Nunavut—which means “Our Land” in Inuktitut—is a vast, remote and sparsely populated territory in northern Canada that stretches across most of the Canadian Arctic. Following decades of hard work and advocacy by Inuit visionaries and their allies, the territory was established on April 1, 1999, and has since become one of the strongest economies and fastest-growing regions of Canada. Nunavut provides a vital link to the rest of world through its maritime shipping and air transportation routes. Its main industries including mining, construction, and transportation create many jobs, as do public services such as education and health care. Each year, thousands of Canadians travel to the territory for work or play, attracted by its culturally rich and welcoming communities. Nunavut is home to about 36,800 people, 85 per cent of whom are Inuit. By 2043, Statistics Canada estimates that the territory’s population will be nearly double what it was in 1999. Like Nunavut itself, Nunavummiut are young. In 2021, there were approximately 6,800 youth between the ages of 10 and 20. As this generation enters adulthood, they need places to live where they can start their careers, raise their families, and build their communities. 3
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