Â鶹ӰÊÓ

Skip to main content

Nunavut declares state of emergency over Iqaluit water shortage

Share
IQALUIT, Nunavut -

The Nunavut government has declared a two-week state of emergency over a water shortage in Iqaluit.

Joanna Quassa, the acting minister of community and government services, said Friday that it's meant to ensure the city can get necessary regulatory approvals to immediately begin replenishing its reservoir.

"We are committed to working with the City of Iqaluit to ensure water levels will meet the needs of the residents of Iqaluit through the upcoming winter," Quassa said in a statement.

The city declared its own state of emergency last week due to a lack of precipitation and flows into the Apex River, Iqaluit's secondary water resupply source, being at a 40-year low.

As a result, Lake Geraldine, which serves as the water reservoir for Iqaluit, would not be replenished before it freezes.

The city said it was working to get regulatory approval to pump additional water from the nearby Unnamed Lake into the Apex River, then into Lake Geraldine.

The city said it needs to pump more than 500 million litres of water.

Quassa says the territorial government is working closely with the city and has agreed to provide equipment to support the pumping operation.

There have long been concerns about whether the water reservoir can meet the needs of Iqaluit's growing population of more than 7,700.

The federal government committed more than $214 million in April to support a new reservoir and upgrades to Iqaluit's water distribution system. The city expects it will take four years before the project is complete.

By Emily Blake in Yellowknife

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

The British Columbia election campaign is set to officially start today, with Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin issuing the writ for the Oct. 19 vote.

A northern Ontario man is facing a $12,000 fine after illegally shooting a moose near the Batchawan River.

Unusual flippered feet are making their way into the Saint Lawrence River this weekend. Led by underwater explorer and filmmaker Nathalie Lasselin, volunteer divers are combing the riverbed near Beauharnois in Montérégie to remove hundreds of tires that have been polluting the aquatic environment for decades.

A sea lion swam free after a rescue team disentangled it near Vancouver Island earlier this week.

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.

Stay Connected