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Vulnerability and Adaptation in Two Communities in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region

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Community Adaptation and Vulnerability in Arctic Regions

Abstract

This chapter compares the Inuvialuit communities of Ulukhaktok and Tuktoyaktuk in the western Canadian Arctic according to the CAVIAR analytical framework. The comparison highlights examples of similarities and differences in exposure-sensitivities and adaptations related to subsistence harvesting and community infrastructure. Subsistence hunting, fishing and trapping on the land and sea ice continue to be valued activities for Inuit in Ulukhaktok and Tuktoyaktuk. In both communities, however, changes in seasonal patterns, sea ice, and weather variability have affected the health and availability of some important wildlife species and have exacerbated risks associated with hunting and travel. Infrastructure in Tuktoyaktuk is highly susceptible to damage due to degradation of permafrost and coastal erosion. The shorelines of the community are prone to erosion, particularly during strong storm events that have damaged buildings and roads in the past. A prominent difference in the capacity of these communities to deal with climate-related exposure-sensitivities is the diversity of their economies and extent to which they rely on subsistence harvesting. This comparison provides insight into the localized nature of vulnerabilities, and policies to support adaptation.

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Acknowledgements

The generosity, friendships, and knowledge shared by the residents of Ulukhaktok and Tuktoyaktuk are gratefully acknowledged. Thank you to Adam Kudlak, Jerry Sr. Akoaksion, Mel Pretty, Harold Wright, Fred Kataoyak, Annie Goose, Roland Notaina, Rebecca Pokiak, Tessa Dillon and Frank Umoak for intellectual input and assistance in the field. This research was made possible through support from ArcticNet, International Polar Year Canada, SSHRC Vanier Doctoral Scholarship, ACUNS Canadian Polar Commission Scholarship, Aurora Research Institute Fellowships, Ontario Graduate Scholarship, the Northern Scientific Training Program and University of Guelph graduate scholarships. The research was undertaken with guidance from Dr. Barry Smit and benefitted greatly from access to the resources of the Global Environmental Change Group at the University of Guelph.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada, N1G 2W1

    Mark Andrachuk

  2. Department of Geography, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada

    Tristan Pearce

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  1. Mark Andrachuk
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Correspondence to Mark Andrachuk .

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  1. Environmental Research - Oslo CICERO, Center for International Climate and, Oslo, 0318, Norway

    Grete K. Hovelsrud

  2. , Department of Geography, University of Guelph, Stone Road East 50, Guelph, N1G 2W1, Canada

    Barry Smit

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Andrachuk, M., Pearce, T. (2010). Vulnerability and Adaptation in Two Communities in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region. In: Hovelsrud, G., Smit, B. (eds) Community Adaptation and Vulnerability in Arctic Regions. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9174-1_3

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