Bathurst Inlet Port and Road Project 

Bathurst Inlet which lies just north of the Arctic Circle in the Canadian territory of Nunavut is the site of a proposed port and all-weather road linking the mines and mineral-rich region of the Slave Geological Province with the Northwest Passage.  The Slave Geological Province is known for deposits of gold, diamonds, copper, zinc and nickel.  Currently, the region is home to all mineral extraction activity between Yellowknife and the Arctic coast. 

Officially dubbed The Bathurst Inlet Port and Road Project, once constructed the approximate 210 km all-weather road will connect the port with the Winter Road (Yellowknife through Contwoyto).  (The Winter Road services the diamond mines north of Yellowknife and is only open during the winter, as the road transits over large expanses of frozen water i.e. lakes.)  The overall intention to develop this project lies in reducing the transportation costs of both extracted minerals and material related to construction and day-to-day operations of the various current and future mines.  That being said, the project increases the economic feasibility for the region and also reduces the living-costs for the numerous communities.  

The all-weather road will commercially operate between January-April, while the port will be open between mid-July to late-October — dependent on the Arctic environment.  It is expected that the combined port and road construction would take place over a 26-month period.  A Public-Private Partnership will finance and develop the project.  As of fall 2007, the project will be submitted to the Nunavut Impact Review Board.

Map of the road and rendition of port:

Credit: Kitikmeot Corporation