Igloolik Co-operative

Community owned Co-operatives in the Arctic are multi-purpose businesses that provide a wide range of services to their members and their communities. Services provided by local Co-ops include retail stores, hotel and tourism operations, cable television, arts and craft marketing, fuel distribution, construction & heavy equipment services, property rental and a variety of agency type services. Igloolik Co-operative operates a retail store, hotel, restaurant, freight services, property rentals, arts and crafts and convenience store. Igloolik has a population of approximately 1,454 and is situated on an island adjacent to the flat expanse of the Melville Peninsula’s eastern coastal plain. This area is largely untapped by tourism, offering a genuine northern Canada Arctic experience which is vastly different from Baffin Island’s craggy peaks and fiords. The area has long been blessed with abundant natural resources central to Inuit culture and identity: guided tours are available to see walruses, seals, whales, polar bears, caribou, fish and waterfowl. These resources provide the economic, spiritual and intellectual basis for cultural continuity within Igloolik. People here take immense pride in nurturing Inuit heritage and traditions while embracing the inevitable changes brought on by modernization. The location has been used for numerous films and documentaries about life in the Arctic. In mid-January, the community celebrates the return of the sun, after several week of darkness, with a traditional festival. Maintaining the balance of traditions and modern day living is the very essence of Igloolik’s vibrancy.