Three construction teams shortlisted for Grays Bay Road and Port Project

West Kitikmeot Resources Corp. (WKR) announced it has shortlisted three major international construction consortiums to move forward in the bidding process for major works on the proposed Grays Bay Road and Port Project.

WKR intends to select a preferred proponent in March 2027.

The shortlisted respondents are:

• Kiewit Construction Services ULC, with sub-contractors North American Construction Group, Hatch, WSP, and Thurber Engineering Ltd.
• Arctic Passage Partners GP (partnership between Ledcor and Bird Construction) with sub-contractors Parsons Corporation, Associated Engineering, Tetra Tech, Baird & Associates, PND Engineers, Inc., and Alietum Ice Inc.
• Grays Bay Infrastructure Partners (partnership between Samsung C&T and Webuild S.p.A.) with sub-contractors Jacobs and CIMA+.

WKR, an Inuit-owned entity, is leading the development of the multi-user infrastructure corridor. The proposed project features a 230-kilometre all-season access road connecting the Arctic coast to Jericho Station, adjacent to the northern terminus of the Tibbitt to Contwoyto Winter Road. At its northern terminal, the initiative includes a deepwater ocean port and small craft harbour along the Coronation Gulf on the Northwest Passage, alongside an airstrip, fuel storage, and logistics facilities designed to unlock critical mineral deposits like copper and zinc while enhancing northern supply chains and national security.

The project continues to advance through key federal and regulatory review stages. WKR submitted its formal Impact Statement to the Nunavut Impact Review Board on March 1, 2026, launching an environmental assessment grounded in traditional Inuit knowledge and ecological monitoring. Following the project’s referral to the federal Major Projects Office in March, Ottawa initiated public consultations in June to consider listing the corridor under Schedule 1 of the Building Canada Act to streamline federal permitting post-environmental review.

To support ongoing pre-construction and engineering development, the Government of Canada conditionally approved up to $50 million in May through the First and Last Mile Fund, building on early development support from federal and territorial partners. Major construction is expected to span approximately five years following final regulatory approvals and financial close.

Featured image: (CIB)