By developing effective science-community partnerships and physical infrastructure initiatives, ARF aims to contribute to the economic, social and spiritual well-being of communities, provide important and timely information on how and why the environment is changing, and inform systems-based, adaptive co-management approaches to climate adaptation.
With home ports across Canada’s Arctic, ARF’s fleet of five vessels can be on the water as soon as the sea ice melts. This allows ARF and its partners to take full advantage of the Arctic’s short navigable season each summer
ARF also operates four mobile science labs and one Plant Production and Research Pod, which is located in Gjoa Haven, Nunavut.
Our Vessels
R/V Tiriarnaq
Operating in Coastal British Columbia, from the Washington border to the Alaska border, the Tiriarnaq is a compact and agile research vessel well-suited for near-coastal research.
R/V Martin Bergmann
A repurposed East Coast fishing trawler, the Martin Bergmann has been operating in the Kitikmeot region of the Central Arctic since 2013.
R/V Blue Nanook
Based in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, R/V Blue Nanook is ideal for day trips near Victoria Island.
R/V Skoden
R/V Skoden is a durable, 8.23-meter (28’) welded aluminum vessel, designed for research and community initiatives
Our Labs
Mobile Labs
Built out of sea containers, the labs are heated, insulated and equipped with toilets, water purifiers and satellite communication links. The labs are also capable of plugging into existing power networks or running completely off the grid, drawing electricity through environmentally friendly solar panels or wind turbines.
Naurvik
Naurvik is a community-led, hydroponic, food production system in Gjoa Haven, Nunavut – a small Inuit community located approximately 250 km north of the Arctic Circle. The name Naurvik means the growing place in Inuktitut and was chosen by the community during consultations about the project.