October 23, 2014 - Ottawa, ON - Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada
Located in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut CHARS will provide a year-round facility for world-class science and technology in Canada’s Arctic. The Station will include research labs, centres for technology development, a knowledge sharing centre, and facilities for teaching, training, and community engagement.
Today in the House of Commons, the Government of Canada introduced the Canadian High Arctic Research Station Act to establish the governance structure for a new, world-class science and technology research facility.
The Canadian High Arctic Research Station (CHARS) will be merged with the Canadian Polar Commission (CPC) to create one larger, stronger research hub for scientific research in Canada’s North – strengthening Canada’s position as a world leader in cutting-edge research in the Arctic. CHARS will build on CPC’s existing mandate and its efforts to bring together industry, academic, Aboriginal, northern governments, and international stakeholders and leverage their expertise, experience, and resources.
CHARS will not only promote Canadian sovereignty and stewardship of Canada’s Arctic lands, waters and resources, but it will also support the local economy by generating employment and service contracts in the region. Through its research, capacity building and outreach activities, CHARS will provide Northerners with the skills and job experience they need to better participate in the labour force.
The proposed legislation is yet another significant step towards the opening of CHARS by 2017.
Erica Meekes
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development
819-997-0002
Media Relations
Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada
819-953-1160
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