Arctic Corridors and Northern Voices Project: Methods for community-based participatory mapping for low impact shipping corridors in Arctic Canada

Abstract In this paper we present the details, design, and approach used in the Arctic Corridors and Northern Voices (ACNV) research project, which focused on mapping community-identified opportunities, concerns, and management recommendations for the climate-change induced increases in shipping traffic in the Canadian Arctic. The ACNV was a mixed methods study that attracted over CAD1.5 million (USD1.1 million at the time of submission) in research funding and involved 14 remote Inuit communities across Arctic Canada. Through the ACNV project, we created a unique community-based research approach by incorporating youth (ages 15-45) training workshops, participatory mapping, qualitative focus group discussions, and verification exercises to document the perspectives of Inuit communities in Arctic Canada about Low Impact Shipping Corridors. Low Impact Shipping Corridors are voluntary shipping routes that are designed to enhance safety and prioritize navigation and other support services. The paper organization reflects the three major phases of the work; 1) before engaging in in-community research activities, 2) during in-community research activities, and 3) after the in-community research activities were completed. Our methodological approach involved collaboration with many different partners, including, Inuit rights holders, government agencies, academia, community research associates, and community and non-governmental organizations. The aim of this innovative methodological design was to establish a baseline of understanding about shipping impacts and governance and also to improve the inclusion of Inuit and local knowledge in research in Arctic Canada.