Coral Harbour, Nunavut, also known as Salliq or Salliit in Inuktitut, is a small Inuit community nestled on Southampton Island in the Kivalliq Region of Canada's northernmost territory. The community's name is derived from the fossilized coral found in the surrounding waters, a testament to the area's rich geological history.
The area now known as Coral Harbour was once home to the Sadlermiut, a group whose name translates to "inhabitants of Salliq." The Sadlermiut are believed to be the last remnants of the Tuniit, a pre-Inuit culture that tragically went extinct due to a Western illness in the early 20th century.
However, some theories suggest that the Sadlermiut were descendants of the Thule, whose culture developed uniquely due to geographical isolation. Others propose that the Sadlermiut were a blend of both Dorset and Thule cultures due to intermarriage.
In the early 20th century, the area was repopulated by the Aivilingmiut from the Naujaat and Chesterfield Inlet areas, influenced by whaler Captain George Comer. Baffin Islanders arrived 25 years later, including John Ell, a young child who traveled with his mother Shoofly on Comer's schooners and later became a prominent figure in the resettled population.
As of the 2021 Canadian census, Coral Harbour had a population of 1,035, a 16.2% increase from its 2016 population of 891. The community, which spans a land area of 126.39 km2, had a population density of 8.2/km2 in 2021. Interestingly, Coral Harbour is the only Nunavut community that does not observe daylight saving time, remaining on Eastern Standard Time year-round.
Access to Coral Harbour is primarily through the Coral Harbour Airport or by water, with resupply barges arriving from Churchill, Manitoba, and the East coast and St. Lawrence area every summer. On the island, transportation is typically by snowmobile and dog sled in the winter and all-terrain vehicle in the summer. Despite the harsh climate, the island boasts a diverse array of wildlife, including walruses, polar bears, barren-ground caribou, ringed seals, gyrfalcons, and occasionally, peregrine falcons.
Since 2005, the Qiniq network has provided Coral Harbour with fixed wireless service to homes and businesses, connecting the community to the outside world via a satellite backbone. The network, designed and operated by SSI Micro, was upgraded to 4G LTE technology and 2G-GSM for mobile voice in 2017.
Coral Harbour experiences a severe subarctic climate, with barren vegetation due to its borderline polar climate. The community has never recorded above-freezing temperatures in January, February, and March. Despite much sunshine and perpetual twilight at night, there is a severe seasonal lag until June due to the frozen nature of Hudson Bay.
The limestone found around Coral Harbour and nearby regions of Bad Cache Rapids predominantly have a "Low Purity" value for industrial use, further adding to the unique geological characteristics of this northern community.
