Nanisivik Naval Facility needed another $200 million to be operational, says Department of Defence

Ottawa confirms reports its pivoting away from long-promised naval facility.

Nanisivik would have needed another $200 million to be operational, according to the federal government.

The Department of Defence included this detail Thursday in a news release that confirmed reports it’s pulling the plug on the naval facility.

To date, the Department of National Defence spent $110.2 million on Nanisivik and planned another $610,000 for this fiscal year before it quashed the program, according to the department’s release.

“The Royal Canadian Navy can operate in the Arctic without the Nanisivik Naval Facility,” said vice-admiral Angus Topshee, the Royal Canadian Navy commander, in the release.

He said the decision to close the facility was made to “focus our effort where it best strengthens readiness.”

Nanisivik is located at a now-demolished mining town site. Plans to revamp it were first announced in 2007 by then-prime minister Stephen Harper as a way to “significantly strengthen Canada’s sovereignty over the Arctic.”

The facility – about 20 kilometres from Arctic Bay – saw construction delays and cuts over the years.

For the past year, the federal government called the facility “complete” but “not yet operational.”

Now, the federal government will begin the process of “transitioning” Nanisivik out of operation, the department said.

Once the government and the Canadian Armed Forces determine that the site will no longer be useful for defence purposes, they will assess “re-use potential or transfer opportunities.”

The government will also take on environmental assessments and remediation measures.

Located in Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada, Nunatsiaq News is dedicated to covering affairs in Nunavut and the Nunavik territory of Quebec since 1973. It has been a partner to ArcticToday and its predecessors since 2016.