A new multimillion-dollar deep water docking facility in the North is expected to be up and running by 2012, reaching full capability by 2015.

The Harper-announced Nunavut naval station will be his government's second major military step towards fulfilling its Arctic sovereignty promises, alongside an announcement for an army training centre in Resolute, Nunavut. The first step was a budget announcement to build new icebreaker ships, made earlier this year.

Local Liberal MP Larry Bagnell said he supports the idea of this port, but that the logistics don't add up.

'The new patrol ships they announced can only go through one metre of ice,' said Bagnell, official opposition critic of Northern Affairs. 'We still can't patrol the Arctic in the winter.'

Canada has been engaged in an international debate staking claim over various areas of the Arctic, as global warming increases accessibility higher north and the potential for oil exploitation.

In recent weeks, Russians dropped a flag in the northern seabed as a symbolic claim of territory.

'Other countries claiming sovereignty do have ships that can go there,' said Bagnell. 'Where the Russians planted the flag, we don't even have the ability to get there.'

Documents obtained by the Star show that the Nanisivik Docking & Refueling Facility is to be fully operational in Nanisivik, Nunavut by 2015, on a projected $100 million budget. The capital costs have already been allocated in the government's budget for the Arctic patrol ship project, announced last year.

The new facility will act as a docking station where Canadian Navy ships will refuel, resupply and trade-up cargo and personnel. Over 20 years, the expected maintenance and operational costs total $200 million.

The Canadian Navy currently has two bases on each coast, in Esquimalt, B.C., and in Halifax. As more traffic goes through the High Arctic, this new facility will allow navy ships to patrol Arctic waters for longer time periods, eliminating the need to travel thousands of kilometres south to refuel, resupply and return, the documents say.

Currently, there is a ship berthing facility in Nanisivik owned by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, although it is in the process of being removed and decommissioned to make way for the future developments.

While the development is Navy-led, documents say the docking site could also be used for other Canadian Forces missions or air patrols. Non-military uses are a possibility, although parties would have to negotiate facility use through the Department of National Defence. Current Canadian Coast Guard cargo handling activities are also predicted to continue at the site.

'This is good, to have a port in the North for military use, and to bring supplies in,' said Bagnell. Supplies are currently flown up to most Nunavut areas. 'This could help reduce costs for people living in the North.'

Construction on the new facility is slated to begin in 2010, with projections for a 2012 initial operation capability. Competition for the building contract is slated to begin later this year, though local contractors and workers can expect to participate in the work.

To date, no engineering or environmental assessments have been conducted at the site. It is also unclear what kind of fuel will be needed, and how it will be delivered to such a remote location, and whether road reconstruction to Nanisivik will be necessary to accommodate increased traffic.

While residents of Nanisivik and surrounding towns have been expressing hope that new jobs will be created by the docking facility, residents of Iqaluit were disappointed.

Last summer, there were discussions about the Department of National Defence building a a port in Iqaluit. Nanisivik has been described as more affordable because of the existing dock infrastructure, and more practical, because of its location 1,850 kilometres further north than Iqaluit, along the Northwest Passage.

Nanisivik is located on the north end of Baffin Island.

Another hurdle the DND will have to overcome are contamination issues resultant from the site's past use as a lead and zinc mine for over 30 years.

The Department of Indian and Northern Affairs has said, 'The mine, town site and infrastructure have been remediated. Mine tailings (areas) and dust are being monitored by Northern Affairs and the (Government of Nunavut). The government has no concerns.'

Bagnell said while the government's fulfilling of their promise for an Arctic port is positive, he wishes they would focus on other, less-militaristic issues of Arctic sovereignty.

'I think we should be spending more resources on mapping the Arctic ... and on search and rescue, getting some fixed-wing planes North of 60.'

The government is looking like it may prorogue Parliament this fall, said Bagnell, which would allow for new spending initiatives like Arctic mapping and increased search and rescue capabilities to be considered in an official budget.