Is 'Last Chance Tourism' Endangering Canada's Fading Arctic Environment?

by bernt & torsten

Pond Inlet, a small village ensconced in the remote territory of Nunavut in Canada, is witnessing a controversial surge in "last chance tourism". This northern community of about 1,600 residents welcomed approximately 3,000 tourists in 2023 aboard one of the 25 cruise ships that docked in the local harbor. Each tourist injected an estimated $15,000 into the local economy, a significant boost considering the high cost of living and high poverty rates in the community. Local residents are torn; on the one hand, the income from tourism is much needed, but on the other, it's causing disruptions to their hunting- and fishing-based way of life.

The controversy is centred on the potential environmental impact of increased tourist traffic in the Arctic. Climate change has made the region’s winters warmer and ice thinner, limiting traditional hunting opportunities and prompting more reliance on tourism-generated income. But this comes with a palpable cost. Critics argue that the increase in cruise ships, a byproduct of the rising interest in 'last chance tourism’, is scaring away local wildlife – the very thing tourists come to see - and further depleting hunting grounds. It's a vicious cycle that exacerbates the community's dependence on tourist dollars.

Some view tourism in a more sanguine light, seeing it as an opportunity to dispel stereotypes about the local Inuit population and share their traditional practices and rituals, which are gradually fading away. Even so, the narrative remains far from uniform, with some residents worried about the surge in marine activity and its impact on local wildlife. The toll is perhaps most notable on the local narwhal populations.

Changes have been made in response to these growing concerns. Following lobbying efforts from local groups, restrictions have been applied on the cruise ship routes, aimed at mitigating their impact on narwhal migration. Despite this, the Arctic continues to bear the brunt of the rising human activity, including cargo vessels transporting iron from a nearby mine. The artificial light and noise pollution these ships generate affect wildlife, adding another layer of complexity to an already-fraught conversation.

As the Arctic warms at an unprecedented pace - almost four times faster than the global average - locals are forced to grapple with the hard truth of their circumstances: survive or preserve. The resolution of this dilemma should be a priority not just for the people of Pond Inlet but for anyone who truly cares about the delicately balanced ecosystems of our world.