Canadian High Arctic Research Station (CHARS)

The Canadian High Arctic Research Station (CHARS) is located in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. The Kitikmeot hamlet’s central northern location provides good access to all parts of the Canadian Arctic. The main campus for CHARS is located on the Plateau site in Cambridge Bay, on a slope overlooking the community and the bay. The site is close to other major infrastructure, including the community core.

CHARS was first announced in 2007. Construction of the infrastructure began in 2014 and the station will be operational in time for the 150th anniversary of the Confederation in 2017. It will establish a world-class hub for science and technology in Canada’s North that connects a network of regional facilities. The Station will provide a suite of services for Science and Technology (S&T) in Canada’s North, including a technology development centre, knowledge sharing centre, and advanced laboratories. The S&T Program will ensure the new infrastructure supports the planned S&T activities. A five-year planning cycle, starting in 2014, was selected to drive the S&T Program to concrete, measurable results, and to address national priorities.

The climate in the Cambridge Bay area is characterised by a high degree of continentality, demonstrated by a large mean annual temperature range (range of ~45°C) and some of the lowest annual precipitation amounts (100–150 mm) encountered in the Canadian Arctic Islands. The annual mean temperature in Cambridge Bay increased by 1.1°C (1961-2010), with most of the warming occurring during the winter months. The bedrock in the Cambridge Bay region and southeastern Victoria Island is Cambrian limestone, and the region hosts a wide range of peri­glacial landforms, e.g. patterned grounds, solifluction lobes, and thermokarst lakes. Permafrost is nearly continuous, with active layers during summer being <1 m. Bioclimatically, the region is part of the Low Arctic, characterised by a moist tundra with low shrubs, forbs, grasses, and cryptogams. The vascular flora consists of c. 150 plant species. The arthropod fauna around Cambridge Bay is relatively diverse and consists of hundreds of insect and spider species. Cambridge Bay is an important fishing area for arctic char and lake trout, and has a small commercial fishery. Southern Victoria Island is an important staging and nesting area for many migratory birds, particularly waders (shorebirds). It also has sizeable populations of caribou, muskox, arctic hare, arctic fox, and arctic wolf.

Cambridge Bay (Iqaluktuttiaq in Inuinnaqtun, meaning “good fishing place”) is a hamlet located on Victoria Island in the Kitikmeot Region of Nunavut, Canada. The hamlet has a population of c. 1600 people of which about 80% are Inuit. The community is the largest stop for passenger and research vessels traversing the Arctic Ocean’s Northwest Passage. Situated between Dease Strait and Queen Maud Gulf on the southeast coast of Victoria Island, part of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Cambridge Bay is a transportation and administrative centre for the Kitikmeot Region. The area was a traditional hunting and fishing location and archaeological sites are often found. Barrenground caribou, muskox, arctic char, lake trout, and ringed seal were and remain important primary food sources.

The only passenger services are through the Cambridge Bay Airport with daily air service to Yellowknife, and to the other Kitikmeot Region communities. Although Cambridge Bay lies on the Northwest Passage there are no passenger ships other than tourist cruises and annual sealift to the community. Charter and MEDIVAC (air ambulance) services are available.