Rankin Inlet

Rankin Inlet (Inuktitut: Kangiqliniq;[7] Inuktitut syllabics: ᑲᖏᕿᓂᖅ[8] or Kangirliniq,[9] ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᖅ,[8] or Kangir&iniq[10] meaning deep bay/inlet) is an Inuit hamlet on Kudlulik Peninsula in Nunavut, Canada.[11] It is the largest hamlet and second-largest settlement in Nunavut, after the territorial capital, Iqaluit. On the northwestern Hudson Bay, between Chesterfield Inlet and Arviat, it is the regional centre for the Kivalliq Region.

Rankin Inlet

Kangiqliniq
ᑲᖏᕿᓂᖅ
Rankin Inlet
Rankin Inlet
Coordinates: 62°48′35″N 092°05′58″W
CountryCanada
TerritoryNunavut
RegionKivalliq
Electoral districtsRankin Inlet North-Chesterfield Inlet
Rankin Inlet South
Government
 • TypeHamlet Council
 • MayorHarry Towtongie
 • MLAsCathy Towtongie
Lorne Kusugak
Area
 • Total20.24 km2 (7.81 sq mi)
 • Population Centre2.59 km2 (1.00 sq mi)
Elevation28 m (92 ft)
Population
 (2016)[4][6]
 • Total2,842
 • Density140/km2 (360/sq mi)
 • Population Centre
2,441
 • Population Centre density940/km2 (2,400/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC−06:00 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−05:00 (CDT)
Canadian Postal code
X0C 0G0
Area code(s)867
Telephone Exchange645
GNBC CodeOANSI
NTS Map055K16
WaterwayHudson Bay
Websitewww.rankininlet.net

In the 1995 Nunavut capital plebiscite, Iqaluit defeated Rankin Inlet to become territorial capital of Nunavut.

History

Archaeological sites suggest the area was inhabited around 1200 A.D. by Thule people, bowhead whale hunters. By the late 18th century, they were succeeded by Caribou Inuit who hunted the inland barren-ground caribou, and fished for Arctic char along the coast, as well as the Diane River and Meliadine River. The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) established itself throughout the bay in the 17th century, and after 1717, sloops from Churchill, Manitoba traded north to Rankin Inlet and beyond. There was an unfortunate expedition shipwrecked on Marble Island, 32 km (20 mi) east of Rankin Inlet: James Knight's expedition died in the island around 1722. It was surveyed by William Moor in 1747. HBC contact was followed in the mid-19th century by American and European whalers, who were followed by fur traders trapping white fox skins in the early 20th century, followed by missionaries who brought a written language system.[12][13]

The town itself was founded by the owners of the Rankin Inlet Mine, just north of Johnston Cove. Starting in 1957, the mine produced nickel and copper ores from an underground operation. The mine was the first case of Inuit miners in Canada. When the mine closed in 1962, Rankin Inlet had a population of approximately 500 Inuit, and 70-80% had been mine workers. Several unsuccessful attempts followed to develop alternate sources of income for the town. These included a pig ranch in 1969 and a chicken-raising venture in the 1970s. Both animal groups were fed a diet of local fish, which gave the meat an unpleasant flavour. It was also common for the animals to freeze to death or be eaten by polar bears.[14] The Meliadine Gold Mine operated by Agnico-Eagle opened in 2019 and is expected to produce until at least 2034.

Demographics

In the 2016 Census, Statistics Canada reported that Rankin Inlet had a population of 2,842 living in 795 of its 975 total dwellings, a 10.3% increase from its 2011 Census of 2,577.[4] With a land area of 20.24 km2 (7.81 sq mi), it had a population density of 140.4/km2 (363.7/sq mi) in 2016.[4]

Arts and culture

Rankin Inlet is not only notable for its artists and artisans, it is recognized as housing the only Inuit fine-arts ceramics production facility in the world.[15] Community artists work in a variety of media including ceramics, prints, bronze castings, carvings, watercolour and drawing. The Matchbox Gallery, founded in 1987, showcases art work and provides educational resources.

The community is served by Kivalliq News, a weekly newspaper which publishes in both English and Inuktitut.

Services

The community is served by the Rankin Inlet Airport, and by annual supply sealift. Groceries and household goods can be purchased at The North West Company's Northern Store or at the Kissarvik Cooperative.

There are two convenience stores, one being The Red Top Variety Shop, formally the Innukshuk Shop, and the other being Kativik True Value Hardware. Both are locally owned and operated.

There are several places to dine out which include The Captain's Galley (which is in the Siniktarvik Hotel), Turrarvik Inns North (Kissarvik Cooperative) and three Tim Hortons (in the Northern Store and two convenience stores)[16] outlets.

There is an auto parts store called Rankin Auto Value. This store has automotive and heavy equipment parts, oils and tooling.

Broadband communications

The community has been served by the Qiniq network since 2005. Qiniq is a fixed wireless service to homes and businesses, connecting to the outside world via a satellite backbone. The Qiniq network is designed and operated by SSI Micro. In 2017, the network was upgraded to 4G LTE technology, and 2G-GSM for mobile voice.

Lodging

Rankin Inlet has several hotels, including the Siniktarvik Hotel[17] and Katimavik Suites.[18]

Geography

Rankin Inlet is notable for the chilling wind, severe winter storms, and water resources. The Diana River empties from the north into the hamlet's namesake inlet. The small Kivalliq Region has several lakes, the largest being Nipissa Lake, and is flanked by two bays, Melvin Bay on the west and Prairie Bay on the east. Paniqtoq Peninsula, on the inlet's far western shore, provides a barrier shelter for the smaller Kivaliq Region. Dozens of islands dot the inlet, including Thomson Island, the largest, and the Barrier Islands, the longest chain. These natural resources attract tourists who hunt, fish, and canoe. The Iqalugaarjuup Nunanga Territorial Park, 10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Rankin Inlet, is notable for hiking, fishing, bird watching and Thule archaeological sites.[19][20]

Climate

Rankin Inlet has a subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification Dfc), just short of a tundra climate. It is above the tree line. Temperatures stay below freezing from late September to early June. Although the climate is subarctic, temperatures rise and fall too rapidly and do not stay above 10 °C (50 °F) for long enough (30 days) for trees to grow. Under the alternate formula for determining the boundary between Arctic and subarctic climates posited by Otto Nordenskiöld, however, Rankin Inlet, along with Arviat and Baker Lake, qualify as Arctic based on the relationship between the temperatures of the coldest and warmest months; in the case of Rankin Inlet, with a coldest-month (January) mean of −30.8 °C (−23.4 °F), said boundary for the warmest month would be 12.1 °C (53.8 °F) using the Nordenskjöld formula and Rankin Inlet's warmest month (July) averages only 10.5 °C (50.9 °F).

Beginning on January 16, 2008, Rankin Inlet endured the longest recorded blizzard in Canada.[21] Wind speed was 74 km/h (46 mph) or above, with gusts to 90 km/h (56 mph), and wind chill values were as low as −58 °C (−72 °F). This blizzard lasted 7 days 5 hours.[22]

Climate data for Rankin Inlet Airport
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high humidex −3.0 −4.4 1.1 2.5 13.4 26.3 32.2 31.8 21.8 11.7 1.4 0.8 32.2
Record high °C (°F) −2.5
(27.5)		 −4.4
(24.1)		 1.3
(34.3)		 3.4
(38.1)		 14.1
(57.4)		 26.1
(79.0)		 28.9
(84.0)		 30.5
(86.9)		 20.6
(69.1)		 11.8
(53.2)		 1.5
(34.7)		 0.9
(33.6)		 30.5
(86.9)
Average high °C (°F) −27.3
(−17.1)		 −26.1
(−15.0)		 −20.6
(−5.1)		 −11.1
(12.0)		 −2.4
(27.7)		 7.9
(46.2)		 14.9
(58.8)		 13.1
(55.6)		 6.3
(43.3)		 −1.9
(28.6)		 −13.0
(8.6)		 −21.9
(−7.4)		 −6.9
(19.6)
Daily mean °C (°F) −30.8
(−23.4)		 −29.9
(−21.8)		 −25.0
(−13.0)		 −15.6
(3.9)		 −5.8
(21.6)		 4.2
(39.6)		 10.5
(50.9)		 9.7
(49.5)		 3.8
(38.8)		 −4.6
(23.7)		 −17.0
(1.4)		 −25.7
(−14.3)		 −10.5
(13.1)
Average low °C (°F) −34.4
(−29.9)		 −33.6
(−28.5)		 −29.2
(−20.6)		 −20.1
(−4.2)		 −9.0
(15.8)		 0.5
(32.9)		 6.1
(43.0)		 6.2
(43.2)		 1.3
(34.3)		 −7.3
(18.9)		 −20.9
(−5.6)		 −29.4
(−20.9)		 −14.2
(6.4)
Record low °C (°F) −46.1
(−51.0)		 −49.8
(−57.6)		 −43.4
(−46.1)		 −35.7
(−32.3)		 −23.8
(−10.8)		 −9.4
(15.1)		 −1.9
(28.6)		 −1.4
(29.5)		 −9.0
(15.8)		 −27.4
(−17.3)		 −36.5
(−33.7)		 −43.6
(−46.5)		 −49.8
(−57.6)
Record low wind chill −66.8 −70.5 −64.4 −53.6 −35.9 −17.6 −5.3 −8.8 −18.1 −42.7 −55.3 −62.4 −70.5
Average precipitation mm (inches) 8.7
(0.34)		 8.2
(0.32)		 12.3
(0.48)		 19.9
(0.78)		 19.5
(0.77)		 26.6
(1.05)		 42.0
(1.65)		 57.4
(2.26)		 42.9
(1.69)		 38.0
(1.50)		 21.7
(0.85)		 12.8
(0.50)		 310.1
(12.21)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 1.1
(0.04)		 7.0
(0.28)		 22.1
(0.87)		 41.9
(1.65)		 57.2
(2.25)		 39.1
(1.54)		 12.9
(0.51)		 0.3
(0.01)		 0.1
(0.00)		 181.8
(7.16)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 8.9
(3.5)		 8.5
(3.3)		 12.5
(4.9)		 19.2
(7.6)		 13.0
(5.1)		 4.6
(1.8)		 0.1
(0.0)		 0.2
(0.1)		 3.8
(1.5)		 25.5
(10.0)		 22.4
(8.8)		 13.3
(5.2)		 131.9
(51.9)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) 7.8 6.6 9.0 8.5 8.7 7.7 10.4 13.2 12.7 14.9 12.6 10.0 122.1
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.7 2.3 6.3 10.4 13.2 10.5 4.2 0.4 0.1 48.4
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) 7.8 6.7 9.0 8.2 7.1 2.0 0.1 0.1 3.3 12.4 12.5 10.0 79.3
Average relative humidity (%) 66.2 67.3 71.3 79.0 82.3 72.3 66.6 70.6 76.3 84.5 78.4 70.2 73.7
Source: Environment Canada Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010[23]

Notable people
A Thule site at the Meliadine River near Rankin Inlet

See also

References
  1. Nunavummiut vie for council positions in upcoming hamlet elections
  2. Results for the constituency of Rankin Inlet North-Chesterfield Inlet Archived 2013-11-14 at the Wayback Machine at Elections Nunavut
  3. "Results for the constituency of Rankin Inlet South". Archived from the original on April 4, 2016. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
  4. "Census Profile, 2016 Census". Statistics Canada. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
  5. Elevation at airport. Canada Flight Supplement. Effective 0901Z 16 July 2020 to 0901Z 10 September 2020.
  6. "Census Profile, 2016 Census Rankin Inlet [Population centre], Nunavut and Keewatin, Region [Census division], Nunavut". Statistics Canada. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
  7. Rankin Inlet
  8. Research Database
  9. "Harvest Estimates" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 25, 2012. Retrieved November 7, 2011.
  10. 'Language watchdog needed in Nunavut
  11. nkin Inlet at the Atlas of Canada
  12. "NOTRE DAME DU CAP". arcicomi.ca. Archived from the original on May 3, 2003. Retrieved January 26, 2008.
  13. "Pulaarvik Kablu Friendship Centre". pulaarvik.ca. Retrieved January 26, 2008.
  14. History of the Development of Agriculture in the N.W.T. Archived 2007-09-29 at the Wayback Machine
  15. Rankin Inlet art and artists Archived 2007-10-22 at the Wayback Machine
  16. Tim Hortons hype out of line, says Nunavut restaurant-owner
  17. Siniktarvik Hotel
  18. Katimavik Suites
  19. "Landmarks". worldviewtravel.com. Archived from the original on November 5, 2007. Retrieved January 26, 2008.
  20. "Iqalugaarjuup Nunanga Territorial Park". Nunavut Parks. Archived from the original on June 8, 2007. Retrieved January 26, 2008.
  21. Environment Canada defines a blizzard as a snowstorm with sustained wind speed above 40 km/h (25 mph), visibility below 400 m (1,300 ft) and conditions will last for at least six hours. Blizzard
  22. "Home of the blizzard". up here. October–November 2008. Archived from the original on September 1, 2011. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
  23. "Rankin Inlet A". Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010. Environment Canada. Climate ID: 2303401. Retrieved October 19, 2020.

Further reading
  • England JI. 1998. "Rankin Inlet Birthing Project: Outcome of Primipara Deliveries". International Journal of Circumpolar Health. 57: 113–5.
  • Igalaaq The Rankin Inlet Community Access Centre. Ottawa, Ont: Caledon Institute of Social Policy, 1999. ISBN 1-894159-30-6
  • Jansen, William Hugh. Eskimo Economics An Aspect of Culture Change at Rankin Inlet. Mercury series. Ottawa: National Museums of Canada, 1979.
  • Mallon, S. T. Inuktitut, Rankin Inlet Version. Yellowknife, N.W.T.: Dept. of Education, 1974.
  • Shirley, James R., and Darlene Wight. Rankin Inlet Ceramics. Winnipeg: Winnipeg Art Gallery, 2003. ISBN 0-88915-224-1
  • Watson, Linvill. Television Among Inuit of Keewatin The Rankin Inlet Experience. Saskatoon, [Sask.]: Institute for Northern Studies, University of Saskatoon, 1977.
  • Feeney, Mara. Rankin Inlet. Fiddletown: Gaby Press, 2009. ISBN 978-0-9819319-5-1.
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