Cullaton Lake Airport

Economic reasons. The airport was built and operated exclusively to serve the Cullaton Lake Gold Mine. When the mine ceased operations in 1985 due to a combination of declining gold prices and high operational costs, the airport's purpose was eliminated, and it was closed and abandoned concurrently.

The airport is abandoned and unmaintained. Satellite imagery shows the gravel runway is still clearly visible but is in a state of disrepair and likely unusable without significant refurbishment. The site is part of the larger abandoned Cullaton Lake Mine complex and is not used for any aviation or other commercial purposes. It is a derelict piece of infrastructure in the remote Canadian tundra.

The airport was a private aerodrome constructed in the early 1980s and was a vital lifeline for the Cullaton Lake Gold Mine, located in a remote, roadless area of what was then the Northwest Territories (now the Kivalliq Region of Nunavut). Its primary function was logistical support for the mine. Operations included the regular transport of personnel, food, fuel, heavy equipment, and other essential supplies to the site. It was also used to fly out the gold doré produced by the mine. The gravel runway was built to accommodate rugged, STOL-capable (Short Take-Off and Landing) aircraft common in the Canadian North, such as the DHC-6 Twin Otter, as well as larger cargo aircraft like the Douglas DC-3 and potentially the Lockheed C-130 Hercules for heavy-lift operations.

There are no current, official plans to reopen the airport. However, the region remains of interest for mineral exploration. Junior mining and exploration companies have periodically acquired claims in the area to re-evaluate its gold potential. The reopening of the airport is entirely speculative and would be contingent upon a future mining project proving economically viable and the operating company choosing to invest in rehabilitating the existing airstrip rather than building a new one. As of now, its reopening remains a distant and uncertain possibility.