Preparing for a Trip to Nunavut

On this page, you’ll learn what to pack for your trip to Nunavut, as well as information about what to expect in our communities.

What to Pack

If you are coming in the winter, it is important to dress for the weather and have warm layers and an appropriate parka, and snow pants if you plan to walk around. The sunlight reflecting off the snow can be very bright, so be sure to bring sunglasses!

In the summer months, it can be lovely and warm, but you will want a light jacket that will protect you from the wind and/or rain, gloves and hat – and bug repellant!

There is little pavement and no sidewalks, so good walking shoes and boots are important.

Attire Checklist

  • Warm layers
  • Parka
  • Snow pants
  • Sunglasses
  • Light jacket
  • Gloves
  • Hat
  • Insect repellant
  • Good walking shoes

You may also want to consider a sleep mask (eye mask) for blocking out light in the summer, any ‘creature comforts’ that you want to have available (favourite tea or coffee, protein bars or supplements, vitamins, favourite chocolate, running shoes or gear, skates, beauty products, and cream, etc.).

Miscellaneous Checklist

  • Sleep/eye mask
  • Tea/coffee
  • Protein bars/supplements
  • Vitamins
  • Chocolate
  • Running shoes/gear
  • Skates
  • Beauty products
  • Hand cream

Food & Goods

It is quite expensive to live in Nunavut: housing, utilities, food, recreation, fuel, etc., are all more expensive. Material goods are brought to communities by ship in the summer months and by air year-round.

The major Canadian banks do not all have branches in the communities, with the majority of communities not having a bank at all. Iqaluit, for instance, has a CIBC, RBC, and First Nations Bank branch. In communities, cheques are generally cashed at the Northern Store or the Co-op, who charge a fee for this service. It is advised to bring cash with you when you first arrive, in order to avoid large fees.

Credit and debit cards are accepted by the retailers, and E-mail Money Transfers are common for transferring funds between people within a community (i.e., for transactions on local sell/swap pages on Facebook).

Most communities have a Northern Store and/or a Co-op store. These are the two major chains. In Iqaluit, there are three grocery stores and several other convenience stores, as well as three Tim Horton’s shops (at the Northern convenience stores).

Fresh produce arrives by air regularly in Iqaluit, and 1-2 times a week in smaller communities. If you have special dietary requirements (e.g., gluten-free) you will want to bring what you need with you, because it is unlikely to be available in the stores (with the exception of Iqaluit, which has a gluten-free selection, and a larger variety of options for other dietary considerations.)

For more information about approximate food cost in the different communities, check out the community profiles available in the “Maps and Community information” page.

Locally harvested country food is another great option in town. Depending on where you live, this may vary, but options include meats like various fish, seal, walrus, caribou. muskox, arctic hare, goose, polar bear, amongst many. Locally harvested berries and plants are also available in communities. Take an opportunity to try the local country food, as it is quite delicious! And, if you get a chance, it’s always a great way to connect with people in your community if you go out with them to harvest these local foods and learn how to properly do so. If you do go out, make sure to offer money for fuel/transport. as it can be quite expensive to hunt/harvest.

For more information about approximate food cost in the different communities, check out the community profiles available in the “Maps and Community Information” page.

Many communities in Nunavut are ‘dry’, which means alcohol is prohibited. There are no liquor stores in any communities. In some communities, some personal allowance is limited. The Nunavut Liquor Commission posts this information on its website. In Iqaluit and Rankin Inlet, there are establishments which serve alcohol, and you can also purchase a permit to import alcohol from the South or from a community warehouse (located in Rankin Inlet and Iqaluit). In  Iqaluit, there is a beer and wine store that opened in September 2017, which sells alcohol. You need to register to create an account, provide government-issued photo ID to make purchases, and there are daily purchase limits enforced.

For more information about alcohol in the different communities, check out the community profiles available in “Maps and Community Information”.

Small Town Living

In small towns, everyone knows everyone. If you are in a small community, you may stand out as a new person. People may want to know more about you. Don’t be afraid to smile and introduce yourself!

Get Involved

There are many services and initiatives that are dependent on community volunteers. Do you play a sport? Think about coaching a team! If your community has a soup kitchen or a food bank, consider getting involved! Volunteers are crucial for many community activities, and it’s a great way to spend your time and use your skills to contribute to various community initiatives!

Two individuals stand on rocks by the water's edge fishing

Telecommunications & Internet

Cell Phones

The Bell Network is the only network at the moment which works in all communities which offer cell phone service. There is another provider, ICE Wireless, which operates out of Iqaluit, which has a connection to Rogers, but you will have to check with them directly.

3G

Cell phone and internet services are provided via satellite. For this reason, there is limited bandwidth, usage caps, and low speeds. Expect that some apps will not function as well. Make sure you update all your software and bring all the media you need with you. There is a 3G wireless network in Iqaluit and cell phone service in Rankin Inlet, Cambridge Bay, Arviat, and a few other communities.

Home Internet

Home Internet is available through a few Internet Service Providers, depending on your community, with service options that may vary in speed, data limits, and reliability due to the unique challenges of satellite-based connectivity in Nunavut.

Getting Around

The primary means of transportation in all communities is on foot. Communities are small and easily navigable. It’s one of the healthy aspects of our lives. Make sure you are dressed appropriately for this.

However, there are vehicles present everywhere. People will rideshare and help each other out. Most large communities have a local taxi service, which may consist of someone who has a van and offers rides. A trip across town will usually be a standard price, and you may stop to pick up extra passengers along the way.

For taxi contact information, check out the community profiles available in the “Maps and Community information” page.

Communities in Nunavut are not connected by road. Therefore, the primary mode of transport between communities is by air. There are two major airlines, Canadian North and First Air, who operate on a regular schedule in the communities, in addition to some smaller regional airlines such as Calm Air. Chartered air travel is also available through airlines such as Kenn Borek and Air Nunavut. With the exception of travel to/from Southern centres and regional hubs in Iqaluit and Rankin Inlet where jets are used, air travel generally takes place in smaller propeller-driven planes. These smaller planes are more susceptible to turbulence, so keep that in mind if you get motion sickness!

There is also seasonal travel between communities that are more closely situated by snow machine in the winter/spring, and by boat in the summer months.

Big shifts in the amount of daylight throughout the year. There is a lot of daylight – 24 hours of daylight in most communities during the summer months. In the winter months, the sun does not rise in the high arctic communities for over a month during the dark period, but you can still see the dawn/dusk and it is very beautiful. The dark and light periods affect some people more than others. You may want to review how this can have an effect on your energy levels and mood. A SAD lamp may be helpful.

Weather and climate vary across Nunavut, though as a general rule, it gets quite cold in the winters (-60C in some cases) and relatively warm in the summers (20C sometimes). It is also very dry throughout the year, so make sure that you drink plenty of water and adequately moisturize your skin. In the summer months, there are also large populations of insects, like mosquitoes or blackflies, depending on where you are, that can take over the town! So make sure to take necessary bug precautions, such as using insect repellent or bug nets.

For more information about each community in particular, check out the community profiles available in the Maps and Community information page.

Exercise

A mountain landscape featuring a field of white flowers under a clear blue sky

Trails

All of Nunavut is walkable! If you are dressed appropriately, there is no end to the places you can explore on the land. There are walking trails in every community, and the primary means of transportation within all communities is by foot. When you do venture out of town, though, do make sure to take the necessary animal safety precautions. There are various predators that we share the land with, such as polar bears and wolves, so make sure you know about the specific risks in your community, and how to appropriately protect yourself to minimize risk. Feel free to reach out to others in the community about more information, and they will be happy to share.

close-up with the puck during the game

Hockey

Most communities have arenas hockey is very popular! There are often teams looking for new members (men and women) and pick-up games and public skating opportunities. Iqaluit has 2 arenas which offer a variety of programming and also rent skates.

A snowy urban landscape filled with diverse buildings

In Iqaluit

In Iqaluit, there are 3 fitness centres which offer memberships to the public – the Racquet Club, the Aquatic Center, and the Frobisher Inn fitness room. There is a yoga studio in Iqaluit called Saimavik.