IQALUIT, NWT (February 27, 1997) -- After two years of hard work, Upper Base, a former PCB-contaminated US military site, no longer exists.
Aerial photo of Upper Base (after cleanup). Lower base and runways in the upper right background - 1996.
Hazardous levels of PCB contamination at the site was a major environmental concern. During the clean-up, a total of 616 barrels of PCB-contaminated soil was excavated and destroyed. The $6-million clean-up project leaves Iqaluit residents free to enjoy a cleaner environment and a clear view of rolling hills and Arctic vegetation once again, thanks to the collective efforts of the Government of Canada, Aboriginal organizations, scientists, northern contractors, and the people of Iqaluit.
"Partnership and cooperation are the keys to the success of the Arctic Environmental Strategy’s (AES) projects in the North," said Ronald A Irwin, Minister of the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (DIAND). Early on in the project, a management committee was formed, and met weekly to discuss progress and potential areas of concern. It included representatives from the department, the Municipality of Iqaluit, Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, Baffin Region Inuit Association, and Queen’s University.
Employment and training of local people was an important part of the project. Sara Brown, the Senior Administrative Officer of Iqaluit, managed the work-force, hiring over 90 workers over the course of the project. Workers received training in the use of protective equipment, handling hazardous materials, operating heavy equipment, demolishing buildings, and constructing non-hazardous waste landfills. As a result of solid on-the-job work experience, classroom training and course work through Arctic College, some workers were formally certified in asbestos abatement by the completion of the project.
Upper Base was once a sprawling complex about 3.5 kilometres northwest of Iqaluit. The military base was built during the 1950s as part of the North American radar surveillance system, but with advances in satellite communications, it was abandoned in 1974. Over time, the site gradually deteriorated.
In 1994, scientists were brought in to conduct a thorough environmental assessment of the Upper Base site. Their findings revealed it to be one of the most heavily contaminated sites in the North. Most local residents were unaware of the potential health and environmental risks posed by some of the materials used during the former base’s operation. As such, it received priority attention, and clean-up began in the spring of 1995. The work involved removing PCB-contaminated soils, removing and disposing of asbestos, demolishing buildings, and constructing a new landfill for the demolition waste and asbestos materials.
The $6-million clean-up project was funded by the Waste component of the Arctic Environmental Strategy. The employment opportunities created through Action on Waste Program are an indication that Canada’s Job Strategy is successfully providing employment and training for people in the North.
Funding for this program was provided for in the federal budget and is therefore built into the existing fiscal framework. This announcement is an example of how the government is prioritizing its spending so that it can better serve Canadians by making efficient use of their tax dollars.