Bernard Harbour Water Aerodrome

Economic and demographic reasons. The aerodrome's primary function was to serve the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) trading post and the small associated community at Bernard Harbour. The HBC post was closed in 1965, and the local population subsequently relocated to the larger, more centralized community of Coppermine (now Kugluktuk). With the disappearance of the settlement it was built to support, there was no longer a need for a registered aerodrome.

The site is no longer a registered or maintained aerodrome. The physical location, the body of water known as Bernard Harbour, is now situated within the boundaries of Kugluk Territorial Park. The area is protected due to its significant historical and archaeological importance, containing artifacts from the Canadian Arctic Expedition (1913-1918) and ancient Inuit campsites. While a floatplane could technically still land on the water, it is an unserviced, remote natural harbour with no aviation facilities, markings, or support services.

During its active period in the mid-20th century, the Bernard Harbour Water Aerodrome was a critical lifeline for the remote Arctic outpost. Operations were seasonal, occurring during the ice-free summer months, and were handled by float-equipped bush planes. These aircraft were essential for delivering mail, medicine, food, and other vital supplies. They also transported personnel (HBC employees, missionaries, government officials) and provided the only means of rapid medical evacuation. The aerodrome's history is intrinsically linked to the era of bush flying that enabled the operation of isolated trading posts across Canada's North.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the Bernard Harbour Water Aerodrome. Given that there is no permanent population at the site, its protected status as a territorial park, and the absence of any economic or logistical driver, the re-establishment of a registered aviation facility is considered extremely unlikely.