How is mail delivered to sanikiluaq

Sanikiluaq is a small Inuit community located on the eastern coast of Hudson Bay, Nunavut, Canada. Due to its remote location, mail delivery to Sanikiluaq is a unique and challenging process. Here's an overview of how mail is delivered to the community:

  1. Air transportation: Mail is flown from Ottawa, the capital city of Canada, to Sanikiluaq via charter flights operated by Canadian North, a regional airline. The flights typically depart from Ottawa's Macdonald-Cartier International Airport and land at Sanikiluaq Airport.
  2. Sorting and consolidation: Before being flown to Sanikiluaq, mail is sorted and consolidated at the Ottawa International Mail Processing Centre. This centre is responsible for sorting and processing mail for all of Canada's remote communities, including Sanikiluaq.
  3. Specialized cargo aircraft: The mail is then loaded onto a specialized cargo aircraft, such as a Boeing 737 or a Bombardier Dash 8, which is designed to operate in harsh Arctic conditions. The aircraft is equipped with specialized cargo handling equipment and insulation to keep the mail warm during the flight.
  4. Flight to Sanikiluaq: The cargo aircraft flies from Ottawa to Sanikiluaq, a journey that typically takes around 4-5 hours. The flight route takes the aircraft over the Hudson Bay and the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.
  5. Delivery to the community: Once the aircraft arrives at Sanikiluaq Airport, the mail is unloaded and transported to the community's post office, where it is sorted and distributed to residents.
  6. Community post office: The Sanikiluaq Post Office is responsible for receiving and distributing mail to the community's residents. The post office is equipped with a small sorting facility and staffed by a few postal workers who are responsible for sorting and delivering mail to the community's 1,800 residents.

It's worth noting that mail delivery to Sanikiluaq is a challenging and expensive process due to the community's remote location. The Canadian government and postal service work together to ensure that mail is delivered to the community as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible.