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National Defence is hoping it can finally start moving on an already diminished and delayed plan for establishing a key naval facility in Canada’s Arctic after submitting a new environmental impact assessment to the Nunavut government this week.
The creation of a deep-water port and naval resupply facility at an old lead-zinc mine in Nanisivik, Nunavut, was announced to much fanfare by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in 2007 as part of his government’s promise to protect Canadian sovereignty in the North.
“With its sheltered harbour, nearby jet-capable airstrip, and proximity to the Northwest Passage, Nanisivik offers an ideal location for the docking and refuelling facility,” the prime minister said at the time.
Estimates at the time put the total cost of getting Nanisivik up and running at about $100 million, with construction expected to start in 2010 and the deep-water port fully operational by 2015.
But budget cuts, regulatory snags and an apparent bout of shortsightedness have significantly reduced the project’s scope while causing delays and uncertainty about when construction can actually start.
The government revealed in May that the budget for Nanisivik has been slashed to $56 million.
At the same time, a study by the Defence Science Advisory Board last year but only recently made public indicates the federal government failed to consult with the local community of Arctic Bay before choosing Nanisivik to host the naval facility.
As a result, it didn’t know the “jet-capable” airport would be closed, and though a new airfield has been constructed near Arctic Bay, the advisory board said it can’t handle the military’s Hercules transport aircraft.
The advisory board, which is made up of academics, analysts and industry representatives who provide the department with advice, also said it remains unclear who will pay to maintain the 26-kilometre road between Nanisivik and Arctic Bay.
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