Coastal Environmental Baseline Program - Funding to SmartICE

About the Coastal Environmental Baseline Program

In September 2017, the Coastal Environmental Baseline Program was launched as part of the national Oceans Protection Plan. The Program provides $50.8 million over five years to collect biological and oceanographic data to characterize the current state of six key coastal ecosystems in Canada. The coastal ecosystems were chosen for their high or potential for increasing vessel traffic and coastal development. These selected ecosystems are the Port of Vancouver, BC; Port of Prince Rupert, BC; St. Lawrence Estuary, QC; Port of Saint John, NB; Placentia Bay, NL; and Iqaluit, NU.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada collaborates with coastal communities and research partners to determine what baseline data will be gathered to understand our marine ecosystems and inform decisions that impact sensitive coastal environments. The Program enables research partners and coastal communities to be directly involved in gathering the scientific data that contributes to characterizing Canada's coastal environments. By gathering baseline data, we can better detect changes in the environment over time and improve our understanding of the effects of shipping and coastal development on the marine environment.

About the data collection projects that SmartICE is leading

SmartICE will target the ice-monitoring gap using SmartQAMUTIK sensors for community trails around Iqaluit using SmartICE services operated and deployed by trained hunters identified through the Amaruq Hunters and Trappers Association (HTA). They will gather real-time data on ice conditions, specifically targeting community trails and areas of resource and infrastructure development around Iqaluit.

SmartICE will also obtain, assemble and ship four SmartBUOYs to Iqaluit for the 2021-22 ice season. These devices will gather real-time data on ice conditions. These stationary sensors will be assembled at SmartICE’s Northern Production Centre in Nain, Nunatsiavut, Newfoundland and Labrador by youth from that community. Sessions will be conducted to provide both refresher and recruitment training to operators from the community. As part of the goal to promote public awareness of sea-ice conditions, public outreach and engagement events in the community centered around ice-coring technology will also be held. Fisheries and Oceans Canada is providing $254,751 in Coastal Environmental Baseline funding to this project.

The data collected from this project will complement many of the other ongoing baseline data collection projects in the Iqaluit area.

About current data collection projects

There are seven active multi-year Coastal Environmental Baseline-funded projects currently underway in and around Iqaluit. Four additional projects concluded in spring of 2020. This is the second time Fisheries and Oceans has provided funding under Coastal Environmental Baseline Program to SmartICE.

Information on all funded data collection projects in the Iqaluit area are available online: https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/science/environmental-environnement/cebp-pdecr/projects/iqaluit-eng.html.