Baker Lake, Nunavut


Baker Lake is a hamlet in the Kivalliq Region, in Nunavut on mainland Canada within Inuit Nunangat. Located inland from Hudson Bay, it is near the nation's geographical centre, and is notable for being the Canadian Arctic's sole inland community. The hamlet is located at the mouth of the Thelon River on the shore of Baker Lake. The community was given its English name in 1761 from Captain William Christopher who named it after Sir William Baker, the 11th Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company.

History

In 1916, the Hudson's Bay Company established a trading post at Baker Lake, followed by Anglican missionaries in 1927. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police had been in the area for fifteen years before establishing a post at Baker Lake in 1930. In 1946 the population was 32, of which 25 were Inuit. A small hospital was built in 1957, followed by a regional school the next year.
In 1979 the plaintiffs, the Baker Lake Hunters and Trappers Association and the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada in Hamlet of Baker Lake v. Minister of Indian Affairs, took the Canadian federal government to court for giving exploration licenses to mining companies in areas where the Inuit hunt caribou. Judge Mahoney of the Federal Court of Canada, recognized the existence of Aboriginal Title in Nunavut.The plaintiffs, which included the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada were concerned that "government-licensed exploration companies were interfering with their aboriginal rights, specifically, their right to hunt caribou."
Videos of elders sharing oral histories have been collected by Inuit students as part of the Nunavut Teacher Education Program.

Demographics

In the 2016 Census, Statistics Canada reported that Baker Lake had a population of 2,069 living in 580 of its 667 total dwellings, a 10.5% increase from its 2011 Census population of 1,872. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2016.
Baker Lake is home to eleven Inuit groups:
Many of the town's residents work in the nearby mines. Much of the local infrastructure and logistics-related employment is based around aiding mineral exploration and mining efforts in the wider area. The main source of employment and growth in this sector is Canadian-based mining company Agnico Eagle Mines, who in 2010 began work at their Meadowbank mine site located north of Baker Lake. The construction of the mine employed over 1,000 workers, over 30% of them were locals from the general area of the Kivalliq Region. Along with employing local people, the company helped build cellphone towers to get the community connected to Northwestel's cellphone service. The coming of workers from all across Canada also helped developing tourism in this community. There is also potential for a uranium mine, called the Kiggavik Project, which is being proposed by AREVA Resources Canada.

Geography

Climate

Baker Lake features a subarctic climate which is very close to a polar climate ; with short, cool summers and long, severely cold winters. Winters run from October/November until April/May with temperatures averaging between. In contrast to Fairbanks, Alaska on a similar parallel, May is a subfreezing month and June is chilly considering the perpetual daylight.
Summers are usually cool, short and rainy; but can be hot and sometimes humid; with a record high of. Under the Nordenskjöld formula for determining polar vs. non-polar climates, however, Baker Lake's climate is polar because with a coldest-month mean of, the warmest-month mean would need be above to keep Baker Lake out of the polar category, and Baker Lake's warmest-month mean is only and the lack of trees at Baker Lake vindicate this judgement.

Wildlife

Baker Lake is host to a variety of wildlife including caribou, muskox, Arctic hares and wolves, wolverines, sik-siks, geese and lake trout among others.

Arts and culture

Baker Lake is known for its Inuit art, such as wallhangings, basalt stone sculptures and stonecut prints. The community has been home to internationally exhibited artists such as Matthew Agigaaq, Elizabeth Angrnaqquaq, Luke Anguhadluq, Barnabus Arnasungaaq, David Ikutaq, Toona Iquliq, Jessie Oonark, Ruth Qaulluaryuk, Irene Avaalaaqiaq Tiktaalaaq, Simon Tookoome, Marion Tuu'luq, and Marie Kuunnuaq.
The Jessie Oonark Arts and Crafts Centre, which opened in 1992, is a work area for the communities artists. It provides space for carving, print making, sewing and jewellery making. It is also home to Jessie Oonark Crafts Ltd. a subsidiary of the Nunavut Development Corporation, a Government of Nunavut crown corporation.

Infrastructure

Transportation

The settlement is served by Baker Lake Airport, linking it to the nearby coastal town of Rankin Inlet, about 35 minutes away by air. Calm Air serves the town with at least two flights daily. Every day there are connecting flights to Winnipeg.
As in every community in Nunavut, the roads are unpaved and do not connect with any other community in the territory.

Broadband communications

The community has been served by the Qiniq network since 2005. Qiniq is a fixed wireless service to homes and businesses, connecting to the outside world via a satellite backbone. The Qiniq network is designed and operated by SSI Micro. In 2017, the network was upgraded to 4G LTE technology, and 2G-GSM for mobile voice.

Services

Baker Lake has a woman's shelter, health centre, dental clinic, heritage centre, visitor's centre, counselling centre, elders' centre, three hotels, swimming pool, library, primary and secondary school, and youth centre.
There are three churches in the community, Anglican, Catholic and Glad Tidings.