CAMBRIDGE BAY, NUNAVUT, March 1, 2026 /CNW/ - West Kitikmeot Resources Corp. (WKR) announces today that it has filed the Impact Statement for the Grays Bay Road and Port Project with the Nunavut Impact Review Board (NIRB). Grays Bay is a new Arctic deep-water port and road, within the Arctic Economic & Security Corridor in the Kitikmeot Region of Nunavut.

The Grays Bay Road and Port Project is currently undergoing a NIRB Review pursuant to the Nunavut Land Claims Act and the Nunavut Project Planning and Assessment Act. The Impact Statement is the major document required to complete the NIRB Review process. The Impact Statement has been prepared to comply with NIRB's Guidelines for the document. NIRB's Guidelines were established over the course of a year-long process to understand community concerns and ensure that the NIRB Review covers all topics of community and regulator interest.

The Impact Statement combines Inuit Knowledge, Community Knowledge, and Indigenous Knowledge of other Indigenous groups with western science to evaluate ecosystemic and socio-economic effects of the Project. It contains 11 volumes totaling over 5,000 pages of analysis of Valued Components. These volumes cover Air Quality, Noise, Climate, Terrain, Soils, Permafrost, Vegetation, Birds, Terrestrial Wildlife (Muskox, Moose, Grizzly Bear, Wolverine), Caribou, Surface Water, Freshwater Fish and Fish Habitat, Marine Water and Sediment, Marine Fish and Fish Habitat, Marine Mammals, Traditional Land, Marine and Resource Use, Community Health and Well-being, Infrastructure and Services, Food Security and Food Sovereignty, Employment and Economy, Non-traditional Land, Marine and Resource Use, and Heritage Resources.

With the implementation of mitigation, management, and enhancement measures, residual project and cumulative effects are predicted to be not significant. This means that the Impact Statement demonstrates that the project will not have significant negative effects that cannot be avoided with the measures proposed.

If the NIRB approves the Project following a public review process, a Project Certificate will be issued which will outline the terms and conditions which must be followed throughout the life of the Project. WKR will also seek to obtain additional authorizations and approvals required to proceed to construction and operations.

"Today's milestone demonstrates the meaningful progress being made toward strengthening transportation infrastructure in Canada's North. The filing of the Impact Statement for the Grays Bay Road and Port Project with the Nunavut Impact Review Board is an important step forward in a project that has the potential to improve community connectivity, bolster economic opportunities, and enhance supply chain resilience across the Kitikmeot Region. Through the National Trade Corridors Fund, our government is proud to support initiatives that reflect local priorities, respect environmental stewardship, and advance long-term prosperity for northern communities." -- The Honourable Steven MacKinnon, Minister of Transport and Leader of the House of Commons

WKR CEO Mr. Brendan Bell will make further remarks regarding the Impact Statement and the Grays Bay Road and Port Project at the Invest North of 60 Reception in Toronto, ON this evening March 1 at 7:00pm Eastern Time. Interested parties may contact WKR to arrange to attend or to schedule further interviews.

The complete Impact Statement document can be accessed and downloaded at www.westkit.ca. Further background information on the Grays Bay Road and Port Project and the Impact Statement is appended to this media release.

About the Arctic Economic and Security Corridor

The Arctic Economic and Security Corridor is Nation-building infrastructure, comprised of an all-season road extending from Alberta, through Yellowknife and the NWT's Slave Geological Province, to Grays Bay on the Arctic Ocean. The Port of Grays Bay sits halfway between the ports of Nome, Alaska and Nuuk, Greenland on the Northwest Passage.

Learn more at www.arcticcorridor.ca

About the Grays Bay Road and Port Project

Situated at the northern terminus of the Arctic Security Corridor, the Grays Bay Road and Port Project is comprised of a new port on the Arctic Ocean, and a 230 km road connection to the NWT's winter road network. This strategic infrastructure will strengthen Arctic sovereignty, strengthen national supply chains, and unlock access to vast untapped mineral resources.

Learn more at www.westkit.ca

For more information contact
Mr. Gavin Law
Environment Manager
+1 (403) 837-5677
glaw@westkit.ca

SOURCE West Kitikmeot Resources Corp