Teams shortlisted for $1B Nunavut port project

Key Takeaways:

• The teams are headlined by industry leads Kiewit, Ledcor/Bird, and Samsung C&T/Webuild.
• The $1-billion project features a 230 km all-season road and Arctic deepwater port at Coronation Gulf, acting as a critical corridor to unlock northern critical mineral deposits.
• WKR filed its environmental Impact Statement in March 2026, and Ottawa subsequently referred the project to its Major Projects Office.

The Whole Story:

West Kitikmeot Resources Corp. (WKR) has shortlisted three major international construction consortiums to move forward in the bidding process for major works on the proposed Grays Bay Road and Port Project.

The announcement marks a key procurement milestone for the mega-infrastructure initiative aimed at connecting mineral-rich regions of Nunavut to global shipping routes and southern Canada.

WKR launched the public Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process on June 1, 2026. A Request for Proposals (RFP) package will be distributed to the three shortlisted respondents later this month, with WKR targeting the selection of a preferred proponent in March 2027.

The three shortlisted respondents are:

• Kiewit Construction Services ULC, supported by sub-contractors North American Construction Group, Hatch, WSP, and Thurber Engineering Ltd.
• Arctic Passage Partners GP — a joint partnership between Ledcor and Bird Construction — supported by sub-contractors Parsons Corporation, Associated Engineering, Tetra Tech, Baird & Associates, PND Engineers, Inc., and Alietum Ice Inc.
• Grays Bay Infrastructure Partners — a joint partnership between Samsung C&T, Engineering & Construction and Webuild S.p.A. — supported by sub-contractors Jacobs and CIMA+.

WKR, an Inuit-owned entity, is leading the development of the multi-user infrastructure corridor. The proposed project features a 230-kilometre all-season access road connecting the Arctic coast to Jericho Station, adjacent to the northern terminus of the Tibbitt to Contwoyto Winter Road. At its northern terminal, the initiative includes a deepwater ocean port and small craft harbour along the Coronation Gulf on the Northwest Passage, alongside an airstrip, fuel storage, and logistics facilities designed to unlock critical mineral deposits like copper and zinc while enhancing northern supply chains and national security.

The project continues to advance through key federal and regulatory review stages. WKR submitted its formal Impact Statement to the Nunavut Impact Review Board on March 1, 2026, launching an environmental assessment grounded in traditional Inuit knowledge and ecological monitoring. Following the project’s referral to the federal Major Projects Office in March, Ottawa initiated public consultations in June to consider listing the corridor under Schedule 1 of the Building Canada Act to streamline federal permitting post-environmental review.

To support ongoing pre-construction and engineering development, the Government of Canada conditionally approved up to $50 million in May through the First and Last Mile Fund, building on early development support from federal and territorial partners. Major construction is expected to span approximately five years following final regulatory approvals and financial close.