Permafrost

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) Department of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR), working with their partners, has begun mapping surficial displacement in areas of the NWT through the use of satellite mapping (DInSAR), allowing areas susceptible to permafrost slumping or heaving to be identified across 10 sites. These sites were Tuktoyaktuk, Norman Wells, Fort Simpson, Yellowknife, Tulita, Fort Providence, Hay River, Inuvik, Conoco EL470, and along the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway.

The Guide provides homeowners in Nunavut with the knowledge and resources to make simple changes around their home to help the permafrost stay frozen beneath it. The guide also helps local decision-makers take on adaptation actions that are relevant to the communities they serve. To download full copies of the Guide, go to our Nunavut Climate Change Centre website!

The GNWT has utilized satelite imaging to map the permafrost distribution within four permafrost rich communities; Inuvik, Tuktoyaktuk, Fort Simpson and Norman Wells. By providing these communities with maps of their permafrost impacted terrain, the GNWT can assist our communities in making more informed decisions in regards to community planning.

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An Information Note on the GNWT's efforts to create a tool for assessing building vulnerability due to increased snowload or decreased permafrost stability.

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