Arviat, a small community in Nunavut along the western shore of Hudson Bay, will be home to the first Inuit-led university in Canada’s Arctic.

The main campus location was officially announced in Ottawa on Wednesday afternoon during an event hosted by Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), the national organization representing Inuit.

ITK President Natan Obed said establishing the first university in Inuit Nunangat, the homeland of Canada’s Inuit people, is an important step in asserting Canada’s jurisdiction in the Arctic.

“Inuit support Canada’s sovereignty,” Obed said.

“One of the driving forces behind the strength of our society is our knowledge and education. Therefore, establishing a university in Inuit Nunangat will be another necessary step to protect our nation.”

Obed was scheduled to make the announcement alongside Canada’s first First Nations Governor-General, Mary Simon, an Inuk and longtime advocate for universities. However, Rideau Hall canceled the event following the event. Shooting incident in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia.

Arviat, with a population of approximately 3,000 people, was selected by the ITK Board of Directors after considering 51 communities. Eight people were shortlisted and six submitted detailed proposals.

“We knew we had a very strong proposal,” Arviat Mayor Joe Sabikataak Jr. told CBC News. “But when I first heard it, I was a little shocked. I was very humbled. I was very happy.”

Five other communities will be considered to host regional knowledge centers or satellite campuses in the future. These include Inuvik (Northwest Territories), Iqaluit and Cambridge Bay (Nunavut), and Kuujjuaq and Pvirnituk (Quebec).

Arviat ranked highest for overall readiness, site capacity and alignment with the university’s vision of an immersive and culturally rich learning environment, ITK said.

Most people living in this community speak Inuktitut, and it will be taught at the university. They also continue to practice their traditions, which the community wants to share, Sabikatak Jr. said.

Arviat hosted college application consultations on public radio call-in shows and on social media and received an outpouring of support.

“It was overwhelming,” Sabikatak Jr. said. “100 percent wanted Arviat University.”

The new university is scheduled to open by 2030. There will be approximately 100 students and 80 staff members.

Although housing is in short supply in Arbiat, Sabikatak Jr. said accommodation facilities will be built to ensure sufficient accommodation for the university, which he hopes will bring economic benefits and new business to the community.

“I have no choice but to follow. [with] The demand is coming,” Sabikatak Jr. said.

$135 million donation

The community has the third-largest youth population in Nunavut, and Obed hopes to take advantage of the availability of higher education nearby.

“We want to give young people, young Inuit, the ability to dream of going to university within their own society and broader community,” Obed said.

Higher education students currently reside in the four northern regions that make up Inuit Nunangat. have to move south for the university.

“It’s a completely different world,” Obed said. “It’s like being here in Ottawa and deciding to go to school in Mexico City and immersing yourself in Spanish culture and the Spanish language. I think that’s really difficult for most young people pursuing post-secondary education. We want to remove that barrier.”

Along with the location name, Wednesday’s announcement includes a new $50 million commitment from Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI), on top of the $2 million already committed to construction of the main campus.

NTI is also contributing an additional $50 million to student housing and $35 million to programming.

Obed estimates that building a new university will cost up to $200 million. Most of the funding is secured through private donations. $50 million donation from Mastercard Foundation.

But ITK is waiting for the federal government to announce its share. The 2025 federal budget promises support for Inuit Nunangat University, but the amount is not specified.

“The federal government is the linchpin in all of this. We need the federal government’s support, and I look forward to hearing it articulate that more clearly in the coming weeks,” Obed said.

A federal government official told CBC News that a donation of up to $50 million will be confirmed once the university’s funding proposal is completed.

When it opens, the university plans to offer four bachelor’s degrees in subjects that are still under consideration.

Obed said the focus will not only be on academics but also on the overall development of the students.

“This university will give young people a practical understanding of how they can make a positive contribution, whether it be in politics, the boardroom or school,” Obed said.

“We want to produce people who not only know who they are and have a solid foundation in their culture and language, but also understand how they can help.”