Whale Cove, Nunavut, also known as Tikiraqjuaq in Inuktitut syllabics, is a picturesque hamlet nestled on the western shore of Hudson Bay, Canada. Located 74 km south southwest of Rankin Inlet and 145 km northeast of Arviat, in the Kivalliq Region, this community is a haven for beluga whales, which are a significant part of the local culture and economy.
Whale Cove is a traditional Inuit community, with 95% of its population being Inuit. The community is named after the beluga whales that congregate off the coast, and many of the inhabitants hunt these whales every fall, using their by-products for oil and food. The hamlet is also on the polar bear migration route, adding to its unique Arctic charm. The local Inuit regularly travel between the hamlet of Rankin Inlet and Whale Cove, a distance of 100 km, by snowmobile in the winter or by boat in the summer months.
The Inuit in the Whale Cove area have a long history of trading whale oil, baleen, furs, leather, and walrus tusks with the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) since the mid-18th century. The HBC established their trading post at Churchill, Manitoba, marking the beginning of a long-standing relationship.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Inuit were relocated in a series of moves from one hamlet to another, some of them arriving in Whale Cove. This hamlet was created by the federal government for these Inuit groups. By the 1970s, Inuit living in Whale Cove represented both coastal Inuit from Rankin Inlet and Arviat and different Caribou Inuit, hunters of barren-ground caribou from the Barren Grounds west of Hudson Bay.
In the late 1960s, a famine swept the land, forcing Inuit to walk towards places like Arviat to escape the desperation. Survivors who couldn't walk were airlifted to Whale Cove, Baker Lake, and Rankin Inlet.
According to the 2021 Canadian census conducted by Statistics Canada, Whale Cove had a population of 470 living in 116 of its 128 total private dwellings, a change of 8% from its 2016 population of 435. With a land area of 273.89 km2, it had a population density of 1.7/km2 in 2021.
In 1973, the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada initiated the Inuit Land Use and Occupancy Project. Anthropologist David Hoffman conducted fieldwork in Whale Cove as part of a team of experts contributing to this project. The project documented the total Inuit land use area of the Northwest Territories, providing information in support of the fact that Inuit have used and occupied this vast northern land since time immemorial.
Whale Cove has seen significant economic development in recent years. Companies and organizations, community and government services, the Kivalliq Inuit Association, Issatik Co-op, Nunavut Arctic College, Calm Air, Nolinor Aviation, Service Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Sakku Development Corp., Nunavut Development Corp, Agnico Eagle, The North West Company, Kivalliq Partners in Development and ED&T have all made presentations at the first Economic Development Day held at the Inuglak School gymnasium, in Whale Cove on 20 September 2011.
The community has been served by the Qiniq network since 2005. Qiniq is a fixed wireless service to homes and businesses, connecting to the outside world via a satellite backbone. In 2017, the network was upgraded to 4G LTE technology, and 2G-GSM for mobile voice. In September 2019, Bell Mobility established a data tower and provides high-speed mobile and internet connectivity within the community.
Whale Cove features a cold tundra climate, a polar climate sub-type under the Köppen climate classification. Winters run from October/November until April/May with temperatures averaging between −14.6 and −30.6 °C. Summers run from June to September, and average temperatures range from 3.5 to 9.8 °C. Summers are usually cool, wet, and rainy, but can be warm, with a record high of 29.0 °C.
