Nukik Corporation, Arctic Gateway Group, and the Town of Churchill Announce Groundbreaking Partnership on Shared Priorities

RANKIN INLET, Nunavut, March 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nukik Corporation (Nukik), the Town of Churchill, and Arctic Gateway Group (AGG) are pleased to announce a formal partnership to further advance work on a strategic Northern renewable energy and infrastructure corridor between Churchill, Manitoba and the Kivalliq region of Nunavut.

"Partnerships allow us to address big challenges," remarked David Kakuktinniq, President of Nukik. "For generations the Kivalliq and Northern Manitoba have worked together to advance our priorities and create opportunities for our communities. We look forward to working closely with AGG and the Town of Churchill to address our infrastructure deficits through our shared vision to develop the Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link (KHFL) as a crucial nation-building project that will deliver reliable, cost-effective, and clean power and fibre-optic internet for our region."

Nukik is the 100 per cent Inuit-owned proponent of the KHFL, a 1,200-kilometer transmission project that will enable renewable power transmission and fibre-optic internet connectivity to several communities and mines in the Kivalliq region of Nunavut. The KHFL is seeking to connect to Manitoba's electricity grid, near Churchill, Manitoba. The project will be Nunavut's first infrastructure connection to Canada and will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, stabilize energy costs and create economic opportunities for the region. This partnership seeks to address significant critical infrastructure gaps in Northern Manitoba and Nunavut to allow the parties to deliver on their socio-economic development, reconciliation, and sustainability objectives.

"The Town of Churchill has been a gathering place for Inuit, Dene, Cree, Métis for generations, and community and Indigenous collaboration on this significant northern corridor is finally in place," added Town of Churchill Mayor Mike Spence. "We are pleased to work together as northern leaders to fight climate change and bring critical infrastructure to places that have been overlooked for too long. This will lead to greater Arctic security and sovereignty and allow the North to unlock its tremendous potential. We look forward to continuing our work with governments to support the important activities underway."

The Town of Churchill and AGG, the operator of the Port of Churchill (the Port) and Hudson Bay Railway have long identified the need for increased electricity supply to the region as a barrier to capitalizing on the economic development opportunities in the region. Through this partnership, the parties commit to working together towards supporting regional priorities and helping advance the organizations' shared objectives of creating economic opportunities for these regions, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and advancing economic reconciliation for Indigenous and specifically Inuit communities.

It is the first partnership of its kind and marks a new era in northern Indigenous-led climate and infrastructure action for Nunavut and Manitoba.

"This unique partnership allows us to demonstrate to the Manitoba and Federal governments the strategic importance of the Hudson Bay Railway and Port of Churchill as unique supply chain facilities," concluded Arctic Gateway Group CEO Michael Woelcke. "Critical mineral and natural resource sector companies have expressed interest in renewable power and economic development opportunities in the Churchill and Kivalliq region. Building reliable infrastructure and strengthening existing transmission connections is imperative if we are to collectively respond to business demand and overall interest in the region in a sustainable manner."

A strengthened commitment from Federal and Provincial partners is essential to further advance the development of the KHFL and thereby build on the work and efforts demonstrated through this Partnership. Northern Canada is part of Canada. This partnership intends to make this a reality.

Nukik, AGG, and the Town of Churchill are determined to advocate for and develop the infrastructure that will transform Nunavut, Manitoba, and Canada for generations to come. It is time to unlock the potential of Canada's North.

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