Students in Arviat looking to build careers in land and resource management can now apply for the Namminiqsurniq Scholarship. The program, managed by the Government of Nunavut Devolution Secretariat, provides financial support to help local residents gain the skills needed as the territory prepares for the transfer of land control from the federal government.
The scholarship offers $10,000 to each of the 10 students selected annually. To be eligible, applicants must be enrolled full-time at an accredited post-secondary institution. While the program is open to Nunavut residents, priority is given to Nunavut Inuit.
Funding is available for students pursuing education in fields related to the management of lands and fresh waters. Eligible areas of study include environmental science, earth science, geographic information systems, environmental assessment, resource economics, environmental policy, geoscience, and political science.
This initiative is part of the broader efforts to prepare for the Nunavut Lands and Resources Devolution Agreement. Signed on January 18, 2024, by the Government of Canada, the Government of Nunavut, and Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, the agreement is set to come into effect on April 1, 2027. The agreement will transfer control of approximately 1.7 million square kilometres of land, or 83 per cent of the territory, to the Government of Nunavut.
For Arviat, which is home to the territory’s third-largest youth population, the scholarship creates a pathway for young people to take on new roles in managing the territory’s resources. As the community continues to develop as an educational hub, these supports aim to ensure local residents are ready to take on the responsibilities that come with the upcoming land transfer.
