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Cambridge Bay

Cambridge Bay, located on the south coast of Victoria Island, is the transportation and administrative centre of the Kitikmeot Region. The community is well-serviced and most modern conveniences are readily available. Kitikmeot Foods Ltd., one of three primary processing plants in Nunavut, operates year-round and mainly offers local Arctic char and muskox.

The traditional language of the region is Inuinnaqtun, which is written in the Latin alphabet rather than the syllabics used in the Inuktitut system. The Inuinnaqtun name for Cambridge Bay is Ikaluktutiak, or “good fishing place,” as the surrounding lakes and rivers are known for outstanding fishing. Guided hunting and fishing are available, and the community is the gateway to one of Nunavut’s nature lodges. Ovayok (Mount Pelly) Territorial Park, located approximately 15 kilometres east of Cambridge Bay, provides camping, hiking trails, muskox viewing, and interpretive panels detailing the site, which is an important landmark and source of Inuit legend.

Potential non-renewable resources in the region include: gold, diamonds, uranium, precious metals, base metals, and nickel-copper platinum group elements (PGEs).

Land Use Planning

Approved Land Use Plan

The community of Cambridge Bay is not yet covered by an approved land use plan. 

Draft Nunavut Land Use Plan

Between 2004 and 2011, NPC staff visited every Nunavut community to conduct individual “Use and Occupancy Mapping” interviews to collect information on traditional land use activities “within living memory”. This community land use information is included in the Draft Plan and has been used to support decision-making.

The Commission also visited the Community on Cambridge Bay on March 3 – 4, 2014, for community engagement meetings on the Draft Plan.

Information was presented and received from participants in Cambridge Bay in accordance with Nunavut Planning Commission’s Engagement Strategy.

The community views and comments have been very informative in the ongoing process of development and revisions of the Draft Nunavut Land Use Plan. In particular, all areas of importance identified by the community are included in the Draft Plan as “Community Priorities and Values”.

Fact Sheet
Region: 
Kitikmeot
Population: 
1477
80% Inuit
Longitude: 
105° 8.4' W
Latitude: 
69° 6.6' N
1790 km north of Edmonton