Supreme Court quashes seismic testing in Nunavut, but gives green light to Enbridge Line 9 pipeline

Aerial view of Clyde River, Nunavut.

Top court delivers landmark rulings on consultation process with Indigenous Peoples over energy projects

By John Paul Tasker, CBC News, July 26, 2017

The Supreme Court of Canada has quashed plans for seismic testing in Nunavut, delivering a major victory to Inuit who argued they were inadequately consulted before the National Energy Board gave oil companies the green light to conduct the disruptive activity.

Nunavut: Seismic testing off Clyde River cancelled for 2015

Aerial view of Clyde River, Nunavut.

Consortium of energy companies made announcement to community this week

CBC News, May 27, 2015

Clyde River, Nunavut, is declaring victory after an energy company cancelled this summer’s plans for offshore seismic testing.

“I’m very happy about it,” said Jerry Natanine, mayor of the hamlet on Baffin Island’s east coast that strongly opposed the seismic plans.

“I’m reassured by the fact the company is willing to do what it did and go with our request.”

Clyde River, Nunavut, takes on oil industry over seismic testing

Jerry Natanine, the mayor of Clyde River, Nunavut, says seismic testing for oil deposits in nearby waters could kill marine mammals. (David Michael Lamb/CBC)

Clyde River mayor taking seismic testing companies to court in April

By David Michael Lamb, CBC News, March 30, 2015

Clyde River can without exaggeration be called one of the most remote and inaccessible human settlements on earth.

The only way into this Nunavut hamlet is by air, and the surrounding landscape is mostly empty of humans for hundreds of kilometres in all directions.

But despite its size, remote location and relative anonymity, Clyde River is now getting more attention than it’s ever had before. All because it has decided to single-handedly take on the oil industry.

Inuit begin battle against seismic testing over fears it endangers marine life

Over 300 Inuit protest fracking on Baffin Island, July 2014.

By Kent Driscoll, APTN National News, July 23, 2014
Clyde River/Kanngiqtugaapik, Nunavut–More than 300 people in the small Baffin Island community of Clyde River, Nunavut, took to the streets Wednesday in protest of proposed seismic testing off the eastern shore of Baffin Island.

Seismic testing is where loud sonic guns are fired into the water and the echo helps to determine what resources are available under the seabed, typically oil.

The National Energy Board announced that the proposed testing has been delayed until 2015, but that didn’t limit the enthusiasm or turnout.

There are only 1,000 people who live in Clyde River and nearly one third of them turned up Wednesday afternoon for a march around the community’s Ring Road.