An Overview of Major Engineering Challenges for Developing Transportation Infrastructure in Northern Canada
Eva Stephani, Julie Malenfant Lepage and Guy Doré
The School of Public Policy Publications
Volume 15 • Issue 14 • May 2022
The proposed corridor crosses extensive areas of permafrost, including sporadic to continuous permafrost distribution. It also travels through areas that are not perennially frozen, but that are exposed to seasonal freeze-thaw cycles and to other cold-region processes that can become geohazards for infrastructure. This overview paper focuses mainly on permafrost-related issues because of the significant challenges and important knowledge gaps in permafrost.
Canadian Arctic Marine Transportation Issues, Opportunities and Challenges
Frédéric Lasserre
The School of Public Policy Publications Volume 15 • Issue 6 • February 2022
This paper examines some of the trends shaping the shipping industry in Canada’s Arctic, and what these changes might mean for the construction of a Canadian Northern Corridor. To what extent could expanded shipping in the Canadian arctic be supported by a corridor, and what are some of the economic trends from a commercial perspective? Given the remote and extreme conditions, what are some of the most realistic scenarios for economic, industrial and other drivers for northern marine development in Canada?
Nordicity and its Relevance for Northern Canadian Infrastructure Development
Katharina Koch
Polar Geography Ahead-of-print • October 2021
Canada’s northern regions have unique geospatial characteristics which are based on differences in biodiversity, climate, ecosystems and socio-economic conditions. Together, these distinct conditions challenge the prevailing “one-size fits all” northern infrastructure development approach which is often based on southern conceptions of the North. This paper, published in Polar Geography, examines the need to capture Canada’s northern complexity in order to support a comprehensive but differentiated northern policy approach. The research also emphasizes the importance of including Indigenous Knowledge into any type of future northern infrastructure development strategy. A School of Public Policy Publications paper based on this research is forthcoming in early 2022.
