Science and Research Committee on May 28th, 2024

[Richard Cannings, NDP, South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC]

Thank you.

You mentioned involving ITK, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. How do they fit into the whole organizational structure of what you're doing in general, but in NordForsk in particular?

[Ted Hewitt]

If I can answer that, we've been working with them for many, many years. What it ensures is that communities are going to be directly involved in the development and shaping of that research and then—in response to other questions we heard earlier—in the kinds of solutions that this research will bring to those communities. This is increasingly the model that we're using in terms of funding: working with partners so that they benefit directly from the research that's done, regardless of where it's done.

One of the things I would add is that the fact of being asked by NordForsk to participate in this consortium indicates that we do have a presence, that we do have a lot to bring to research in the north. It was for that reason that we were invited to participate. I think that our researchers will benefit tremendously—and this is across all disciplines, by the way.

[The Chair, Liberal, Valerie Bradford]

Thank you. We've gone over our time, Dr. Hewitt, but that's a wonderful place to wrap up this panel.

Thank you so much to the witnesses—Ms. Anne Barker, Dr. Shannon Quinn, Dr. Ted Hewitt, and Dr. Sylvie Lamoureux—for their testimonies. We really appreciate that.

You may submit additional information through the clerk, and please see the clerk for any questions.

We'll suspend briefly now to allow our witnesses to leave, and then we'll resume with our second panel of witnesses.

[The Chair, Liberal, Valerie Bradford]

Thank you very much. Welcome back.

It's now my pleasure to welcome our second panel of witnesses.

From Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory, we have Dr. Kimberly Strong, professor of physics at the University of Toronto.

From Polar Knowledge Canada, we have Andrew Applejohn, executive director, programs, and Dr. David Hik, chief scientist.

We give you up to five minutes for opening remarks, after which we'll proceed with rounds of questions.

Dr. Strong, I invite you to make an opening statement of up to five minutes.

[Dr. Kimberly Strong, Professor of Physics, University of Toronto, Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory]

Thank you.

I thank the committee for undertaking this study and for inviting me to speak to you about science and research needs in Canada's Arctic.

My name is Kimberly Strong. I'm a professor and the chair of the department of physics at the University of Toronto. I'm also an atmospheric scientist and the principal investigator of PEARL, the Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory. My group has been doing research at this location for 25 years.

I'm speaking on behalf of the PEARL science team, which includes colleagues from nine universities. We also have many partners across Canada and internationally, and we work closely with Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Canadian Space Agency. Work at PEARL is conducted under a scientific research licence from the Nunavut Research Institute.

The Arctic remains one of the earth's least understood environments, and yet it is a bellwether for climate change, a receptor for global pollution and a driver for the global climate system. Northern ecosystems, including ice, snow and permafrost; wildlife and vegetation; and marine systems are all linked together by our atmosphere. It contains the air we breathe and the protective ozone layer, it stores greenhouse gases, it's where weather happens, and it transports air pollution and wildfire smoke into the Arctic.

PEARL is a flagship observatory established in 2005 for tracking changes happening in the Arctic atmosphere and for determining the causes and global impacts. PEARL is located at 80° north on Ellesmere Island near the Environment and Climate Change Canada weather station at Eureka, Nunavut. For nearly 20 years, PEARL measurements have provided insight into an array of scientific policy and societal issues that are relevant to Arctic communities, Canada and the world.

PEARL's focus on long-term atmospheric measurements in the very High Arctic differentiates it from the research activities of the Canadian High Arctic Research Station at Cambridge Bay, from ArcticNet, from the Centre for Northern Studies, and the Amundsen icebreaker. We're all complementary in what we do.

PEARL is an important Canadian station in five international observing networks. As the most northerly permanent station for most of these networks and one of only a few in the Arctic, PEARL measurements fill a very large gap in their geographical coverage. PEARL is also a key site for verifying the data from satellite missions, including the upcoming high-altitude aerosols, water vapour and clouds mission, which will be Canada's contribution to NASA's multi-decadal atmosphere observing system.

PEARL offers exceptional educational opportunities and has trained more than 100 students, postdoctoral fellows and technical staff, most of whom are now working in government, academia and industry. Our outreach program has been active in six northern Nunavut communities through school visits, student researcher collaborations, and workshops for teachers.

PEARL is remote and isolated, accessible only by charter aircraft and the annual summer ship visit. The nearest community, Grise Fiord, is more than 400 kilometres to the south by air. PEARL is very different from a normal campus-based lab or facility located in a community.

The December 2023 report of the expert panel on the future of Arctic northern research in Canada highlighted PEARL as a unique and internationally important research facility. The report stated that “even where infrastructure is remote and where there are no nearby communities with which to partner, facilities such as [PEARL] represent critical elements of an effective research system and cannot go overlooked.”

Over the last 18 years, Canada has invested in PEARL infrastructure, operations, science and training. However, this investment is now at risk. PEARL needs stable funding that's attuned to being a unique facility in a unique location. Unfortunately, PEARL does not fit easily into any of Canada's major recurring funding programs. Many of the programs that previously supported PEARL no longer exist, and PEARL's last major grant ended in 2021. PEARL is currently running at a minimal level and will close this year if new funding is not secured soon.

Let me summarize my remarks with reference to the three points being assessed by the committee's study.

Number one, to understand the consequences and impacts of environmental change, we need to track changes over time. We need a long-term strategy for supporting Arctic research in Canada—a strategy that's inclusive of different approaches, including both indigenous and western science; a strategy that encompasses the many different components of the Arctic ecosystem, including the atmosphere, which sometimes gets left out; and a strategy that engages and reflects the needs of local, regional, territorial, national and international partners.

Number two, to fully participate in research, Arctic and northern populations need access to infrastructure, tools and funds. This is true of Arctic research in Canada generally. PEARL is just one example of a facility that's under pressure due to the lack of continuity and sustained operational funding. Establishing research capacity is a huge effort with long lead times. Losing that capacity can happen all too easily. We need sustained funding programs that recognize that research in the Arctic is challenging and expensive, and it should not have a one-size-fits-all model. It should be recognized that not all Arctic research is conducted in communities.

Finally, number three, collaboration with local and indigenous communities is vitally important. However, factors like distance, travel costs and the effort involved in establishing and then sustaining those partnerships present barriers to meaningful collaboration.

This is even more difficult for facilities like PEARL, which don't have the advantage of being located near a community. We need mechanisms to bring together researchers and community members to build co-operative partnerships for long-term and sustainable Arctic research.

Thank you, again, for this opportunity to address the committee.

[The Chair, Liberal, Valerie Bradford]

Thank you. That was bang on the time. You crammed a lot of useful information into your five minutes. We appreciate it.

We're going to turn to Dr. Hik for five minutes.

[David Hik, Chief Scientist, Polar Knowledge Canada]

Hello. I'd like to thank the committee for holding this important hearing.

I'm pleased to be here today to provide comments on behalf of Polar Knowledge Canada.

My name is David Hik. I have served as the chief scientist at Polar Knowledge Canada for the past two and a half years. I am based in Cambridge Bay, or Ikaluktutiak, in Nunavut, at our headquarters in the Canadian High Arctic Research Station. I'm joined today by Andrew Applejohn, who is the executive director of programs.

The questions the committee is addressing in this study are both timely and important. The impacts of climate change in the Arctic are already evident and will have an impact on the rest of the country and the entire world. While the impacts of climate change are drastically affecting Arctic people, wildlife, infrastructure and the environment, the consequences of these changes are reverberating throughout the global climate system, influencing extreme weather, wildfires, the sea level and increases in temperatures, with impacts on communities across Canada. The importance of Arctic research at this time cannot be overstated.

Ensuring that northern and indigenous rights holders, organizations, communities and partners are directly involved in leading science and research relevant to the Arctic is essential for identifying solutions to address the many challenges facing this region.

In October 2007, the Speech from the Throne acknowledged the need to give greater attention to the Arctic by committing to the development of an integrated northern strategy. Included in this approach was the intention to build a world-class research facility in the Arctic to work on the cutting edge of Arctic issues, including climate change, environmental science, food security and resource development.

In 2019, 12 years later, the community of Cambridge Bay and the representatives of Canada and Nunavut marked the official opening of the Canadian High Arctic Research Station, or CHARS. While the primary focus of the CHARS facility is civilian, its infrastructure and strategic Arctic location can also support, when needed, emergency response or security efforts in the region. In fact, the Canadian High Arctic Research Station will be providing operational support for the Canadian Armed Forces' Operation Nanook again this summer.

POLAR's mandate, as established under the Canadian High Arctic Research Station Act, is to undertake and support locally relevant and globally significant knowledge creation. As an organization headquartered in the Canadian north, POLAR is fully engaged with northern communities, governments and organizations to ensure that the work it undertakes respects local priorities and returns meaningful benefits to the north.

POLAR conducts and supports research focused on climate change adaptation, mitigation and innovation by bringing together diverse groups of experts and, importantly, our northern partners. Three focus areas guide our work.

The first objective is ecosystem science, improving our knowledge of dynamic northern terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems within the context of rapid change. Over the past decade, we've obtained detailed baseline information about these ecosystems, including rapidly changing abiotic elements such as permafrost, snow and sea ice.

Our second objective is to increase the understanding of the connections between northern community wellness and environmental health, including aspects of food security, sovereignty and safety. This “one health” approach recognizes that northerners will benefit from a better understanding of how changes in the environment affect the abundance and diversity of country foods, the impact of environmental contaminants, like mercury and microplastics, and the impact of diseases on northern wildlife. This is consistently a top priority for northerners.

Our third objective is to advance clean energy and cold climate infrastructure solutions for the unique conditions in the Arctic. For example, northerners have a great interest in cost-effective options for waste and waste water management, alternative and renewable energy solutions and building technologies designed for northern conditions. CHARS supports the testing of clean energy solutions, including energy storage, biofuels and advanced renewable energy technologies by industry, government and academia prior to technology deployment in remote communities.

Polar Knowledge Canada is implementing programs and activities that support our science and technology goals and contribute to building capacity across northern Canada in several different ways. POLAR staff and operating funds are used to conduct research at CHARS in collaboration with researchers from other government departments, academia, communities and other countries. POLAR also provides grants and contributions aligned with our objectives to qualified recipients through open, competitive funding programs. In recent years, these calls have been co-developed with indigenous and northern partners to ensure that their priorities are being addressed.

High-quality Arctic research requires high-quality research infrastructure. POLAR is committed to supporting the development of Canadian research infrastructure that is essential to conduct Arctic research and international collaboration, and is committed as well to advancing respectful engagement with Arctic indigenous peoples.

Why does this matter? Research is critically important to understand the drivers, the societal and environmental responses, and the possible pathways to adapt to these changes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Valerie Bradford]

Thank you, Dr. Hik. That's your time. You can cover some of the rest of that in your testimony.

Thank you both for your opening statements.

We'll now open the floor for questions. Be sure to indicate to whom your questions are directed.

We'll start with MP Tochor for six minutes.

[Corey Tochor, Conservative, Saskatoon—University, SK]

Thank you so much.

Thank you to our witnesses.

This is to the good folks at POLAR.

Climate adaptation versus mitigation is a growing issue, even in the Arctic and northern policy framework the government released. It noted that many stakeholders want the government to focus more on adaptation as opposed to mitigation. However, in the framework, the importance of adaptation does not really make its way into any of its goals.

Would you support a recommendation for the government to place greater emphasis on concrete Arctic adaptation strategies in its official Arctic and northern policy?

[David Hik]

Well, both are important. The root causes of many of the environmental changes that are taking place are greenhouse gas emissions as a result of current energy consumption. Some of the impacts that influence people, infrastructure, economies and northern futures will require adaptation. That's certainly recognized in the north. Adaptation is a key part of how people live every day, since we recognize that those changes are already upon us in the north.

[Corey Tochor, Conservative, Saskatoon—University, SK]

What are some historic Inuit adaptations using traditional knowledge to deal with the climate in the north?

[David Hik]

There is not only climate change but also variability from year to year in seasonality. That influences where people go to harvest, what time of year they go fishing or hunting for caribou in different places, and their understanding of the different landscapes or migratory pathways of species affected by the seasons or the conditions of sea ice.

People adapt to the local conditions. It's just that the reference point for what the future is going to look like looks very different from the past, and it's changing very quickly.

[Corey Tochor, Conservative, Saskatoon—University, SK]

Tell us a bit about living in the north: the local economy—in terms of your mandate to advance knowledge of the Canadian Arctic to improve economic opportunities—environmental stewardship and the quality of life of residents and all other Canadians.

How much of your focus is on improving economic opportunities versus the other priorities?

[David Hik]

Some of those things go hand in hand.

There's a significant and growing mining industry in Nunavut. Some large companies have active mines or mines that are currently being developed. Those provide all sorts of opportunities for employment in northern communities.

Just on that—

[Corey Tochor, Conservative, Saskatoon—University, SK]

I'm sorry. We're going to run out of time.

You were saying that mining activities are significant, but we've also heard that there are no new mines coming on. Is that accurate?

[David Hik]

I think there's a long lead time for exploration. There's certainly a potential for new mines to be developed.

What I was going to say is that in terms of our research, the significance of understanding what's happening to wildlife can influence the type of food sharing and harvesting opportunities for local economic development through cut-and-wrap facilities in the Kitikmeot region, where we are. That would add potential for local economic development associated with the harvesting of country foods.

[Corey Tochor, Conservative, Saskatoon—University, SK]

I'll go back to some of the economic development going on in the north and things you may or may not have been aware of. It sounded in our earlier testimony that there has been some Russian activity in the north.

Are you aware of any prospecting currently going on in the north by Russia, by chance?

[David Hik]

I'm not aware of any Russian activity in the Canadian Arctic.

[Corey Tochor, Conservative, Saskatoon—University, SK]

Have you been following the developments in the British Arctic territory and Russia's involvement at the other end of the globe?

[David Hik]

Do you mean in the Antarctic?

[Corey Tochor, Conservative, Saskatoon—University, SK]

Yes.

[David Hik]

Yes. Currently, the Antarctic Treaty consultative meetings are taking place in India. Canada is currently applying for consultative party status in the Antarctic Treaty, so we're following developments closely. There have certainly been Russian interests in the Antarctic over a long period of time as a party to that treaty. I think that has implications not just for the United Kingdom but also for other consultative parties to the treaty.

[Corey Tochor, Conservative, Saskatoon—University, SK]

Thank you so much for your testimony here today.

[The Chair, Liberal, Valerie Bradford]

Thank you.

We'll now turn to MP Longfield for six minutes.

[Lloyd Longfield, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

Thank you, Chair. Thank you to our witnesses.

I want to start with Dr. Strong.

I was able to get up to PEARL in 2019. I saw the research going on there and the number of universities that are involved, the University of Toronto being the lead of nine, as I think you mentioned.

It seems like PEARL has gone from NSERC grant to NSERC grant. It is doing longitudinal studies that are giving us changes over time in the atmosphere, now picking up on forest fire implications, looking at droughts and floods and atmospheric conditions that are changing in terms of moisture in the atmosphere. It is really important work that seems to be reliant on short-term funding, and now you're in a precarious situation.

What's your current ask to try to keep the doors open?