Building Inuit partnership guides Arctic infrastructure development
February 10, 2026
Collaboration is key to Arctic progress. Discover how trust drives the Grays Bay Road and Port project.
In this series, we’ll explore the power of collaboration and co-creation with our clients. These partnerships showcase how we rise to the world’s greatest challenges together.
The Canadian Arctic is often seen as a frozen frontier—snow, sea ice, and extreme cold have kept it remote for generations. But things are changing. Seasonal patterns are shifting, and the region is becoming more accessible. That brings opportunity—and responsibility.
At the heart of progress is partnership.
The Grays Bay Road and Port (GBRP) project—a 230-kilometre (143-mile) all-season road and deep-water port—is more than a nation-building effort. What makes it truly remarkable is the collaboration behind it.
Through our Inuit-owned partnership, Nunami Stantec Limited, we’ve supported the GBRP as engineering and environmental consultants since 2016. Our collaboration with West Kitikmeot Resources Corporation, an Inuit-owned and led resources company, supports the integration of local knowledge, cultural values, and community priorities to inform decision-making wherever possible.
This isn’t just about presenting solutions—it’s about co-creating them.
Listening first, building second
“This isn’t just about presenting solutions—it’s about co-creating them,” says Dave Brescia, senior principal at Stantec. “With Gavin and the West Kitikmeot team, we bounce ideas off each other and come up with innovative approaches together.”
Gavin Law, environment manager at West Kitikmeot Resources, agrees: “One of the biggest parts of this partnership is the give and take. We both bring our perspectives, meet in the middle, and don’t always get our way. But honest, open responses make all the difference.”
This spirit of collaboration goes beyond meetings and plans. It means listening to Inuit communities, understanding their priorities, and respecting cultural traditions. It means building trust—because without trust, progress doesn’t happen.
Gavin Law and Dave Brescia
Why collaboration matters
The Arctic is vast and rugged. Development here means navigating remote landscapes, harsh conditions, and complex regulations. But those challenges are easier to tackle when trust and respect lead the way.
“Every twist and turn has a unique problem to solve,” Brescia says. “We’ve been doing a lot of listening and engagement to make sure we really understand the community’s needs.”
Momentum is building. “People inside our company, with Stantec, and in the communities are seeing meaningful signs of progress,” Law notes. “This project has moved forward and back for many years, but now there’s real momentum.”
More than a project
GBRP is often described as a road and port. But for the partners behind it, it’s something bigger—a way to strengthen relationships, honor Inuit culture, and build a future based on connection.
Together, Stantec and the West Kitikmeot Resources Corporation are showing that collaboration isn’t just a strategy. It’s the foundation for lasting change in the Arctic.
And that’s what makes this work so important.
With every community, we redefine what’s possible. Through collaboration with our clients, together we will unlock outcomes neither could achieve alone.
