Inuvik airport paving faces delays due to permafrost conditions – Cabin Radio

October 29, 2025

The NWT’s minister of infrastructure says paving of the Inuvik airport runway extension has been delayed due to shifting ground conditions related to permafrost.

The federal Department of National Defence is paying for the work as a matter of Arctic sovereignty. A longer runway will allow the Royal Canadian Air Force to operate a wider range of aircraft from the town, which is considered a key “forward operating location.”

So far, the department has committed $230 million on the project, which lengthens the runway from 6,000 to 9,000 ft.