within the eastern entrance to the Northwest Passage
Northwest Passage
The Northwest Passage is a sea route through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways amidst the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans...
, via Admiralty Inlet
Admiralty Inlet (Nunavut)
Admiralty Inlet is a body of water in Nunavut's Qikiqtaaluk Region. It extends southerly from Lancaster Sound along the western shore of Baffin Island's Borden Peninsula...
, and the existence of a deep-water berthing facility at the site, as well as a location of the airport. The United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
's Thule Air Base
Thule Air Base
Thule Air Base or Thule Air Base/Pituffik Airport , is the United States Air Force's northernmost base, located north of the Arctic Circle and from the North Pole on the northwest side of the island of Greenland. It is approximately east of the North Magnetic Pole.-Overview:Thule Air Base is the...
is 600 km to the north east.
Detailed planning for the project began in August 2007, with environmental studies and assessments being carried out in the summer of 2008.
On 20 August, 2010, the Kingston-class Coastal Defence vessel HMCS Goose Bay became the first Canadian warship to secure to the Nanisivik jetty as part of OP NANOOK 2010. Two days later, the frigate HMCS Montreal secured alongside for a photo opportunity. The Coast Guard icebreaker CCGS Henry Larsen was also present, but did not go alongside at that time.
Description
Once completed, the naval station will likely be home to the proposed Arctic Off-Shore Patrol Ships under the current Harper government plan. These ships will have ice-breakingIcebreaker
An icebreaker is a special-purpose ship or boat designed to move and navigate through ice-covered waters. Although the term usually refers to ice-breaking ships, it may also refer to smaller vessels .For a ship to be considered an icebreaker, it requires three traits most...
capability and help the current government's goal to enforce Canada's sovereignty over the region. These ships will likely allow the Victoria-class submarines
Upholder/Victoria class submarine
The Upholder/Victoria-class submarines, also known as the Type 2400 , are diesel-electric Fleet submarines designed in the UK in the late 1970s to supplement the Royal Navy's nuclear submarine force....
to travel in the Arctic
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
regions.
Construction
Engineering for the first of four phases of design for the facility is being completed by the British ColumbiaBritish Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
office of WorleyParsons
WorleyParsons
WorleyParsons Limited is a large Australian provider of professional services to the energy, resource, and complex process industries.The company has a market capitalisation greater than A$6 billion, and makes up about 0.55% of the S&P/ASX 200 index....
for a cost of $900,000. This phase will include preliminary design work and construction requirements. Construction was expected to begin in 2011, and was expected to be operational by 2014. However, it was announced in 2011 that construction would be delayed until 2013 as they are still in the design stage and the site would not be completed until 2016. At the same time the decontamination of the site had not begun but was expected to start in summer of 2011.