By developing effective science-community partnerships and physical infrastructure initiatives, ARF aims to contribute to the economic, social and spiritual well-being of communities, provide important and timely information on how and why the environment is changing, and inform systems-based, adaptive co-management approaches to climate adaptation.

With home ports across Canada’s Arctic, ARF’s fleet of five vessels can be on the water as soon as the sea ice melts. This allows ARF and its partners to take full advantage of the Arctic’s short navigable season each summer

ARF also operates four mobile science labs and one Plant Production and Research Pod, which is located in Gjoa Haven, Nunavut.

Built out of sea containers, the labs are heated, insulated and equipped with toilets, water purifiers and satellite communication links. The labs are also capable of plugging into existing power networks or running completely off the grid, drawing electricity through environmentally friendly solar panels or wind turbines.

These mobile labs can be moved across remote Arctic environments, either by land or by sea.