Residents of Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, are invited to a community workshop on Friday, August 14, 2026, at Kitti Hall to learn about microplastics in local waterways. The event is a partnership between the Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk and Queen’s University, along with federal researchers, and is part of research supported through the Northern Contaminants Program.
Microplastics are tiny plastic fragments smaller than five millimetres that can come from health and beauty products like toothpaste and soaps, or from the breakdown of larger items such as bottles, bags, and fabrics. Research has found high levels of microplastics near the mouth of the Mackenzie River, with more than 6,500 pieces per square kilometre observed in some areas.
At the workshop, attendees will learn what microplastics are, see local water monitoring results, and have a say in where future samples should be collected.
The Inuvialuit Regional Corporation is also running a separate project to measure microplastics in drinking water across all six communities in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region.
