File photo — Defence Minister David McGuinty, right, listens as Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks in Ottawa, on Monday, April 27, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
By The Canadian Press
May 21, 2026 | 9:47 AM
OTTAWA — The Liberal government is shutting down the Nanisivik naval station on northern Baffin Island as a cost-cutting measure, and plans eventually to transfer the property to another party.
The Department of National Defence says it already has started to transition the problem-plagued Nanisivik Naval Facility out of operations.
The Arctic base, which was built at a former mining site by the government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, was envisioned as a deepsea port and a show of Arctic sovereignty.
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government insists it’s no longer needed due to its very short seasonal access window, repeated construction issues and costly jetty repairs.