Canadian North


Canadian North Inc. is a wholly Inuit-owned airline headquartered in Kanata, Ontario, Canada. It operates scheduled passenger services to communities in the Northwest Territories, Nunavik and Nunavut. Southern gateways include Edmonton, Montreal and Ottawa. The company slogan is Fly the Arctic.

History

The airline was established in 1989 as a subsidiary of Canadian Airlines, to focus on the transportation needs of northern Canadian communities. In September 1998, Canadian North was purchased by Norterra, a wholly Northern aboriginal-owned holding company, and renamed Air Norterra, whose ownership was divided equally among the Inuvialuit Development Corporation, representing the Inuvialuit people of the western Canadian Arctic, and Nunasi Corporation, representing the Inuit people of Nunavut.
After utilizing three different livery schemes, the airline adopted its final pre-merger logo in 2003. Its logo displays three of the distinctive symbols of the North: the polar bear, the midnight sun and the Northern Lights. Canadian North's slogan was changed from "Your North. Your Airline" to "seriously northern", with advertising changed to reflect different aspects of the company.
In June 2007, Canadian North began serving the Kitikmeot communities of Gjoa Haven, Taloyoak, Kugaaruk, and Kugluktuk. In April 2008, flights began to seven communities in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut.
On April 1, 2014, the Inuvialuit Development Corporation representing the Inuvialuit of the Inuvialuit Settlement Region bought the 50% share of NorTerra held by Nunasi. This purchase of NorTerra gave the IDC complete control of Canadian North, Northern Transportation Company and other companies that were jointly held. On April 11, 2014, Norterra and the Makivik Corporation, owners of First Air announced that they were in negotiations to merge the two airlines. According to a website set up the same day the new airline would be owned equally between the two companies and "a merger would create a stronger, more sustainable business, provide better service to customers and lead to new economic development opportunities across the North. We believe the two companies would complement each other's strengths." In October 2014, it was announced the merger would not go through, but Canadian North would still codeshare on some flights with First Air until 16 May 2017. On February 23, 2017, the Inuvialuit Development Corporation announced that arrangements had been concluded to transfer ownership of Canadian North directly into Inuvialuit Development Corporation.
On September 28, 2018, Makivik Corporation and the Inuvialuit Corporate Group signed a definitive agreement to merge Canadian North and First Air, again awaiting government approval. The new airline would use the new First Air livery, but would operate under the name "Canadian North". On June 19, 2019, the federal government gave approval to the merger provided several terms and conditions were met.
On November 1, 2019, First Air and Canadian North completed the merger and combined schedules into one, using the code 5T, dropping First Air's 7F code as well as the name but keeping the livery. However, full integration is expected to take 12 to 18 months.

Destinations

As of November 2019, Canadian North had the following 26 domestic scheduled destinations. Some flights are operated as First Air:
Province/StateCityAirportNotes
AlbertaEdmontonEdmonton International AirportSouthern gateway
Northwest TerritoriesFort SimpsonFort Simpson Airport
Northwest TerritoriesHay RiverHay River/Merlyn Carter Airport
Northwest TerritoriesInuvikInuvik Airport
Northwest TerritoriesNorman WellsNorman Wells Airport
Northwest TerritoriesYellowknifeYellowknife Airport
NunavikKuujjuaqKuujjuaq Airport
NunavutArctic BayArctic Bay Airport
NunavutCambridge BayCambridge Bay Airport
NunavutCape DorsetCape Dorset Airport
NunavutClyde RiverClyde River Airport
NunavutGjoa HavenGjoa Haven Airport
NunavutHall BeachHall Beach Airport
NunavutIgloolikIgloolik Airport
NunavutIqaluitIqaluit Airport
NunavutKimmirutKimmirut Airport
NunavutKugaarukKugaaruk Airport
NunavutKugluktukKugluktuk Airport
NunavutPangnirtungPangnirtung Airport
NunavutPond InletPond Inlet Airport
NunavutQikiqtarjuaqQikiqtarjuaq Airport
NunavutRankin InletRankin Inlet Airport
NunavutResoluteResolute Bay Airport
NunavutTaloyoakTaloyoak Airport
OntarioOttawaOttawa Macdonald–Cartier International AirportSouthern gateway
QuebecMontrealMontréal–Trudeau International AirportSouthern gateway

Charter operations

According to Canadian North they offer charters to anywhere, non-stop flights in continental North America and maintain charter terminals at Calgary and Edmonton.

Fleet

Current fleet

As of January 2020, the fleet is not fully merged and 17 aircraft are still registered to Bradley Air Services and 14 to Canadian North.

AircraftNo. of aircraft
No. of aircraft
VariantsNotes
Aérospatiale ATR 4213300, 320, 500Five ATR 42-300 series and two ATR 42-320 series combi aircraft, ice/gravel runway capable, six ATR 42-500, passenger only
Boeing 7372200 seriesCombi aircraft, carries freight in addition to passengers. Up to 112 passengers.
Boeing 737 Classic48300 series, 400, 400CNine 300 series, 136 passengers, two Quick Change aircraft, combi, can be converted to freight. Three 400C combi aircraft 78 passengers, one 737-400 passenger only with 156 seats.
De Havilland Canada Dash 84Series 100, Series 300Thirty-seven passengers 100 Series and 50-56 passengers 300 series.


In addition the Transport Canada shows two Boeing 737-300s with cancelled certificates.

Retired fleet

Aircraft previously operated include:
Canadian North has codeshare agreements with Air North and Calm Air.

Corporate affairs

The company headquarters are at Kanata, Ontario, the former First Air HQ.
The company headquarters were on the grounds of Calgary International Airport in Calgary, Alberta. In addition it has regional offices in Iqaluit, Nunavut and in the Nunasi Building in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. It also has an operations office in Edmonton, Alberta, on the grounds of Edmonton International Airport.
Canadian North previously had its headquarters in the Northwest Tower, in downtown Yellowknife. The airline announced that when its lease was to expire in the end of August 2013, the airline will vacate the office and move it and 20 employees out of Yellowknife. The airline kept its community and marketing support employees in Yellowknife. Most of the employees forced to move were from the accounting division. Lisa Hicks, a spokesperson, stated that there had been excess capacity at the airline's offices in Edmonton and Yellowknife.

Programs and services

The airline offers Aeroplan rewards points, both to collect and to redeem. Passengers may redeem Air Miles points for travel on Canadian North.
Canadian North also has its own "Aurora Concierge" and Aurora Rewards program for frequent travellers. Benefits of being an Aurora Concierge member include: Priority check-in, baggage, and boarding, extra piece of checked luggage, free alcoholic beverages, no fee changes, personalized membership card and baggage tag, and more.
Canadian North in-flight service includes:
In 2005 the airline started offering a Pivut Fare to Inuvialuit and Inuit land claims beneficiaries. In 2010/2011 the Pivut Fare entitled a beneficiary to 65% off three airfares.