Magazine
Latest Issues
April/May 2018
Ever wondered how healthcare works in a place where airplanes replace ambulances? In our April/May issue we talk to the people who make sure Northerners—coming from cities connected by highways and communities only reachable by air and water—get the care they need. Spoiler alert: it's not easy.
We also talk to Yellowknife cartoonist and author Alison McCreesh about her latest project, a series of postcards she illustrated on a trip around the Circumpolar North. It turns out, parts of Russia and Greenland have a lot in common with the Canadian North. And in the Yukon, we follow a new paddling trend: boats that fit in a backpack.
There's a lot more inside, so don't miss this issue.
Previous Issues
For our first issue of 2017, we check out territorial and national parks that you probably haven’t heard of, let alone visited, and figured out why you probably should. Contributor Anna Tupakka takes us up the Thelon River, and we get a good look at the four-legged leaders of the North’s iconic dog teams. This issue is about travel in the North, from rugged adventure to glamping (or as close as you can get in the North).
Every year we choose a figure—an individual, a group and one time a whole family—that has left their mark on the North. Whether you know Gary Bailie’s name or not, once you hear his story, you’ll understand why we chose him as the 2016 Northerner of the Year.
Over in Nunavut, we talk to the guys who traverse the roadless landscape on Bombardiers to transport goods to communities, and we head to Fort Providence to get schooled in table tennis.
And, to wrap up a year of Icebreakers—politicians and innovators—we catch up with former premier of the Northwest Territories Nellie Cournoyea, to talk about change, progress and retiring as chair of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation after 20 years.
Our annual mining issue features some colourful characters from the North's biggest industry, as well as a run-down of what's happening in and on the ground up here.
Get a look at the latest fashions North of 60. Designers are combining their traditional craft with new looks to create something completely different. And with a focus on education, this issue takes a look at Dechinta Bush University's innovative approach to teaching and one residential school that left a legacy like no other.
Fly through nearly 100 years of aviation in Canada’s North. Our special Aviation Issue chronicles pioneering pilots in rickety bush planes in the 1920s, through the post-WWII heyday that saw the Arctic wilds open up to robust de Havilland bush planes, all the way to the airlines and jets of the present day. We interview Northern flying legends like Max Ward, Joe McBryan, and Fred Carmichael. Plus: Tim Edwards takes us through some of the ongoing mystery crashes of the North, and Katie Weaver profiles aviation-inspired art. And, in honour of the Queen’s birthday, we showcase her four visits to Canada’s North.
In our July issue, we take on the wildlife of the North. Samia Madwar investigates the impact of increased human noise on marine mammals in Arctic waters, Tim Edwards looks into muskox being found in strange places, Nunavut birder Clare Kines takes us through his favourite Arctic migrators and Daniel Campbell checks in on the debate on polar bears—and why it’s so divisive. Plus: SSi Micro CEO Jeff Philipp spurts ideas on how to improve life in remote communities, Katharine Sandiford talks potty-training toddlers in the Yukon wilderness, and we tally up the costliest animal-related disasters north of 60.
Bring your appetite as we explore all the ways we eat: from raw whale blubber in Nunavut, to raw oysters in downtown Whitehorse. Flip through our Food & Drink guide, showcasing the best craft beer, barbecue and fish and chips the North has to offer. Plus, learn about how you can live off the land north of 60 with our Wild Diet feature. Herb Mathisen writes that we can indeed have agriculture in the Arctic, and it may even be better than the current model of shipping food North. Finally, try your hand at some of the best bannock recipes in the North.
In this issue we look outside our borders, to the Northern nations and states that share our latitude. From Russia to Norway, Greenland, Iceland, Alaska, Sweden and Finland, Up Here finds out what these places are doing right, and what Canada can learn from them. Plus: Tim Edwards points out the upside to WWII in the Yukon, Daniel Campbell sees how Canada’s North compares in the Arctic tourism game, and Samia Madwar chats with Greenland’s first female prime minister about Canadian and Greenlandic Inuit. Also: a somewhat absurd tale of Canadian tanks driving across the Arctic is told.
One thing the North has in abundance is water. In this issue, we explore the ways Northerners use this precious resource: from canoeing, kayaking and even stand-up paddleboarding, to fishing and hydroelectric power. Daniel Campbell chats with Tuktoyaktuk's mayor about his efforts to revive the Mackenzie Delta qajaq, Tim Edwards journeys down the NWT’s Emile River, and Chesterfield Inlet’s Peter Autut waxes appreciation for frozen water. Plus: we check the pulse of the apparently-doomed fishing lodge industry, see how Niagara Falls stacks up against Virginia Falls, and detail every paddling river you never heard of in our definitive paddling guide.