Pictured above: The Northern store in Baker Lake, NU.
Our Community Promise
The North West Company Inc. is proud of the active role we play within the communities we serve, striving to make a positive, progressive difference. Our contributions within the community of Baker Lake, NU, are a testament to our commitment.
Located in the Kivalliq Region, the Hamlet of Baker Lake is situated inland at the mouth of the Thelon River, 320 km inland from the west coast of Hudson Bay, and is home to 2,069 Inuit residents (as per Statistics Canada’s 2016 Census) – made up of 11 distinct Inuit groups, who speak Inuktitut and English.
Baker Lake – or Qamani’tuaq in Inuktitut, which means ‘where the river widens’ – is a traditional area for Inuit hunting and fishing but is also known for its arts and craft community and for its huge natural resource industry, the Meadowbank gold mine.
Baker Lake can only be reached by air, via Baker Lake airport with connection flights from Rankin Inlet and Winnipeg. Depending on the flight, there may be brief stops in Churchill and Chesterfield Inlet.
Did you know?
North West is proud of the positive impact we have on the community.
1. Employment: We are one of the most prominent employers in Baker Lake, with our Northern store employing 65 individuals. Our commitment to local talent is demonstrated through our workforce consisting of 87% Indigenous employees.*
2. Capital Investment: Northern has made an $8,245,312 capital investment in Baker Lake store over a 10-year period.*
3. Annual Economic Impact: Northern is making a positive impact in Baker Lake, with $3,462,280 annual economic impact in the community.*
Baker Lake Northern Store Manager, Perry Power, and his team are significant community supporters.
“Baker Lake has a very strong sense of community and the Northern is a vital part of this community,” Power says. “Whether it is donating time or merchandise for the different events going on in the community or just taking part in the traditional events that take place (pre-Covid) you will always find a Northern presence. When in Baker Lake you always get the feeling that this is where you belong.”
*For the year ending 2020