Arviat, Nunavut, chosen as main campus site for Canada's 1st Inuit university
Listen to this articleEstimated 5 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.Arviat, a small Nunavut community located along the western shore of Hudson Bay, will be the home of the first Inuit-led university in Canada's Arctic, CBC News has learned.The location of the main campus will be formally announced at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on Wednesday afternoon during an event hosted by Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), the national organization representing Inuit.ITK President Natan Obed said the creation of the first university in Inuit Nunangat — the homeland of Inuit in Canada — is an important step in asserting jurisdiction in the Canadian Arctic."Inuit underpin Canada's sovereignty," Obed said."One of the driving forces of the strength of our society is our knowledge and our education. So having a university in Inuit Nunangat is going to be another step that we need to secure our country."Obed will make the announcement alongside Canada's first Indigenous Governor General, Mary Simon, who is Inuk and has long advocated for the university.Arviat, which has a population of about 3,000, was chosen by ITK's board of directors following a review of 51 communities. Eight were shortlisted and six submitted detailed pitches."We knew we had a really strong proposal," Arviat Mayor Joe Savikataaq Jr. told CBC News. "But when we first heard, it was a bit shocking. Very humbling. Very happy."Arviat Mayor Joe Savikataaq Jr., says the community of approximately 3,000 rallied support to host the main Inuit Nunangat University campus. (Olivia Stefanovich/CBC)The five other communities will now be considered to host regional knowledge centres or satellite campuses. They include: Inuvik (Northwest Territories), Iqaluit and Cambridge Bay (Nunavut) and Kuujjuaq and Puvirnituq (Quebec).Arviat ranked highest in overall readiness, site capacity and alignment with the university's vision for an immersive, culturally rich learning environment, according to ITK.Most people who live in the hamlet speak Inuktitut, which will be taught at the university. They also continue to practise their traditions, which Savikataaq Jr. said the community is eager to share.Arviat held public radio call-in shows and consultations over social media about the university application, which received a groundswell of support."It was overwhelming," Savikataaq Jr. said. "One hundred per cent wanted the university in Arviat."The new university is expected to open by 2030. It will serve approximately 100 students and have 80 staff members.Housing in Arviat is in short supply, but Savikataaq Jr. said accommodations will be built to ensure enough accommodations for the university, which he hopes will bring economic benefits and new businesses to the community."There will be no choice, but to keep up [with] the demand that is coming," Savikataaq Jr. said.The hamlet has the third-largest youth population in Nunavut, which Obed hopes will take advantage of having higher education available close by. "We want to give young people, young Inuit, the ability to dream about going to university within their society and within their extended community," Obed said. Currently, post-secondary students who live in the four northern regions that make up Inuit Nunangat have to move south for university."It is a completely different world," Obed said. "It's almost like if you were here in Ottawa and you decided to go to school in Mexico City and you were immersed in a Spanish culture and Spanish language. That would be really hard, I would imagine, for most young people who would want to pursue post secondary. We want to remove that barrier."Along with the name of the location, Wednesday's announcement includes a new $50-million pledge by Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (NTI) for the construction of the main campus, in addition to $2 million it already contributed.NTI is also donating another $50 million for student housing and $35 million for programming. Natan Obed, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, says the new Inuit Nunangat University will not only focus on academics, but the overall development of young people. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press)Obed estimates the new university will cost up to $200 million. Most of the money is secured by private donations, including a $50-million contribution from the Mastercard Foundation. But ITK is waiting for the federal government to announce its share. The 2025 federal budget promised support for Inuit Nunangat University, but did not specify a dollar amount. "The federal government is a linchpin in all of this. We need their support and I look forward to hearing them articulate it more clearly in the coming weeks," Obed said.A federal government source told CBC News a contribution of up to $50 million will be confirmed once the university's funding proposal is complete.When it opens, the university is expected to offer four undergraduate degrees in subjects that are still under consideration.Obed said the focus will not only be on academics, but the overall development of students."This university will allow for young people to practically understand how they can make a positive contribution, whether that's in politics or in the boardroom or in school," Obed said. "We want to produce people who not only know who they are and have a firm grounding in their culture and language, but also how they can help."
