Indigenous

A community polar dip was held on Sept. 17 at Apex beach, Iqaluit, to honor high‑Arctic exile Tookasie Akpaleeapik and raise suicide‑prevention awareness, organized by the Embrace Life Council following Nunavut’s declaration that suicide remains a crisis.

Seven large Alaska copper projects totaling nearly 94 billion pounds face varied development barriers, including the proposed Ambler Road for Arctic and Bornite, regulatory challenges at Pebble, and ongoing drilling at Sun, Alaska Range, and Whistler.

NPCA and partners have filed an appeal in Alaska Superior Court to overturn the state’s approval of an easement for the Ambler industrial road, arguing the decision violates the Alaska Constitution and would damage the Gates of the Arctic Preserve and caribou migration, with broad opposition from Alaska Native communities.

Dene leaders at the National Assembly urged the NWT government to step out of housing provision, and called for the Dene Nation to take over medical travel, including executive support for elders and cancer patients, along with direct funding to Indigenous governments.

Typhoon Halong’s remnants struck western Alaska on Oct 12 2025, producing up to two metres of flooding in Kipnuk and displacing over 1,600 residents, underscoring how rising sea levels, retreating sea ice, and thawing permafrost are amplifying storm surge threats in the Yukon‑Kuskokwim Delta.

In Finnish Lapland, a protected Arctic peatland near Sodankylä contains copper and nickel deposits sought by Europe for battery production, while environmental activists and reindeer herders fear lasting impacts; mining proponents argue the project would boost resource security, support the energy transition and create jobs, but Finnish and EU authorities have yet to decide.

Premier RJ Simpson signed a memorandum of understanding on nuclear energy with Alberta and Saskatchewan, though the NWT has no immediate plans to invest, while Indigenous groups have voiced concerns over consultation and environmental impacts.

The Government of Greenland rejected Greenland Minerals' 2026 application to renew the Kvanefjeld exploration licence, underscoring regulatory and infrastructure constraints that could limit the region’s rare‑earth supply to Western markets.

The BearSafe Planning program, founded by Inuit elder Derrick Pottle in 2005, trains individuals to guard against polar and black bears in Nunatsiavut—an effort that has become increasingly vital as climate change drives more frequent bear encounters in northern Labrador.

The 2026 Arctic Circle Assembly will convene about 2,500 participants from more than 70 countries to discuss Arctic tipping points, climate interventions, and governance, with Ocean Visions hosting a key session on slowing sea ice loss.

Dene chiefs urge Canada to partner on Arctic Economic and Security Corridor, Mackenzie Valley Highway, and Taltson hydro expansion, demanding meaningful consultation, Indigenous benefits, and water protection.

The Northwest Territories government has pushed back the rollout of Indigenous language service standards, initially slated for spring, citing new considerations on delivery models, interpreter capacity, and implementation support.

Students and staff from Weledeh Catholic School and St Patrick High School in Yellowknife joined a healing walk on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, led by Elder Verna Crapeau, to honor residential school survivors and weave Indigenous teachings into their education.

Tuberculosis illustrates Canada’s underinvestment in Arctic health, and author Natan Obed urges stronger health investment as essential for Inuit Nunangat’s future.

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced $1.2 billion in federal funding for ocean protection, including measures to reduce underwater noise, expand Coast Guard monitoring, and support Arctic marine life conservation.

Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Lisa Murkowski urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to keep the Arctic Indigenous Exchange Program and TechWomen program unchanged, arguing that altering or cutting these initiatives would harm diplomatic, economic, and gender equity goals in the Arctic.

Garry Bailey is re‑elected president of the NWT Metis Nation for a sixth term, adding four years to his 14‑year tenure.

Sen. Dan Sullivan declined to push the Trump administration to restore the Arctic Report Card, even after a constituent urged him to act, citing a lack of substantive plans and limited engagement with NOAA on the issue.

Three whaling crews hauled in bowhead whales to Utqiaġvik’s shore, processed them for community use, and will distribute the meat and other parts to local residents and churches for winter celebrations.

Arrow in the Arctic Committee awarded $18,408 in 2026 grants to six literacy‑focused organizations in Canada’s Northwest Territories, funding book delivery, plain‑language resource banks, and library collections to strengthen literacy and honor Inuit and First Nations cultures.