Nunavut Search and Rescue (NSAR) Project: Supporting Inuit Health and Well-Being, Food Security, Economic Development, and Community Resilience
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Strathclyde
Department Name: Management Science
Abstract
In Nunavut, community-based Search and Rescue (SAR) Committees, Ground SAR teams, Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary units, Civil Air SAR Association members, Inuit Marine Monitors, Inuit Guardians, and the Canadian Rangers undertake a very challenging task: providing 24/7 response capabilities, 365 days a year in an austere operating environment, with few resources, and little external assistance. Inuit SAR responders face serious challenges and have requested the development of more robust prevention methods, skill and capacity building, better cooperation and communication with external agencies, and thorough investigation of physical and human SAR infrastructure requirements. They have also emphasized the need to ensure Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit / Qaujimaningit (IQ) is at the foundation of Nunavut's SAR systems and infrastructure.
In the rapidly changing Arctic environment, SAR capabilities and infrastructure will only become more essential and the challenges, concerns, and areas for capacity building identified by community responders in Nunavut need to be effectively and comprehensively addressed. An effective SAR system: 1) is a vital adaptation tool to help communities cope with Arctic climate change; 2) constitutes critical infrastructure required to support Inuit health and well-being; 3) is a necessary foundation for safe harvesting activities to address food insecurity. Strong SAR capabilities are also a prerequisite to economic development in the region and are required to bolster community resilience.
The NSAR project embraces the core laws, principles, and practices of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit / Qaujimaningit (IQ) to employ a comprehensive research strategy aimed at strengthening Nunavut's whole-of-society SAR system through capacity and skill building, and by creating a decision support model for current and future planning, preparation, and infrastructure development grounded in IQ and reflecting Inuit values. Specifically, we will:
a) Create new knowledge about the core strengths possessed by SAR responders in Nunavut, the challenges they face, and on best practices for SAR preparedness, prevention, and response.
b) Develop innovative solutions, suggestions for human and physical infrastructure development, and new policy as well as novel community-based approaches that build off and enhance these strengths and address these challenges.
c) Ensure that IQ and Inuit land safety knowledge are the foundation of the SAR system.
To achieve these aims, the NSAR project's multidisciplinary research team will build on four pillars rooted in core IQ values and laws. The first is Piliriqatigiingniq and Aajiiqatigiinniq, which will use regional roundtables to strengthen SAR relationships to build consensus on how to improve SAR in Nunavut. The second project pillar is Pilimmaksarniq, which will involve developing practical knowledge and skills for the organization, administration, and execution of community-based SAR operations. The third pillar, Maligait and the SAR System Model, will create a comprehensive model to facilitate continuous SAR planning and preparations for the future. Finally, the fourth pillar, Qanuqtuurniq, will support ongoing innovation and improvement in SAR operations.
The NSAR project will strengthen the relationships, facilitate the knowledge creation, develop the skills, identify the required infrastructure, and enable the innovative planning and preparation required to support Inuit as the first responders in Arctic SAR.
In the rapidly changing Arctic environment, SAR capabilities and infrastructure will only become more essential and the challenges, concerns, and areas for capacity building identified by community responders in Nunavut need to be effectively and comprehensively addressed. An effective SAR system: 1) is a vital adaptation tool to help communities cope with Arctic climate change; 2) constitutes critical infrastructure required to support Inuit health and well-being; 3) is a necessary foundation for safe harvesting activities to address food insecurity. Strong SAR capabilities are also a prerequisite to economic development in the region and are required to bolster community resilience.
The NSAR project embraces the core laws, principles, and practices of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit / Qaujimaningit (IQ) to employ a comprehensive research strategy aimed at strengthening Nunavut's whole-of-society SAR system through capacity and skill building, and by creating a decision support model for current and future planning, preparation, and infrastructure development grounded in IQ and reflecting Inuit values. Specifically, we will:
a) Create new knowledge about the core strengths possessed by SAR responders in Nunavut, the challenges they face, and on best practices for SAR preparedness, prevention, and response.
b) Develop innovative solutions, suggestions for human and physical infrastructure development, and new policy as well as novel community-based approaches that build off and enhance these strengths and address these challenges.
c) Ensure that IQ and Inuit land safety knowledge are the foundation of the SAR system.
To achieve these aims, the NSAR project's multidisciplinary research team will build on four pillars rooted in core IQ values and laws. The first is Piliriqatigiingniq and Aajiiqatigiinniq, which will use regional roundtables to strengthen SAR relationships to build consensus on how to improve SAR in Nunavut. The second project pillar is Pilimmaksarniq, which will involve developing practical knowledge and skills for the organization, administration, and execution of community-based SAR operations. The third pillar, Maligait and the SAR System Model, will create a comprehensive model to facilitate continuous SAR planning and preparations for the future. Finally, the fourth pillar, Qanuqtuurniq, will support ongoing innovation and improvement in SAR operations.
The NSAR project will strengthen the relationships, facilitate the knowledge creation, develop the skills, identify the required infrastructure, and enable the innovative planning and preparation required to support Inuit as the first responders in Arctic SAR.
Publications
Pedersen, C.A.
(2022)
Inuit Nunangat needs a community public safety officer program
in Policy Options
Kikkert, Peter
(2023)
Enhancing Community-Based Search and Rescue in Arctic Canada through Risk Analysis
Kikkert, P.
(2023)
Opinion: An Arctic mass rescue is daunting, but Canada is preparing
Kikkert, P.
(2023)
Arctic SAR: Challenges, Strengths, New Approaches
Kikkert, P.
(2023)
The State of Search and Rescue in Nunavut
| Description | The overall aim of the NSAR project was to strengthen Nunavut's whole-of-society search and rescue (SAR) capabilities. We believe that the project has achieved this aim. All the deliverables listed in the project plan are either completed or will be completed by the end of the project. Key outputs include: 1. Organising 6 roundtables and 2 SAR exchanges that allowed community SAR responders from all 39 communities in Nunavut and Nunavik to meet federal, territorial and provincial responders and discuss critical issues affecting SAR in the North of Canada. These interactions resulted in reports (listed in the Publications section and available on the websites https://nunavutsar.ca/ and https://nunaviksar.ca/) that include comprehensive recommendations for the improvement of SAR in Nunavut and Nunavik. Several academic papers are also in preparation and will be submitted for publication in the coming year. The project team are due to present papers at the Arctic Emergency Management Conference in Bodo, Norway on 18-20 March 2025 and the Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (ISCRAM) conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia on 18-21 May 2025. 2. Expansion of the original scope of the project - Nunavut - to encompass the 14 Inuit communities in Nunavik, Quebec. This has led to further collaboration with Kativik Civil Security in relation to SAR data collection and analysis (see the Collaborations section). 3. Development of a novel Bayesian Network (BN) risk model that aims to capture the complexities involved in the Arctic SAR system. The model, developed through extensive community engagement, highlights the interdependencies between environmental conditions, resource availability, and SAR outcomes. By incorporating local knowledge and addressing systemic risks, the BN model offers a quantitative framework for SAR decision-making and policy development, incorporating Inuit knowledge and reflecting Inuit priorities, that can help improve the safety and resilience of Northern communities in the face of climate change and evolving geopolitical challenges. 4. Production of a guidebook for community SAR co-ordinators, detailing the steps of the SAR process and including best practice from across the region for SAR planning, search methods, data collection and debriefing. This guidebook will provide essential support for new co-ordinators and help promote a consistent approach to SAR operations in Nunavut and Nunavik; it is still currently in development, having received feedback from SAR responders at the Nunavut roundtable held in November, 2024. |
| Exploitation Route | Both the Bayesian Network (BN) model and the method used to develop the model, involving co-production of the network structure through extensive consultation with community responders and expert elicitation of model parameters, has broad potential applications beyond Arctic Canada to many other search and rescue contexts - and other aspects of emergency management (e.g., wild fires, flooding) - involving challenging terrain, remote, isolated communities and a reliance on volunteer responders (e.g., Greenland, Alaska, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Scotland). Canadian colleagues involved in the NSAR project have obtained funding from the National Research Council have obtained funding from Public Safety Canada, through their Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund (SARNIF) to continue working on a number of research questions identified in the NSAR project, including the development of lost person behaviour guidance applicable to the Arctic environment and improvements to SAR planning and operations. The University of Strathclyde project team have applied for funding through an ESRC Impact Acceleration Account at the University of Strathclyde. There are two main aims: (1) to assist Kativik Regional Government in Nunavik with the design and implementation of a new SAR data collection, analysis and reporting process; and (2) to work with Mountaineering Scotland to explore the application of the NSAR model to mountain rescue in Scotland. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy Security and Diplomacy |
| URL | https://nunavutsar.ca/ |
| Description | The NSAR project has brought together volunteer search and rescue (SAR) responders from all 39 communities across the Canadian Arctic regions of Nunavut and Nunavik, along with a wide range of representatives from federal, territorial and provincial SAR organisations - including regional government officials, Canadian Coast Guard, Canadian Rangers and the armed forces. A series of facilitated roundtables organised by the NSAR team has enabled SAR responders to build working relationships, exchange best practice, and work to address critical issues faced by Northern communities, including equipment shortages, lack of training, and chronic emotional trauma resulting from searching regularly for their friends and relatives. The NSAR project's activities have led to several specific initiatives to improve SAR in the North, including agreements on jurisdiction between marine and land searches, new training opportunities (e.g., for rescue boat crew and drone operators), provision of additional equipment (including fast rescue boats), development of new policy and standard operating procedures for SAR, streamlining of communication between community responders and federal authorities during searches, and plans to redesign the collection, analysis and reporting of SAR case data. The Canadian PI of the project, Dr Peter Kikkert has provided advice to several territorial and federal organisations, including the Canadian Government's Standing Committee on National Defence. This has resulted in the Nunavut Government proposing a new funding policy for SAR (this is still under development) and the Canadian Government agreeing to explore the option of a permanent, annual Arctic SAR roundtable. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2023 |
| Sector | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Communities and Social Services/Policy,Security and Diplomacy |
| Impact Types | Cultural Societal Policy & public services |
| Description | Canadian government commitment in principle to an annual SAR roundtable |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://www.ourcommons.ca/Content/Committee/441/NDDN/Reports/RP12342748/nddnrp03/nddnrp03-e.pdf |
| Description | New SAR data collection process for Nunavik |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| Description | Nunavut's Community Based SAR Contributions Policy: Suggested Revisions and Additions |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
| Description | Collaboration to improve search and rescue data collection and analysis in Nunavik, Canada |
| Organisation | University of Strathclyde |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | University of Strathclyde researchers have built a working relationship with Kativik Regional Government (KRG - civil security department), which involves Strathclyde designing a novel approach to search and rescue (SAR) data collection and analysis. The first phase of this work involved visiting each of the 14 villages in Nunavik to collect existing data on SAR cases. As a result, we have built a dataset of all reported SAR cases in Nunavik. The next phase - to be funded by an Impact Acceleration Account award, will involve designing, piloting and implementing a new approach to data collection across the region. This work will involve an Impact Champion spending 2-3 weeks on secondment to KRG in Kuujjuaq. |
| Collaborator Contribution | KRG have provided both cash and in-kind contributions to the collaboration. They have provided flights and accommodation in the Nunavik villages for our researchers, time from their SAR technicians who accompanied our researchers, and access to existing SAR data. |
| Impact | A new dataset of search and rescue cases in Nunavik, Canada. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Advisory sessions with governmental bodies in Canada |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Team members Peter Kikkert, P. Whitney Lackenbauer and Calvin Pedersen have had the chance to share research completed through the NSAR project with the Canadian House of Commons Standing Committees on Indigenous and Northern Affairs and National Defence, the Canadian Coast Guard Arctic Region, the National Search and Rescue Secretariat, Public Safety Canada, and the intergovernmental Arctic Security Working Group." |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023 |
| Description | Halifax Search and Rescue Exchange - 2025 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | A second Arctic Search and Rescue Exchange was held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on 1-4 March 2025. This event brought together Northern and Southern SAR responders: 22 Nunavummiut, 15 Nunavimmiut, and 11 federal responders. There were visits to the Halifax Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC), Canadian Coast Guard facility, and RCAF Greenwood, and a two-day workshop. Topics covered in the workshop included identifying how JRCC, EMOs and community volunteers can work better together; sharing of SAR experiences; and a series of small-group discussions covering SAR planning, NSAR model validation, mapping of community SAR coverage, use of GPS location devices, and question-and-answer sessions with the Coast Guard and Nunavut Emergency Management. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Launch of the Nunavik search and rescue website |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | The NSAR project launched the Nunavik search and rescue (SAR) website, a parallel site to the Nunavut SAR website. The site aims to make the public aware of the work being done on and its impact for the region. The website contains reports from Nunavik SAR roundtables and Arctic SAR exchanges, and will be used to allow public access to data generated by the NSAR project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Launch of the Nunavut search and rescue website |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Patients, carers and/or patient groups |
| Results and Impact | The NSAR project launched the Nunavut search and rescue website, which aims to make the public aware of the work being done on and its impact for the territory. The website contains a report from the Nunavut SAR roundtables and will be used to allow public access to data generated by the NSAR project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://nunavutsar.ca/ |
| Description | Nunavik roundtable on search and rescue |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A Roundtable on Search and Rescue (SAR) was held for the region of Nunavik, Quebec, in Montreal on 11-13 November 2022. The event brought 40 Inuit community responders together with over 50 representatives from local, provincial, and federal agencies and organizations, in the spirit of piliriqatigiingniq (working together for a common purpose) and aajiiqatigiinniq (decision-making through discussion and consensus) to discuss all aspects of the SAR system in the region. SAR responders and/or coordinators from 10/14 Nunavik communities were able to attend the roundtables. The roundtables facilitated the sharing of strengths, challenges, lessons learned, best practices, and Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit for SAR prevention, preparedness, and response in Nunavik. The roundtable provided further data for the NSAR project and also helped foster relationships between community responders and their counterparts in provincial and federal agencies. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.naadsn.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/23may-PK-PWL-SAR-Nunavik-report.pdf |
| Description | Nunavut Roundtable on Search and Rescue - 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | A Roundtable on Search and Rescue (SAR) was held for the territory of Nunavut in Iqaluit on 15-17 November 2024. The event brought 23 Inuit community responders together with around 20 representatives from local, provincial, and federal agencies and organizations. SAR responders and/or coordinators from 21/25 Nunavut communities attended the roundtable. Building on the success of previous roundtables, the event facilitated the sharing of strengths, challenges, lessons learned, best practices, and Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit for SAR prevention, preparedness, and response in Nunavut. The roundtable provided further data for the NSAR project and also helped foster relationships between community responders and their counterparts in provincial and federal agencies. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Nunavut roundtables on search and rescue |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Roundtables on Search and Rescue (SAR) were held for three regions of Nunavut, Canada: Qikiqtani (Iqaluit, 11-13 November), Kivalliq (Rankin Inlet, 15-17 November), and Kitikmeot (Yellowknife, 20-22 November), and enjoyed strong support from community SAR groups, Nunavut Emergency Management, the Canadian Coast Guard, and the Canadian Armed Forces. The roundtables brought sixty Inuit community responders and fifty representatives from territorial, federal, non-profit, and Inuit agencies and organizations together in the spirit of piliriqatigiingniq (working together for a common purpose) and aajiiqatigiinniq (decision-making through discussion and consensus) to discuss all aspects of the SAR system in the territory. SAR coordinators and unit leaders from every community in Nunavut save three were able to attend the roundtables and those without physical representation were able to share their perspectives via phone and email. The roundtables facilitated the sharing of strengths, challenges, lessons learned, best practices, and Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit for SAR prevention, preparedness, and response in Nunavut, generating a great deal of data and providing the NSAR Project with a strong foundation upon which to build its future initiatives. At the same time, the roundtables provided a forum in which community responders could ask their federal and territorial government partners for clarity on policy, procedural, and operational issues - further developing the relationships required to execute effective SAR operations in the field and addressing coordination and cooperation challenges. In this way, the roundtables served as both a research opportunity and a long-term resilience-building measure. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Trenton Arctic SAR exchange |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | This event brought together Northern and Southern SAR responders: 10 Nunavummiut, 6 Nunavimmiut, and 8 federal responders. There was a one-day visit to the Trenton Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC), including a briefing from the RCAF, tour of facilities, and a SAR demonstration, and a two-day workshop. Topics covered in the workshop included identifying how JRCC, EMOs and community volunteers can work better together; sharing of detailed SAR stories - exploring factors that can lead to positive or negative search outcomes, and exploring the use (and non-use) of location devices. Outcomes from the exchange included facilitated training agreements between the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association and the communities of Baker Lake and Arctic Bay (including Remotely Piloted Aircraft System training), assurances that JRCC will work to improve communication with community responders and investigate building more Inuit Knowledge into the SAR Mission Coordinator course that their personnel must take, and a request from the JRCC for further presentations on the modelling work carried out by the NSAR project team. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |