Exploring infrastructure development and regional investments in the Arctic, including transportation, tourism and connections within the Arctic and outside it. https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/infrastructure/rss en Energy & Natural Resources Environment Infrastructure Wed, 13 Sep 2017 04:25:24 +0000 Gloria Dickie https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2017/09/13/proposed-port-and-road-in-canadas-central-arctic-raise-caribou-concerns https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2017/09/13/proposed-port-and-road-in-canadas-central-arctic-raise-caribou-concerns Nunavut is pushing for federal cash to help advance a mining project that would bring badly needed jobs to the territory’s northwest. But critics – including territorial government biologists – worry about the impact on a nearby barren-ground caribou herd. Economy Infrastructure Northern People & Health Mon, 11 Sep 2017 08:29:05 +0000 Douglas Clark https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/community/2017/09/11/charting-a-path-for-churchill-to-become-a-sustainable-arctic-community https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/community/2017/09/11/charting-a-path-for-churchill-to-become-a-sustainable-arctic-community The northern Canadian town of Churchill, Manitoba, may be an early casualty of climate change, but it could become an Arctic sustainability pioneer, says Douglas Clark, an associate professor at the University of Saskatchewan. Infrastructure Northern People & Health Thu, 03 Aug 2017 08:37:13 +0000 Emily Gertz https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2017/08/03/proposed-arctic-railway-would-cut-through-lapland-reindeer-habitat https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2017/08/03/proposed-arctic-railway-would-cut-through-lapland-reindeer-habitat A new railway project would help Finland and Norway take advantage of melting sea ice to ship products from the Arctic coast. But Indigenous communities fear the rail line would disrupt their reindeer herding traditions. Economy Infrastructure Northern People & Health Fri, 07 Jul 2017 05:00:40 +0000 Mia Bennett https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2017/07/07/some-canada-day-reflections-in-the-yukon https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2017/07/07/some-canada-day-reflections-in-the-yukon It’s hard to think of a better way to experience Canada Day than to drive along a highway that permanently etched the Canadian state into the northern wilderness, writes Mia Bennett at Cryopolitics. Geopolitics & Security Infrastructure Fri, 16 Jun 2017 08:35:38 +0000 Adam Lajeunesse https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/community/2017/06/16/what-canadas-new-defense-policy-means-for-the-arctic https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/community/2017/06/16/what-canadas-new-defense-policy-means-for-the-arctic Canada plans to upgrade the gear that underpins its Arctic military operations, including satellite links, radar systems and snowmobile fleets, says Adam Lajeunesse, Irving Shipbuilding chair in Arctic marine security at St. Francis Xavier University. Infrastructure Northern People & Health Thu, 01 Jun 2017 09:20:10 +0000 Narine Ohanyan, John Thompson https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2017/06/01/with-chinas-help-russia-pursues-decades-old-dream-of-arctic-railways https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2017/06/01/with-chinas-help-russia-pursues-decades-old-dream-of-arctic-railways Russia’s Arkhangelsk region hopes for an economic turnaround spurred by China’s investment in a new railway and deepwater port. But such plans have existed for decades in northern Russia and often fail to materialize, says Paul Josephson, a professor of Soviet history. Infrastructure Northern People & Health Tue, 23 May 2017 14:39:10 +0000 Ian Evans https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/community/2017/05/23/iqaluit-mayor-slow-internet-holds-back-canadas-eastern-arctic https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/community/2017/05/23/iqaluit-mayor-slow-internet-holds-back-canadas-eastern-arctic Without a high-speed fiber-optic link, Nunavut remains dependent on a sluggish, satellite-based internet service. That’s increasingly a problem for the territory’s economy and government, says Madeleine Redfern, the mayor of Nunavut’s capital, Iqaluit. Infrastructure Northern People & Health Solutions Tue, 16 May 2017 08:15:47 +0000 Peter Varga https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/community/2017/05/16/grappling-with-low-living-standards-in-canadas-north https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/community/2017/05/16/grappling-with-low-living-standards-in-canadas-north From internet speeds to graduation rates, Canada’s northern regions lag behind the rest of the country. In her new report, Mary Simon, the Canadian government’s special adviser on Arctic issues, presents some ideas about how to close those gaps. Infrastructure Fri, 12 May 2017 09:03:09 +0000 Ian Evans https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/community/2017/05/12/venture-will-bring-high-speed-internet-to-western-alaska https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/community/2017/05/12/venture-will-bring-high-speed-internet-to-western-alaska After laying more than 1,600km (1,000 miles) of undersea cable on Alaska’s coast, Quintillion is preparing to offer faster internet to six communities along the route. And the company has even bigger plans in store, says Kristina Woolston, V.P. of external relations. Infrastructure Tue, 02 May 2017 08:18:49 +0000 Erling Friis-Baastad https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/community/2017/05/02/climate-change-drives-up-the-cost-of-canadas-northernmost-highway https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/community/2017/05/02/climate-change-drives-up-the-cost-of-canadas-northernmost-highway Chris Burn at Carleton University is tracking the growing cost of maintaining Yukon’s Dempster Highway as warmer weather brings more landslides, washouts and other challenges. Energy & Natural Resources Environment Infrastructure Tue, 18 Apr 2017 05:00:42 +0000 John Thompson https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2017/04/18/rhetoric-versus-reality-russias-environmental-aspirations-marred-by-arctic-oil-spills https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2017/04/18/rhetoric-versus-reality-russias-environmental-aspirations-marred-by-arctic-oil-spills While Russia insists that economic development in the North won’t harm a fragile environment, Russian environmentalists note that the country’s oil companies continue to spill massive amounts of crude each year. Infrastructure Solutions Thu, 06 Apr 2017 09:13:51 +0000 Maura Forrest https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2017/04/06/thin-ice-the-drive-toward-all-season-roads-in-canadas-north https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2017/04/06/thin-ice-the-drive-toward-all-season-roads-in-canadas-north As the climate warms and ice roads become more unreliable, northern Canada is turning to technological solutions to give them longer lives, as well as looking at building alternative routes. Environment Infrastructure Solutions Fri, 31 Mar 2017 09:00:33 +0000 David W. Shaw https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2017/03/31/what-rural-alaska-can-teach-the-world-about-renewables https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2017/03/31/what-rural-alaska-can-teach-the-world-about-renewables The distances between Alaska’s remote communities are daunting, making it challenging to supply people with power. If power can be generated using local renewables, the up-front cost is almost always worth it, writes David W. Shaw. Environment Infrastructure Research Tue, 21 Feb 2017 07:34:00 +0000 https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2017/02/21/what-will-it-cost-for-the-north-to-adapt-to-a-changing-climate https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2017/02/21/what-will-it-cost-for-the-north-to-adapt-to-a-changing-climate A warming world’s wrenching impacts on the North are by now well understood. However, the cost of adapting to these dramatic shifts remains unclear in the case of northern Canada. Infrastructure Northern People & Health Shipping Thu, 16 Feb 2017 08:03:26 +0000 Lauren Kaljur https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2017/02/16/examining-the-human-impact-of-the-northern-sea-route https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2017/02/16/examining-the-human-impact-of-the-northern-sea-route A research project is examining how the establishment of Russia’s Northern Sea Route has shaped the lives of residents along the country’s northern coast, amid the booms and busts of industrialization. Economy Infrastructure Solutions Mon, 06 Feb 2017 05:00:17 +0000 Andreas Raspotnik, Stefan Steinicke https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2017/02/06/broadband-internet-may-be-key-to-the-arctics-economic-future https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2017/02/06/broadband-internet-may-be-key-to-the-arctics-economic-future Some of the world’s biggest high-tech companies have already built server farms in the Arctic. It turns out chilly temperatures are sometimes an asset, writes the High North News. Economy Infrastructure Tue, 31 Jan 2017 05:06:54 +0000 John Thompson https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/community/2017/01/31/taking-the-measure-of-internet-access-around-the-arctic https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/community/2017/01/31/taking-the-measure-of-internet-access-around-the-arctic The availability of high-speed internet access varies greatly around the circumpolar region. The Arctic Economic Council is urging governments to take steps to encourage greater broadband connectivity for northern residents. Infrastructure Research Mon, 19 Dec 2016 06:55:18 +0000 Larry Pynn https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2016/12/19/new-ccgs-sir-john-franklin-gets-frosty-reception https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2016/12/19/new-ccgs-sir-john-franklin-gets-frosty-reception A new Canadian Coast Guard research ship will be named after 19th-century British naval officer and Arctic explorer John Franklin – but is that really a good idea? Infrastructure Northern People & Health Thu, 15 Sep 2016 11:53:33 +0000 David Murphy https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2016/09/15/arctic-house-design-saves-energy-and-embraces-inuit-culture https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2016/09/15/arctic-house-design-saves-energy-and-embraces-inuit-culture A lack of safe and affordable housing threatens the health and well-being of thousands of Inuit living in Canada. But the construction of an energy-efficient, culturally mindful home could break ground on finding new Inuit-led solutions to the housing crisis. Economy Infrastructure Shipping Thu, 18 Aug 2016 08:54:41 +0000 Jennifer Kingsley https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2016/08/18/transportation-not-tourism-in-arctic-iceland https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2016/08/18/transportation-not-tourism-in-arctic-iceland As shipping patterns change, one town plans to join the emerging supply chain. “Meet the North,” a series that ventures into the lives of some of the 4 million people who call the Arctic home, explores an industrial future in a quiet corner of Iceland. Environment Infrastructure Northern People & Health Wed, 13 Jul 2016 07:36:29 +0000 Diane Toomey https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2016/07/13/alaskan-villages-stuck-in-limbo https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2016/07/13/alaskan-villages-stuck-in-limbo YALE ENVIRONMENT 360: Alaska Native communities advocate Robin Bronen points to a bureaucratic Catch-22 – villages can’t get government support to relocate in the face of climate-induced threats, but they no longer receive funds to repair their crumbling infrastructure. Economy Environment Infrastructure Wed, 29 Jun 2016 03:00:50 +0000 Connie and Peter Roop https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/community/2016/06/29/arctic-tourists-are-ready-even-if-the-arctics-not https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/community/2016/06/29/arctic-tourists-are-ready-even-if-the-arctics-not A cruise through the Northwest Passage changed the way authors Connie and Peter Roop thought about Arctic tourism. There are benefits, but the risks remain great. Some trips should not go ahead. Economy Infrastructure Northern People & Health Tue, 28 Jun 2016 03:00:19 +0000 Ed Struzik https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2016/06/28/canadas-arctic-an-untapped-gold-mine-of-tourism https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2016/06/28/canadas-arctic-an-untapped-gold-mine-of-tourism Foreign tourists helped Iceland back on its feet after its economy bottomed out. Canada’s Arctic is just as stunning and culturally rich, but it still lacks easy transportation, hotels and other amenities for tourism to give the region an economic boost. Environment Infrastructure Research Fri, 17 Jun 2016 09:19:36 +0000 Hannah Hoag https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/community/2016/06/17/scientists-seek-answers-about-thawing-permafrost https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/community/2016/06/17/scientists-seek-answers-about-thawing-permafrost Permafrost in the Arctic, where air temperatures are rising twice as fast as the rest of the planet, is starting to thaw. Predicting where and when those changes will happen is a challenge, says Antoni Lewkowicz, president of the International Permafrost Association. Economy Infrastructure Tue, 31 May 2016 07:44:26 +0000 Hannah Hoag https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2016/05/31/northern-corridor-could-boost-canadas-potential https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2016/05/31/northern-corridor-could-boost-canadas-potential A vast pathway connecting roads, rail, pipelines, power and communications across northern Canada could bring huge benefits in trade and quality of life, says a new study. We spoke to one of its authors. Infrastructure Shipping Mon, 30 May 2016 06:25:35 +0000 Hugh Stephens https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/community/2016/05/30/arctic-sea-routes-wont-be-the-top-shipping-choice https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/community/2016/05/30/arctic-sea-routes-wont-be-the-top-shipping-choice OPEN CANADA: Northern sea routes are opening up, but the implications are more advantageous for Canada’s relations with Asia than for shipping, says Hugh Stephens, a fellow at the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary. Geopolitics & Security Infrastructure Wed, 25 May 2016 03:00:49 +0000 Colonel Pierre Leblanc (retired) https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/community/2016/05/25/make-resolute-bay-a-canadian-arctic-security-hub https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/community/2016/05/25/make-resolute-bay-a-canadian-arctic-security-hub THE HILL TIMES: Resolute Bay is ideally positioned as a base for Canadian security operations in the Arctic, writes Pierre LeBlanc, former commander of Canadian Forces Northern Area. Infrastructure Shipping Fri, 29 Apr 2016 11:18:08 +0000 Captain David (Duke) Snider https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/community/2016/04/29/the-arctic-shipping-internet-game https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/community/2016/04/29/the-arctic-shipping-internet-game “The Arctic is ripe for the spread of disinformation. Few people have been there, and they have no source but the internet to gain knowledge.” Infrastructure Tue, 26 Apr 2016 11:03:33 +0000 Hannah Hoag https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/community/2016/04/26/getting-renewable-energy-into-remote-communities https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/community/2016/04/26/getting-renewable-energy-into-remote-communities About half of the global Arctic population lives in isolated communities that must generate their own electricity, often from diesel fuel. But it doesn’t have to be that way, says Gwen Holdmann, director of the Alaska Center for Energy and Power. Infrastructure Fri, 22 Apr 2016 14:58:16 +0000 Chris Windeyer https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2016/04/22/canadas-territories-yearn-for-better-internet https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2016/04/22/canadas-territories-yearn-for-better-internet In Canada’s north, internet is slower and more expensive than anywhere else in the country. Despite recent improvements, northern users say more action is needed before the system grinds to a halt.