Impacts of Climate Change on the Availability of Granular Resources in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, NWT

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region

Tags: climate change, aggregate resources

Principal Investigator: Borsy, Emily Jane E (2)
Licence Number: 14332
Organization: Ryerson University
Licensed Year(s): 2008 2007
Issued: Apr 22, 2008

Objective(s): The objective of this continuing research is to obtain primary information about the gravel situation in the ISR, from a variety of industry perspectives that was not obtained during the August 2007 field visit.

Project Description: The objective of this continuing research is to obtain primary information about the gravel situation in the ISR, from a variety of industry perspectives that was not obtained during the August 2007 field visit. There is a research gap in information linking supply and demand to community stress and vulnerability, so it is important to obtain this information through interviews with industry professionals. The research explores granular resource availability and demand under both steady environmental conditions and projected climate change conditions. First the current state of resources is determined, as well as the delivery network, constraints on demand (ie. jurisdiction), and what competition for resources will be created by the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline construction. Following this the impacts of climate change on demand for, and access to granular resources will be identified for different climate change scenarios. Distribution, demand and delivery routes will be determined, and landscape mapped. Climate change scenarios will be assessed to simulate demand and suggest implications for delivery. Past research involved discussions with industry professionals and stakeholders (approximately 10 people) in both Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk. More interviewing is planned in present research. General information about the gravel situation will be sought, and then more stakeholder specific questions asked (e.g. those in the gravel business may be asked how operations may change due to a change in ice/winter road conditions, which may impede the movement). The interviews will be stakeholder specific, and will be conducted by phone, email or fax. The thesis will be distributed to interviewees for review. A presentation/discussion session is possible to those interested. It is a possibility that a return visit to the ISR could occur, upon which the information could be disseminated in form of a presentation, and discussion session to those with interest in the supply and demand situation of aggregate resources. Fieldwork will be conducted from April 22 to October 31, 2008 by telephone, fax and email with interviewees in Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk.