Baker Lake

Overview

Photo: Chelsea Britton

A hamlet in the Kivalliq region of Nunavut, Baker Lake is home to a population of about 2,061 people (2021 census).

The hamlet is part of the Central Standard time zone along with Saskatchewan and Manitoba. To get there, you first fly from Winnipeg to Rankin Inlet (2.5 hours) then take an hour-long flight from Rankin Inlet to Baker Lake.

Highlights

The Inuktitut name for Baker Lake is Qamani'tuaq, meaning "where the river widens." Located at the mouth of the Thelon River, it is Nunavut's only inland community. Mining is a big economic driver in the community, with many residents working in the Meadowbank gold mine.

Baker Lake is home to many famous Inuit artists. The Jessie Oonark Arts and Crafts centre is a creative hub frequented by carvers, printmakers, sewers and jewelers.

Weather and landscape

Baker Lake sits near the 64th parallel and has a subarctic climate, with very long cold winters and short summers. The days there are as short as 4 hours in the winter and as long as 21 hours in the summer. Temperatures typically range from -34 Celsius in January to 17.5 Celsius in July.

Situated on the shore of Baker Lake, the hamlet is home to wildlife such as caribou, muskox, Arctic hares, wolves, wolverines, sik-siks, geese, and lake trout.

Photo: Chelsea Britton