Tulugak Northern Voice launches to support responsible and locally grounded development across the North

Press Release

A new joint venture between Transfert Environnement et Société and Kimberly Fairman brings together expertise in Indigenous governance, stakeholder engagement, and Inuit research

YELLOWKNIFE, NT, June 18, 2026 – Transfert Environnement et Société and Kimberly Fairman are pleased to join forces to announce the launch Tulugak Northern Voice, a joint venture created to support engagement, consultation, and development processes across the North through approaches grounded in trust, meaningful participation, and northern realities.

Nunavut and the broader North are entering a period of significant development and transformation driven by growth in infrastructure, energy, critical minerals, and Arctic sovereignty. With known occurrences of 23 of Canada’s 34 critical minerals, the territory is attracting increasing attention across sectors and jurisdictions worldwide.

In this context, Tulugak Northern Voice was established in response to an urgent need for development approaches that are both technically rigorous and deeply rooted in Inuit priorities, governance, and community well-being.

Successful projects in the North depend on trust, credibility, and a strong understanding of local governance, not solely technical excellence. Projects often face delays, opposition, or regulatory setbacks when stakeholder engagement approaches do not adequately reflect the governance structures and priorities of the communities involved. At the same time, communities and Inuit organizations are frequently brought into processes too late, with limited capacity support, and through formats that do not align with how decisions are actually made locally.

This leads to an erosion of trust, creating uncertainty for proponents, limiting meaningful participation of communities, and adding complexity to regulatory processes.

Tulugak Northern Voice is grounded in a fundamentally different approach to engagement that moves beyond regulatory compliance toward meaningful partnership. Built from the North, and not adapted to it, the partnership reflects decades of lived experience, professional relationships, and sustained presence across Nunavut, Nunavik, and the wider Arctic.

• Kimberly Fairman brings more than two decades of experience working at the intersection of Indigenous governance, community development, regulatory systems, and major project planning across the Arctic. Kimberly is Nunavummiut from Taloyoak, a researcher and policy specialist whose work is grounded in circumpolar and Indigenous knowledge systems, Inuit-specific research methodologies, and community-engaged approaches.
• With over 40 years of experience in social acceptability, public participation, and community relations, Transfert draws on a longstanding track record of supporting clients operating in Nunavut, Nunavik, and the Northwest Territories. The partnership embodies the organization’s commitment to strengthening and sustaining presence in the North while deepening on-the-ground understanding of northern Canada.

The firm works across governance, regulatory strategy, capacity development, workforce readiness, and benefit design, recognizing that meaningful participation requires both voice and capacity. At its core, Tulugak Northern Voice is guided by Inuit self-determination as a design principle, embedding Inuit governance and community-defined priorities directly into project.

Tulugak Northern Voice aims to help communities, Inuit organizations, governments and proponents build trusted partnerships, and navigate complex regulatory and impact assessment processes, advance development opportunities that are both economically viable and locally supported.

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“As the North and the resources it holds are generating growing interest across sectors worldwide, it is essential that engagement and consultation activities be led by Inuit experts when possible and grounded in trust. TULUGAK Northern Voice brings together complementary expertise in Indigenous governance, community development, regulatory processes, and Inuit research, with a shared commitment to ensuring that development reflects Inuit priorities and supports meaningful participation. This partnership is about strengthening collaboration between communities, organizations, and project proponents in ways that build trust and lead to better outcomes.” Kimberly Fairman, Founding Partner, Tulugak Northern Voice 

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“Project proponents and communities often experience a disconnect between development objectives and meaningful participation, long-term benefits, and respect for local priorities. Tulugak Northern Voice reflects a natural evolution of our work in the North. By combining over 40 years of experience in social acceptability, public participation, and community relations with a deep commitment towards Indigenous reconciliation, we are strengthening our ability to support projects that are both well-designed and aligned with local priorities.”  Alex Craft, Founding Partner 

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“Tulugak came to life through a shared conviction and a willingness to build something that didn’t exist yet. In early conversations with Kimberly, it became clear that her expertise in Inuit governance, community realities, and northern decision-making would be foundational to the partnership. From the outset, we wanted to do things differently, starting by listening first. The relationship is grounded in that principle and in a commitment to approaching the work we do in the North differently.” Marc-Olivier Fortin, Partnership Development Director

About Tulugak Northern Voice

TULUGAK Northern Voice is a joint venture between Transfert and Kimberly Fairman. The partnership brings together expertise in stakeholder engagement, Indigenous governance, and Inuit research to support communities, Indigenous organizations, governments, and project proponents in navigating complex regulatory and impact assessment processes. Grounded in trust, northern realities, and meaningful participation, Tulugak Northern Voice supports development that is both economically viable and locally supported.

About Transfert Environnement et Société (“Transfert”)

Transfert is a consulting firm specializing in public participation and social acceptability. We help build trust between organizations and the communities where they operate. Our talented team supports clients from the mining, industrial, renewable energy, waste management, and transportation sectors in strengthening their community relations and social performance. Through strategic and operational support, we help organizations meet the increasing expectations for stakeholder engagement and responsible project development. At Transfert, we know that lasting project success depends on a deep understanding of social and territorial issues. Our unique approach combines strategic insight, cultural awareness, and hands-on experience in the field. It enables organizations to reach their goals while fostering genuine community support. Our mission: to bridge the gap between project developers and their host communities. Certified B Corp, we champion a win-win approach that benefits everyone: organizations, civil society, citizens and the environment. Learn more at transfertconsult.ca

To read this press release in Inuktitut, click here.

Media contact: Simon Falardeau, APR, PRP, 514 755-5831, simon@simonfalardeau.ca

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