COVID-19 Department of Environment Services update
COVID-19 GN Update - January 6, 2022
Department of Environment Services
Ongoing Services:
The Department of Environment will respond ONLY to problem wildlife and spills. All spills are to be reported to the Nunavut Spill Line at 867-920-8130, 24 hours a day: https://www.gov.nu.ca/environment/documents/spill-response
Closed/Cancelled/Suspended Services:
Wildlife research consultations with Baffin Island communities on management actions for Baffin Island caribou, planned for the last two weeks of January, will be re-scheduled when COVID restrictions allow, either in person or via conference calls.
COVID-19 GN Update - December 29, 2021
Department of Environment Services
Ongoing Services:
The Department of Environment will continue to respond to problem wildlifes and spills. All spills are to be reported to the Nunavut Spill Line at 867-920-8130, 24 hours a day: https://www.gov.nu.ca/environment/documents/spill-response
Closed/Cancelled/Suspended Services
All wildlife offices and parks offices in Nunavut are closed to the public until further notice. For wildlife response 24 hours a day, please call:
| Community | Cell Number |
| Arctic Bay | 867-975-7780 (*) |
| Arviat | 867-857-6944 |
| Baker Lake | 867-793-1692 |
| Cambridge Bay | 867-222-2165 |
| Chesterfield Inlet | 867-222-0330 |
| Clyde River | 867-975-7780 (*) |
| Coral Harbour | 867-222-0058 |
| Gjoa Haven | 867-982-1872 (*) |
| Grise Fiord | 867-975-7780 (*) |
| Igloolik | 867-975-7780 (*) |
| Iqaluit | 867-975-7780 |
| Kimmirut | 867-975-7780 (*) |
| Kinngait | 867-975-7780 (*) |
| Kugaaruk | 867-982-1872 (*) |
| Kugluktuk | 867-982-1872 |
| Naujaat | 867-222-1437 |
| Pangnirtung | 867-975-7780 (*) |
| Pond Inlet | 867-899-1885 |
| Qikiqtarjuaq | 867-975-7780 (*) |
| Rankin Inlet | 867-645-6447 |
| Resolute Bay | 867-222-3899 |
| Sanikiluaq | 867-975-7780 (*) |
| Sanirajak | 867-975-7780 (*) |
| Taloyoak | 867-982-1872 (*) |
| Whale Cove | 867-341-0388 |
COVID-19 GN Update - June 7, 2021
Department of Environment Services
Adjusted services:
The wildlife office in Iqaluit and the Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park office are now open to the public. All other buildings at the park remain closed.
COVID-19 GN Update - May 14, 2021
Department of Environment Services
Adjusted services:
The wildlife office in Kinngait is now open to the public.
COVID-19 GN Update - May 6, 2021
Department of Environment Services
Ongoing services:
The Department of Environment continues to provide services Nunavut-wide as usual, following recommended public health measures.
The department will continue to respond to problem wildlife and spills:
- For wildlife response in Kinngait, call 867-897-0123 (RCMP), 24 hours a day.
- For wildlife response in Iqaluit, call 867-222-0167, 24 hours a day.
- All spills are to be reported to the Nunavut Spill Line at 867-920-8130, 24 hours a day: https://www.gov.nu.ca/environment/documents/spill-response.
Closed/Cancelled/Suspended Services:
The wildlife office and park visitor centre in Kinngait, and the wildlife office and parks office in Iqaluit are closed to the public until further notice.
COVID-19 GN Update - April 20, 2021
Department of Environment Services
Ongoing services:
The Department of Environment continues to provide services Nunavut-wide as usual, following recommended public health measures.
The department will continue to respond to problem wildlife and spills:
- For wildlife response in Kinngait, call 867-897-0123 (RCMP), 24 hours a day.
- For wildlife response in Iqaluit, call 867-222-0167, 24 hours a day.
- All spills are to be reported to the Nunavut Spill Line at 867-920-8130, 24 hours a day: https://www.gov.nu.ca/environment/documents/spill-response.
Closed/Cancelled/Suspended Services:
The wildlife office and park visitor centre in Kinngait, and the wildlife office and parks office in Iqaluit are closed to the public until further notice.
COVID-19 GN Update - April 15, 2021
Department of Environment Services
Ongoing services:
The Department of Environment continues to provide services Nunavut-wide as usual, following recommended public health measures.
The department will continue to respond to problem wildlife and spills:
- For wildlife response in Iqaluit, call 867-222-0167. Available 24 hours a day.
- All spills are to be reported to the Nunavut Spill Line at 867-920-8130, available 24 hours a day: https://www.gov.nu.ca/environment/documents/spill-response.
Closed /Cancelled/Suspended services:
The wildlife office and parks office in Iqaluit are closed to the public until further notice.
Department of Environment Services - December 2, 2020
Adjusted services:
Public services are returning to normal operation in all Nunavut communities, except Arviat.
In Arviat, the department continues to respond to problem wildlife and spills.
Polar bear monitors continue to patrol Arviat, with instructions to have no in-person contact with the general public and to follow the protocols outlined by the Chief Public Health Officer. For wildlife response 24 hours a day, please call 867-857-6944.
All spills are to be reported to the Nunavut Spill Line at 867-920-8130, 24 hours a day: https://www.gov.nu.ca/environment/documents/spill-response
All territorial parks are open. In Iqaluit, the road at Sylvia Grinnell Park has been cleared to provide access to the river.
Closed/Cancelled/Suspended Services:
The wildlife office in Arviat is closed to the public until further notice.
Department of Environment Services - November 20, 2020
All territorial parks are closed until further notice.
Department of Environment Services update - November 16, 2020
Ongoing Services:
The department will continue to respond to problem wildlife and spills. All spills are to be reported to the Nunavut Spill Line at 867-920-8130, 24 hours a day: https://www.gov.nu.ca/environment/documents/spill-response
Polar bear monitors will continue to patrol communities with active polar bear populations (esp. Arviat and Whale Cove), with instructions to have no in-person contact with general public and to follow the protocols outlined by the Chief Public Health Officer.
Closed/Cancelled/Suspended Services
All wildlife offices and parks offices in Nunavut are closed to the public until further notice. For wildlife response 24 hours a day, please call:
(* number forwards to regional office)
Department of Environment Services update - November 13, 2020
Ongoing Services:
The Department of Environment continues to provide services Nunavut-wide as usual, following recommended public health measures.
The department will continue to respond to problem wildlife and spills. All spills are to be reported to the Nunavut Spill Line at 867-920-8130, 24 hours a day: https://www.gov.nu.ca/environment/documents/spill-response
Polar bear monitors will continue to patrol communities with active polar bear populations (esp. Arviat and Whale Cove), with instructions to have no in-person contact with general public and to follow the protocols outlined by the Chief Public Health Officer.
Closed/Cancelled/Suspended Services
All wildlife offices and parks offices in the Kivalliq region are closed to the public until further notice. For wildlife response 24 hours a day, please call:
• Arviat: 867-857-6944
• Baker Lake: 867-793-1692
• Chesterfield Inlet: 867-222-0330
• Coral Harbour: 867-222-0058
• Naujaat: 867-222-1437
• Rankin Inlet: 867-645-6447
• Whale Cove: 867-341-0388
Department of Environment Services update - November 11, 2020
The Department of Environment continues to provide services Nunavut-wide as usual, following recommended public health measures.
The Rankin Inlet wildlife office and parks office are closed to the public until further notice. The department will continue to respond to problem wildlife and spills.
• For wildlife response in Rankin Inlet, call 867-645-6447, 24 hours a day.
• All spills are to be reported to the Nunavut Spill Line at 867-920-8130, 24 hours a day: https://www.gov.nu.ca/environment/documents/spill-response
Department of Environment Services update - November 6, 2020
The Department of Environment continues to provide services Nunavut-wide as usual, following recommended public health measures. The department will continue to respond to problem wildlife and spills.
• For wildlife response in Sanikiluaq, call 867-222-0167, 24 hours a day.
• All spills are to be reported to the Nunavut Spill Line at 867-920-8130, 24 hours a day: https://www.gov.nu.ca/environment/documents/spill-response
Department of Environment Services update - May 28, 2020
Territorial parks in Nunavut will reopen on June 1, 2020. All park buildings will remain closed, and the parks will be available for outdoor activities only. The Nunavut limits on outdoor gatherings of more than 25 people will apply in territorial parks as well.
Department of Environment Services update - April 30, 2020
The department has suspended the purchasing of pelts due to the confirmed case of COVID-19 in Pond Inlet. The Department of Environment will continue to purchase pelts in other communities.
Department of Environment Services update - April 3, 2020
The GN maintains its critical spill response capacity. The public is reminded that all spills are to be reported to the Nunavut Spill Line at 867-920-8130, 24 hours a day:
https://www.gov.nu.ca/environment/documents/spill-response
Closed /Cancelled/Suspended services:
- A training workshop on Environmental Protection Officer Emergency Spill planned for April 2020 is now postponed.
Department of Environment Services update - April 2, 2020
New (fiscal) year contracts will be prepared to maintain our operational capacity and/or address 2020-21 Business Plan priorities.
The Environmental Protection division is working with federal, territorial and provincial counterparts to document reductions in emissions due to pandemic responses.
Department staff are working from home and program delivery is ongoing.
Department of Environment Services update - April 1, 2020
The Environmental Protection division is working with federal, territorial and provincial counterparts to document reductions in emissions due to pandemic responses.
Department of Environment Services update - March 31, 2020
Closed/Cancelled/Suspended services:
- New research permits will not be granted due to the closure of HTOs and travel restrictions related to COVID-19.
Department of Environment Services update - March 30, 2020
The community harvest support contribution agreements have all been processed and payments are issued.
Closed/Cancelled/Suspended services:
- All planned wildlife research projects have been put on hold, and the associated air charters have been cancelled. All biologists are working from home and are focusing on analysing previously collected data and finalizing outstanding research reports.
Department of Environment Services update - March 27, 2020
The community harvest support contribution agreements have all been processed and payments are being issued.
Closed /Cancelled/Suspended services:
- All Territorial Parks are closed: this includes the Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park in Iqaluit, and the Katannilik Territorial Park between Kimmirut and Iqaluit.
- Out of territory consultant travel into Nunavut has been cancelled, including travel previously meant to support the Nunavut Impact Review Board's Baffinland Phase 2 proposal Technical Meeting (Iqaluit), and Kugluktuk air quality monitoring station equipment calibrations.
Department of Environment Services update - March 26, 2020
As of March 26, community harvest support contributions for 21 communities have been processed, and payment will be made on March 27. Those recipients with email transfer capacity will receive the payments immediately. The remainder will have a cheque mailed to them, which will cause some delay in them receiving the funds.
Department of Environment Services update - March 24, 2020
- The Contribution Agreements for Community Harvester support program were sent out on March 23.
Department of Environment Services update - March 23, 2020
- The department has finalized the Contribution Agreements for the one-time $25,000 per Community Harvester support program. These will be sent out today.
Department of Environment Services update - March 19, 2020
The department is considering possible ways to continue services while maintaining COVID-19 safety protocols.
Essential services like problem wildlife response and spill response continue as normal.
Unless otherwise stated, remaining departmental services are expected to operate as usual. Updates are provided daily.
Closed/Cancelled/Suspended services:
- Due to school and day-care closures, the following wildlife offices are closed:
- Arctic Bay, Clyde River, Sanikiluaq, Baker Lake, Chesterfield Inlet, Nauyaat, Kugaaruk, Taloyoak.
- In these communities, HTO’s are being informed of how to contact the department in the event or an urgent situation such as a spill or problem wildlife incident.