'Our hands are tied,' says Mayor Joshua Oliktoak. Ulukhaktok, N.W.T., has been dealing with a single flight to the community since the pandemic. Some of the new terms allow for scheduled flights to be reduced to once a week in communities served by Canadian North, and for 25 per cent price increases per year. The schedule change comes days after the federal government approved updated terms for the 2019 merger of Canadian North and First Air, though it's not clear whether that's the reason for the change. 'But with something this complicated, to hear about it basically at the last minute, it just makes things really difficult.' 'I can fix any problem if I have enough time,' Wong said. He's heard from organizers - mostly volunteers - that the reduction or cancellations to some Nunavut routes have caused significant disruptions to travel plans. In addition to the guided trips in Norman Wells, Wong was working with the Ayalik Fund to have Nunavummiut youth participate in a 12-day canoe trip on Great Slave Lake. Pope said the town would be issuing an update on the situation on Friday. 'I'm more pissed off than anything else that nobody called us and gave us a heads up,' he said. The cut to the schedule to Norman Wells was a surprise to Mayor Frank Pope. Canadian North did not respond to requests for comment and clarification by deadline.ĭan Wong guiding on the Natla River in the N.W.T. It's not clear how many flights have been cut. There's a lot of people there and they have growing medical needs and people need to get in and out of their communities,' he said. 'I can tell you that's a busy place to work. He also thought about his previous work experience in a medical travel office. 'I checked on that online and then I saw the schedule changes and I was like, 'Oh, this isn't going to be good,'' he said.

He says he learned about the reduced flight schedule Tuesday evening when emails of itinerary changes started pouring into his inbox. Wong booked eight staff to lead the expeditions over the summer, starting on June 29. 'These are trips of a lifetime and for some folks they've actually saved up for years and they've been planning for months.'įor now, Wong says nobody has cancelled their trips. 'They're stressed out and right now we're sitting with itineraries that just aren't viable, and so that does worry me,' said Wong. The plans of hopeful paddlers whose trips were scheduled to depart from Norman Wells, N.W.T., this summer may be in jeopardy after Canadian North has cut some of its flights to the community.ĭan Wong, owner of Yellowknife-based Jackpine Paddle, says he's had guided canoe trips booked for months for 40 guests.

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