Kinngait

Photo: Chelsea Britton

Overview

A community of just under 1,400 people (2021 census) in the Qikiqtaaluk region of Nunavut, Kinngait was previously known as Cape Dorset. It is located on Dorset Island near the southern tip of Baffin Island, part of the Eastern Standard time zone along with Iqaluit.

Photo: Chelsea Britton

Kinngait is a one-hour and 15-minute flight from Iqaluit, which is a 3-hour and 15-minute flight from Ottawa.

Highlights

Kinngait is Inuktitut for “high mountain” or “where the hills are.” The area is home to Mallikjuaq Territorial Park where the remains of the Thule and pre-Inuit Dorset people were discovered, who lived between 1000 BCE and 1100 CE. The park is reachable by foot from Kinngait at low tide or by boat.

Kinngait is known as the capital of Inuit art, acclaimed for its drawing, printmaking, and carving. Each year Kinngait Studios releases an annual print collection between 30 and 60 images, as well as numerous commissions and special releases. It is the longest continuous running print studio in Canada.

Weather and landscape

Located just above the 64th parallel, Kinngait receives over 21 hours of daylight on the summer solstice and about 4 hours on the winter solstice. The area features a tundra climate; the coldest months of the year are typically January, February, and March, where temperatures drop to -40°C. Fall weather can be around 5°C and is mostly sunny, but sometimes foggy with heavy rains.

The terrain of Kinngait is fairly flat with some rolling hills. At low tide, you can walk to the mainland of Baffin Island.

Photo: Chelsea Britton