Nanisivik Airport

The closure was a direct result of two main factors: 1) Economic Obsolescence: The airport was originally built to serve the Nanisivik Mine, a lead-zinc mine that was the economic anchor of the area. The mine ceased operations and was decommissioned in September 2002, removing the airport's primary purpose. 2) Community Relocation of Services: After the mine closed, the airport continued to serve the nearby community of Arctic Bay. However, it was located approximately 20 km (12 mi) from the community, connected by a difficult and often impassable road. A new, more accessible airport was constructed right next to Arctic Bay, making the Nanisivik facility redundant for civilian use.

The airport is permanently closed to all public and civilian air traffic and is no longer maintained for such use. The runway and some infrastructure physically remain but are in a decommissioned state. The area surrounding the former airport and mine site has been repurposed by the Canadian Government. It is now the location of the Nanisivik Naval Facility, a Royal Canadian Navy deep-water berthing and refueling facility which became operational in 2023. The airfield may be available for limited, emergency, or military use by the Department of National Defence (DND), but it has no public function.

Nanisivik Airport was a crucial piece of Arctic infrastructure from its construction in the mid-1970s until its closure. Its primary role was to support the Nanisivik Mine, one of the northernmost mines in the world. It featured a 6,400-foot gravel runway capable of handling large jet aircraft, including Boeing 727s and 737s operated by carriers like First Air. These aircraft were vital for transporting personnel, supplies, and equipment to the remote mine site. For over 25 years, it was a lifeline for the mining town. After the mine's closure in 2002, the airport took on the critical role of being the sole air link for the Inuit community of Arctic Bay for nearly a decade, until its replacement was built. The original IATA code for the airport was YSR and the ICAO code was CYSR; these identifiers have since been reassigned or are a source of historical confusion with Resolute Bay Airport. The identifier CA-1109 is an unofficial code used in some non-governmental databases for the now-closed field.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening Nanisivik Airport for public or commercial use. The community of Arctic Bay is now well-served by the modern and conveniently located Arctic Bay Airport (CYAB). The strategic purpose of the Nanisivik site has been fully converted from civilian/industrial to military with the establishment of the naval facility, making a return to public aviation operations highly improbable.