Gjoa Haven

Photo: Juanita MacEachern

Overview

A community of about 1349 people (2021 census), Gjoa Haven is located in the Kitikmeot region of Nunavut on King William Island.

The hamlet is part of the Mountain time zone along with Alberta and the Northwest Territories. Travelling there from the south involves flying to Yellowknife then a 2.5 flight to Gjoa Haven.

Highlights

The Inuit people of Gjoa Haven are Netsilingmiut (‘people of the place where there is seal’). In 1903, Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen led an expedition intending to travel through the Northwest Passage; Gjoa Haven is named after his ship Gjøa. Some Inuit in Gjoa Haven with European ancestry claim to be descendants of Amundsen (or one of his six crew members). Square dancing is very popular in Gjoa Haven. Visitors can go to Northwest Passage Territorial Park to learn about the history of the exploration of the Northwest Passage.

Nattilik Heritage Centre, a museum and heritage centre, has a collection of handmade harpoons, snow goggles and snow knives purchased by Amundsen and repatriated to Canada. Most employment in Gjoa Haven is with government services with a few commercial employers. The discovery of the HMS Terror and HMS Erebus shipwrecks from the Franklin's lost expedition has increased tourism. Gjoa Haven is known for its vibrant arts and crafts.

Photo: Juanita MacEachern

Weather and landscape

Located near the 68th parallel, Gjoa Haven has a tundra climate with a short, cool summer and long, cold winters. There is 24-hour daylight from late May through late July; the community sees no sun from early December to early January.

Summer temperatures in Gjoa Haven can rise to 15°C. Winter temperatures range from -20°C to -40°C before wind chill. The sea ice freezes solid in November and breaks up in July-August.

Gjoa Haven has a flat coastal terrain with sand, boulders, sandstone gravel and limestone. The area has an abundance of wildflowers during the summer.

Photo: Juanita MacEachern