Good morning.
My name is Michel Allard. I work at Université Laval as a professor emeritus. You can tell by my hair colour. I'm a researcher at Université Laval's Centre for Northern Studies. I'm a member of the Canadian permafrost research community. For a number of years, I was a member of the ArcticNet research network.
My work covers a range of topics, such as the impact of permafrost thaw on natural environments, including the formation and transformation of lakes and waterways. It covers temperature changes and permafrost thaw caused by shrub growth and increased snow coverage, the process known as the greening of the Arctic. It also covers the geotechnical characterization of permafrost under transportation infrastructure, especially airports, and in the built environment of northern communities.
Using our acquired knowledge, we help design adaptation solutions in engineering and land‑use planning for the people in charge. We also track or monitor permafrost temperatures in eastern Canada, from Nunavik to the High Arctic, using a network of thermal cables inserted into drilled holes. The network is operated by the Centre for Northern Studies. It's the largest university‑based monitoring network in Canada.
Let me tell you about the impact of permafrost thaw.
Permafrost covers 40% to 50% of Canada. Its thickness ranges from a few metres deep at the southern margin to hundreds of metres deep in the High Arctic. The permafrost temperature varies across the area depending on the climate, as a direct result of air temperature. As the climate warms, the permafrost temperature rises. When the temperature reaches zero degrees, the permafrost thaws. The ice melts, which causes the ground to subside. This radically transforms ecosystems and damages infrastructure.
In natural environments, permafrost thaw disturbs the tundra and forests. This changes animal living environments and the nature and availability of traditional indigenous food resources. The disturbances, along with the formation of new lakes or the draining of other lakes, can also make it more difficult for locals to move around the area and access food resources. Some parts of northern Canada are also affected by many fairly extensive landslides.
In more sensitive areas, we also measure the carbon gains and losses—in the form of organic matter, carbon dioxide and methane—related to the permafrost thaw, in order to better measure the process known as permafrost carbon feedback.
In the built environment of first nations and Inuit communities, the instability of permafrost comes on top of a serious housing crisis. It's important to ensure that the current buildings and the many buildings scheduled for construction in the near future remain stable. Stability can be achieved by selecting suitable land, such as rock, or by building foundations adapted and designed to withstand the climate of the coming decades. A major research effort must be undertaken with the northern communities and territorial governments to identify soil characteristics, design the foundations of houses and buildings according to their dimensions and plan urban development. It's impossible to plan for the harnessing of water sources, the construction of distribution systems, the disposal of waste water and the disposal of waste without taking permafrost into account. Permafrost conditions are specific to each community, depending on geology and climate.