There is often a disconnect between scientific research conducted in the North and the communities where research occurs. Ikaarvik: From Barriers to Bridges was awarded $325,000 for their plan to establish lasting relationships between five Nunavut communities: Cambridge Bay, Pond Inlet, Kugluktuk, Pangnirtung and Gjoa Haven, and five of the largest zoos and aquariums in Southern Canada: Assiniboine Park Zoo, Aquarium du Québec, Ecomuseum Zoo, Vancouver Aquarium, and the Toronto Zoo. The project provides the public with a more accurate understanding of the Canadian Arctic and its peoples. Dialogues on Northern issues between communities and government agencies will also be established to increase mutual understanding. Ikaarvik initiatives are intended to help Arctic scientists conduct more locally relevant science and link Inuit knowledge with Western science.
(Note that this project was a Finalist prior to 2017, when the current 3-tiered prize model was put in place. Their nomination therefore does not correspond to a particular category.)
