Statement on ArcticNet Annual Scientific Meeting 2022

Toronto, Ontario (December 13, 2022) – The Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, and Minister responsible for PrairiesCan and CanNor, issued the following statement today regarding the conclusion of the 2022 ArcticNet Annual Scientific Meeting:

“Last week, leaders in the scientific community—along with representatives from northern and Inuit organizations; federal, territorial and provincial governments; and community leaders—gathered in Toronto, Ontario, for ArcticNet’s Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) 2022. Each year, the ASM provides a unique opportunity for researchers, policy-makers, and communities to come together, share expertise, and advance our collective ability to understand the effects of climate change in Canada’s North and Arctic.

Our government is continuing to invest in Indigenous-led and delivered innovative solutions to adapt to the impacts of climate change in communities across the North and Arctic. To build on these investments, rights holders, stakeholders, experts and decision-makers must keep working together to support the development of inclusive, diversified and interdisciplinary research by incorporating Indigenous-led research and traditional Indigenous knowledge.

As Minister of Northern Affairs, I have travelled to communities large and small throughout the North and Arctic. I have witnessed, first-hand, how the two-way flow of scientific and Indigenous knowledge is informing and enhancing climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies across Indigenous and Northern communities. For example, in Whitehorse, Yukon, I met with researchers from Yukon University and Champagne and Aishihik First Nations who are working together to study permafrost vulnerability to thaw and the resulting impacts, all while promoting cross-cultural awareness.

While visiting the Hamlet of Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, I saw how the community, and others like it, are working to ensure that future housing developments are livable, safe, and resilient to the effects of climate change by conducting local snow studies and developing drainage plans that will help inform policy, land use planning, construction, and adaptive measures.

I also travelled to the Canadian High Arctic Research Station (CHARS), operated by Polar Knowledge Canada (POLAR). CHARS had their busiest field season this year, hosting researchers from across Canada and from ten other countries. I heard from the community about their appreciation for the opportunities to connect with researchers who come from across the North, Canada and abroad.

In addition, POLAR has been engaging young Northerners and encouraging them to adopt science as a field of study through several science career awareness camps and biodiversity workshops over the past year. These are the Arctic researchers of the future, and investing in creating and supporting more of these opportunities for them now will benefit all Canadians.

Across all three territories, I have seen how communities are leading the way to a carbon-neutral future by investing in clean energy technologies. Some notable examples include biomass energy and solar projects in Inuvik, Northwest Territories; solar and wind farms in Old Crow, Yukon; and geothermal energy exploration and major hydro feasibility projects in Iqaluit and the Kivalliq regions of Nunavut that have the potential to significantly reduce both the hefty costs and pollution associated with diesel reliance.

These are just a few examples of how many Indigenous communities across the North have put in place locally led initiatives to reduce their carbon footprint, monitor the climate and impacts of climate change, and create strategies to adapt to the changing environment.

Addressing climate change risks and impacts through adaptation will have broad and positive impacts. Northern leadership and innovation will maintain resilience, while also serving the interests of Canada’s Arctic sovereignty and identity. Our government will continue to support communities and northern researchers in developing and implementing locally led, innovative solutions to climate change, and ensure that Northerners have the tools they need to both lead on and adapt to the changing landscape and environment."