Ellesmere Island Operations & Maintenance
Now that's remote
We often talk about working in remote locations and austere environments, and the Australian Outback and the deserts of Saudi Arabia can be pretty austere. But nothing really compares to working in temperatures hovering around -40° Celsius (or -71° Celsius when the wind kicks up). There’s a reason we stress that operating in the North and maintaining assets in the Arctic is no small feat.
CFS Alert, Nunavut is the most northern permanently inhabited settlement in the world. It’s situated on the northeastern tip of Ellesmere Island in the Canadian Arctic, approximately 817 km from the geographic North Pole. The base is owned by the Canadian Air Force and they have the core task of collecting SIGINT (signals monitoring and interpretation) data, providing an Environment Canada Weather Station, and supporting national and international Arctic science.
Snapshot
Date: 2012 - Present
Location: Alert, Nunavut, Canada
Client: Public Works and Government Services Canada
Category: Operations & Maintenance
a partnership in extreme conditions
In 1994 we partnered with Pan Arctic Inuit Logistic Corporation to form a 50/50 joint venture called Nasittuq Corporation, and today it is an Inuit majority-owned commercial partnership. Nasittuq has been delivering site support services in this remote and harsh arctic environment with various contracts, and is currently responsible for operating and maintaining the 90 buildings comprising CFS Alert.
Meeting challenges head on
One of the biggest challenges Nasittuq faces is the age and condition of the buildings and the systems that must be operated and maintained in these extreme conditions. These were built between 1960 and 1998, and total approximately 242,188 ft2. There is a 5,500-ft. gravel runway, several kilometres of roads, a quarry operation, landfills, fuel farms, scientific labs, and antenna farms in the local area.
The facilities provide all that’s required to live and work in the Arctic environment on a permanent basis – the health and safety of the nearly 80 residents depend on them.
To ensure delivery of services to the highest quality, Nasittuq implemented a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) and is also responsible for planning and delivery of mobilization requirements, recruitment, quality control, operational and preventative maintenance plans.
Range of services
- Program management and administration
- Site operations and maintenance
- Building inspections
- Airfield maintenance
- Vehicle maintenance and servicing
- Transportation and dispatch
- Snow and Ice Control (SNIC)
- Food services and accommodations
- Janitorial services
- Fire protection services
- Plumbing and electrical maintenance
- Solid waste and hazardous waste services
- Water and wastewater systems
- Fueling operations, receipt, and testing
Inuit Benefits
We believe in the continuing education for Inuit employees to improve their potential for full-time employment and promotion within the company. Nasittuq provides extensive training for Inuit employees and offers assistance and support including applying for passports, security clearances, medical clearances, and bank accounts in order to ensure success.