Inuit Nunangat — the Inuit homeland in Canada — spans one of the most remote and vast regions on Earth, stretching across Nunavut, northern Quebec, Labrador, the Northwest Territories, and the Yukon. It is home to tens of thousands of Inuit people, and until now it has had no university of its own. For generations, Inuit students who wanted a degree had only one option: leave.
On February 19, 2026, the Canadian federal government announced $50 million CAD in funding to build Inuit Nunangat University, the first university in Canada designed and governed by Inuit, for Inuit students. Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty made the announcement in Kuujjuaq, Quebec, as part of a broader $228 million CAD package for Inuit communities. The $50 million university funding comes from Budget 2025's Build Communities Strong Fund.
The main campus will be located in Arviat — a hamlet on the western coast of Hudson Bay in the territory of Nunavut — with satellite campuses planned for communities across the Northwest Territories and Quebec. The university is expected to open in 2030, initially educating around 100 students with 80 staff members, and offering four bachelor's degrees. Its focus will centre on Inuit languages, culture, and the economic and social development needs of northern communities. Additional funding has come from the Mastercard Foundation, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami — the national organisation representing Inuit in Canada — and Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated.
Natan Obed, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, welcomed the announcement while calling on the government to go further to address long-standing inequities in health, housing, and services. Pita Aatami, president of the Makivvik Corporation representing Inuit in Nunavik, described the funding as meaningful for children and families — but noted that much work remains.
Once open, Inuit Nunangat University will be only the second university based in northern Canada, after Yukon University in Whitehorse.