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Arctic Research Facilities

Project: Arctic Research Facilities

Department: NRCAN-RNCAN

Location: Resolute, Nunavut

Name and function of Laboratory/Facility: Arctic Research Facilities

The Polar Continental Shelf Program (PCSP) is an organization within Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) that provides cost-effective logistics and support services to about 130 research projects annually throughout the Canadian Arctic. The only federal land/air logistic provider in the Arctic, the PCSP has a longstanding excellent reputation among the national and international scientific community. The implementation of UNCLOS and other recent initiatives identified under the Arctic Agenda relies heavily on the PCSP and thus has significantly increased the demand for logistics support and the use of PCSP facilities.

The PCSP lab in Resolute, Nunavut, supports science that enables the Government of Canada and all three territorial partners to meet their regulatory responsibilities in Canada's North. Scientists at the facility conduct research on infrastructure safety, land management, resource development and climate change impacts and adaptation. Researchers from NRCan and other departments and agencies — Fisheries and Oceans, National Defence, Environment Canada, the Canadian Space Agency — use the facility to gather data in order to deliver core regulatory activities.  

The PCSP facilities serve as both a laboratory for research and as a staging area for research conducted across the Canadian Arctic. The research facilities can accommodate up to 41 clients simultaneously and provide work stations, sample storage facilities and shipping services.   

Project description

This project addresses deferred maintenance as identified in the 2008 asset assessment (building condition report) and includes such items as replacing plumbing pumps and interior and exterior doors and upgrading storage tanks to ensure the integrity of the facilities and the safety of PCSP clients. 

Deferred maintenance on the facility totals $1,008,764 over two years. Jobs created by the delivery of this program will be in the construction sector and in supporting services and industries. Direct jobs are created in the construction sector, from construction workers to experts in advanced building retrofits and energy efficiency; indirect jobs are created in industries serving the construction material supply chain, from resource extraction to manufacturing.

Prepared by: Geoff Munro, Chief Scientist and Associate Deputy Minister, Innovation and Energy Technology Sector, 613-947-1435 and Dr. Richard Tobin, Associate Deputy Minister, Corporate Management and Services Sector (613) 995-4252 with the Earth Sciences Sector

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