A Versatile Role
This article highlights the work of an environmental technician within the Qikiqtaaluk Environmental (QE) team, north of the Arctic Circle. Major challenges in 2026 have forged a truly multidisciplinary team.
Being a technician at QE means, above all, being a Swiss Army knife of skills. It means having a deep commitment to the safety of human and animal populations, as well as the environment, in a highly fragile polar ecosystem. The quality of our work is recognized across the Arctic, and we are called upon to carry out various contracts all over Nunavut.
The duties of a QE technician (which I couldn’t possibly list in full) range from taking soil, water, air, and material samples to the complete remediation of environments (excavation, site restoration, setting up post-operational monitoring over the years, etc.).
We manage, recruit, and train teams of Inuit workers, handling schedules and paperwork. We act as a bridge between the various stakeholders and authorities in the communities to ensure seamless workflow between our Brossard office and Arctic communities.
We write daily paper and photo reports, as well as site plans. Among other things, we must also source the right machinery to carry out the work when it is lacking. Furthermore, we manage our equipment on ships, which will be sent to southern Quebec for decontamination.
The strengths of QE technicians are adaptability, the ability to learn quickly, and, above all, team spirit. Everything is done together to go further and deliver quality work. We are a team of varied backgrounds and training: surveying, environmental geology, and heavy equipment operation. Everything is and will be done together.
Life Up There
Working in the Arctic sometimes requires a certain strength of character. Leaving for “long runs” of 4 to 8 weeks without seeing family and friends can quickly become difficult. You live in near-total isolation, with a weak internet connection as your only evening entertainment.
Working 12 hours a day, very often in temperatures bordering −57°C, sometimes doesn’t sound like an invitation to work or have fun. Yet, the enjoyment is there. The experience and the team make it all worthwhile.
We are much more than co-workers: technicians, project managers, and, along with our director, we work as a family. Being in the Arctic requires a few compromises: you have to be prepared to see empty grocery stores because the supply plane hasn’t made it in for several weeks. You also have to accept that your pizza will cost $24, and the plane back home can sometimes be delayed by several days.
But the true satisfaction lies in the fact that community residents know we are there to help them and solve a problem that has sometimes been present for decades. This gratification makes the sacrifice worth it. At the end of a contract with QE, you know you’ve left a positive footprint on the community, the wildlife, and, most importantly, the environment.
On the Side
The Arctic isn’t always just work. Anyone who has been up to Nunavut even once can tell you an improbable story about their trip. The North is also about meeting a little-known people and a culture rich in learning and customs.
Working in the North also means watching whale hunts right from your workplace. It means watching the northern lights illuminate the town’s sky in the evening; it’s also seeing polar bears in the distance and herds of caribou grazing just meters from our job site. It’s tasting dishes that take you out of your daily routine: eating muktuk (raw whale skin and blubber), walrus, or muskox for dinner. The generosity of the Inuit is well-proven. We have often been offered some six pounds of fish for dinner. The mini-whales, caught the day before, are always a challenge to cook.
Life in the North is also about learning the Inuktitut language. We learn this language to understand the culture, and we participate in traditional events whenever possible.
Being an Arctic technician for Qikiqtaaluk Environmental is about much more than having unusual schedules and seeing polar bears. Above all, it is a life experience—one that shapes anyone who wants to succeed. Nunavut is full of stories that deserve to be told. Sanexen, along with Qikiqtaaluk Environmental (QE), is leaving a lasting mark on the Canadian North and, through its team, has been showcasing its environmental expertise for over 22 years now.
Morgan Malvat – Environmental Technician
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