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NUNAVUT TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION SITE
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WELCOME
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Don't plan to drive much while you're in Nunavut.
Unlike the western part of the
Northwest Territories, Nunavut is no place to tour by car.
In the Baffin Region, the only road connecting two
communities is a 21-kilometre
section linking Arctic Bay and Nanisivik. Most Kitikmeot
communities are scattered
over islands and archipelagos. There are no direct land
connections between the
Kivalliq and southern Canada, either. In some areas of
the Kitikmeot, around
communities such as Cambridge Bay, there's a network
of roadways or tracks. People
drive out of town along these roads to cottages and
camps in outlying areas. Some
communities have roads around town leading to local
features of interest. Although
there are a few stretches of pavement in towns like Iqaluit
and Rankin Inlet, most roads
are unpaved. To pave over permafrost is expensive and
difficult.
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Snowmobiles and All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs)
All Nunavut communities are small enough for you to
explore easily on foot. Most local
people walk around town and use snowmobiles or ATVs
to go longer distances or to
carry loads. Contact your travel agent or an outfitter if
you'd like an excursion on the
land by ATV or snowmobile. These vehicles should only
be driven by experienced
operators, however. ATVs are also hard on the
environment. When travelling by
snowmobile, never travel alone. If your machine breaks
down, a second can take you
back home. It's also wise to carry a spare motor belt,
spark plugs, extra gas, food,
camp stove, tarp or tent, and even a sleeping bag for a
winter day trip. Always tell
someone where you're going and how long you expect to
be gone. For more important
safety information, read "Adventure Travel."
Nunavut Tourism can give you an up-to-date list of firms
that rent ATVs and
snowmobiles. Several companies operate in Iqaluit and
Rankin Inlet, and a few in other
communities, such as Resolute.
Drivers of ATVs are required by territorial law to wear
helmets. In Nunavut, individual
communities decide whether a helmet, driver's licence,
insurance and the like are
required for snowmobile drivers. Most communities
don't require that helmets be worn,
although Baker Lake, Gjoa Haven and Cape Dorset do.
Check with the local hamlet
office for that community's policy.
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Taxis
Many Nunavut communities offer taxi service. Taxis
usually charge a flat rate per head,
so more than one group can use the cab at the same time.
Think of northern taxis as
stop-at-your-door buses. Don't be surprised if the driver
pulls up at other destinations to
pick up or drop off passengers before getting to your
stop. Don't pass up a taxi just
because you see a passenger inside. There may be only
one or two taxis in town, so
hop in, if there's room.
> Car, Truck and Bus Rentals
In the last few years, Iqaluit -- and its traffic -- have
grown considerably. There are
actually a couple of four-way stop signs in the town. If
you think you need a vehicle to
drive around Iqaluit, R.L.Hanson Construction Ltd.,
Norwheels Enterprises, Toonoonik
Hotel and Tower Arctic rent cars, vans, etc. Rentals are
about $80 per day.
Communities in the Kivalliq and Kitikmeot regions rent
an assortment of vehicles, too.
Motor vehicles are driven on the right side of the road in
Canada. To rent a vehicle in
the Northwest Territories, you should have an
international driver's licence, which
means first having a valid driver's licence from your
home jurisdiction.
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