Hamlet

Initially a Hudson’s Bay Company trading post and site of an Anglican church, the community of Kimmirut grew from its humble beginnings to a thriving community of about 425. While many Inuit here still hunt, fish and engage in traditional arts, many also work in the community’s school, health centre, stores, and the three levels of government (federal, territorial and municipal).

The community, or hamlet, is administered through a senior administrative officer (SAO) and a municipal government, including an elected mayor and eight councillors. The hamlet building also houses the community’s post office.

Qaqqalik School, which offers kindergarten to grade 12, eliminates the need for students to travel to Iqaluit to attend high school, and also runs the community’s library where Internet access is available during the school term.

There is also a daycare (Pairivik) as well as a community learning centre operated by Nunavut Arctic College where a variety of courses are offered, ranging from basic upgrading to prospecting to jewellery-making to early childhood education.

Kimmirut’s two stores, the Kimik Co-op and the Northern Store, sell groceries and some dry goods. Both have Automated Teller Machines and visitors can also get cash at the Co-op.

There is a health centre with regular hours, but if treatment is needed on evenings or weekends you must phone ahead to 867-939-2217. The RCMP also has a detachment in the community and can be reached in an emergency at 867-939-1111, or at 867-939-0123.

Kimmirut is a dry community, which means there is a ban on alcohol within a 26-kilometre radius of the hamlet.