Iqaluit

Iqaluit (ᐃᖃᓗᐃᑦ in Inuktitut syllabics; formerly, Frobisher Bay, [1]) is the capital and largest settlement of the Canadian territory of Nunavut, and is located on a south-eastern inlet of Baffin Island. As of 2008, the population stood at just over 7,100 people.

Legislative Building in Iqaluit

Understand

Iqaluit started life as the site of an American Air Force base in 1942. In 1984 the settlement formerly known as Frobisher Bay changed its name back to Iqaluit. Iqaluit means place of many fish.

Get in

Iqaluit is generally accessible only by air and, under the right ice conditions, by sea. Iqaluit has no roads leading to any parts outside of Iqaluit.

By air

• Canadian North [2] offers scheduled jet aircraft flights to / from Iqaluit and Edmonton, Calgary and Ottawa. First Air [3] offers scheduled flights to/from Iqaluit and Montreal, Ottawa and Edmonton as well as many other far northern towns.

Air Canada had formerly operated non-stop service to Iqaluit (YFB) from Ottawa (YOW), via its regional carrier, Air Canada Jazz on Canadair Regional Jets (CRJ), but has discontinued this route as of August 1, 2011.

Get around

Most things are within walking distance, temperature dependent; taxis are $6 flat fee anywhere. In the summer, you can rent bicycles from the visitor's centre.

See

Landmarks

• Crystal II - an ancient Inuit camping ground which has lasted for thousands of years, mainly because it is still used even this day. It is located near the end of the road towards the dump. You will need to have local assistance to find the site.

• Nunavut Legislature - the location of Nunavut's legislative assembly. You may look around the main floor of the building, but be sure to announce yourself to the security guard before going too far. The main entrance of the Legislature has two spires of wood which resembles a Qamotiq, a type of Inuit dog sled.

• St Jude's Anglican Cathedral - a white, domed and spired church building designed to resemble an igloo, the interior of which was recently (November 2005) destroyed by fire and has since been demolished. There are plans to rebuild the Cathedral in the future.

Museums and Galleries

• The Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum - houses a large collection of Inuit and Arctic artifacts and art. It is on the beach in a white and red building.

• Iqaluit Public Library - a public library which houses a very informative Nunavut tourism office. A smaller museum of Arctic animals is located in the building beside the tourism office.

• The Baffin regional visitors center has information on the whole territory as well as displays on local wildlife and culture in an adjoining museum.

Do

• Visit Sylvia Grinnell River.
• Attend Toonik Tyme, the annual spring festival, which is usually in early April. Includes a huge variety of community events, including snow-mobile and ski races, concerts and feasts.
• Attend Alianait, the annual arts festival which draws musicians and other performers from the circumpolar Arctic and from around the world. Alianait is always in late June.
• Hire a guide to: take you "out on the land," take you boating, fishing, hunting, or just touring.
• Take a kite-skiing lesson.
• Go dog-sledding. There are several dog team owners in town who take visitors out for an afternoon or overnight.
• Go to Malikaat, a beautiful gift store at the centre of town that sells Inuit-made art, clothing, and jewelery. They also sell beautiful things from other communities in the circumpolar north.

Eat

• Grind 'n' Brew down on the beach - serves coffee, pizza and sandwiches.
• Northern Lights Cafe downtown in the Royal Bank building, also known as Igluvut Building.
• Caribrew Cafe in the Frobisher Inn - serves espresso drinks, coffee, tea, baked goods, sandwiches, salads and soups.
• Gallery Dining Lounge - nice restaurant in the Frobisher Inn. Brunch on Sundays.
• Waters' Edge Restaurant in Hotel Arctic, owned by the Waters sisters. Brunch on Sundays.
• Discovery Inn Dining Lounge in the Discovery Inn, known affectionately as "the disco." French cuisine with some pub-style options, too. Salad bar at lunch. Home-made soups.
• The Navigator Inn, also known as "the nav," has a restaurant. They serve Chinese food and greasy spoon spoon food. Their Kooyoo Burger is very popular.

Drink

• The Royal Canadian Legion is a very popular place to go on Friday and Saturday nights. Live music on one side. Dance floor and pool tables on the other. You need to be a member of the Legion or have a member sign you in.
• Kicking Caribou Pub at Hotel Arctic is a good place to relax. Live music on Friday nights. Open Mic night on Wednesdays. Good pub food.
• The Storehouse, in the Frobisher Inn, is almost always busy... big screen for hockey, pool tables, dance floor, fire places and comfy chairs.
• For good old coffee and some essential community history, visit the Grind 'n' Brew Cafe in "the 200s," by the breakwater. A 5 minute walk from the Visitor's Centre. Very popular place for pizza take-out, too.

Sleep

Only hotels/inns are:

• Discovery Lodge Hotel [4]

• Frobisher Inn

• Navigator Inn

• Accommodations by the Sea [5]

• Nova Hotel

• Capital Suites

• Pearson's arctic homestay (979-6408) Run by a colorful former mayor offers B&B for C$100 a night.

• Toonoonik Hotel Has a dining room and charges C$100/C$125 for singles/doubles.

• Try "couch-surfing"--several couchsurfing members are based in Iqaluit.

• When the college is not in session, visitors can stay out at the college residence, which costs much less than local hotels.

• Check on the Facebook page "Iqaluit Couchsurfers and House-sitters" for other affordable options.