Baffinland expansion could make Arctic waters 16 times louder, disrupting how whales communicate and navigate, WWF-Canada study shows

TORONTO, Oct. 13, 2026 - A key migration corridor for narwhal, bowhead whales and beluga could become one of the Arctic's loudest shipping routes, a new WWF-Canada study on Baffinland's proposed Steensby expansion reveals.

The project would nearly triple current mine-related bulk carrier transits - from 84 to as many as 242 a year - while shifting much of that traffic from the existing Eclipse Sound route to a new route through Foxe Basin and Hudson Strait. Throughout the corridor, underwater noise levels are projected to rise seven-fold by 2030 and the shipping lane itself could be up to 16 times louder.

These findings are far greater than the already concerning four-fold increase projected across much of the Arctic. Such a dramatic and rapid rise in noise levels would pose serious risks for Arctic whales and other marine species that use sound to communicate, navigate, forage and avoid danger, and the Inuit communities that rely on them.

WWF-Canada says impacts of this scale warrant reassessment before the project moves forward, especially given it was approved 14 years ago based on environmental assessments that began two decades ago.

Louder for longer, less habitat

The Steensby expansion would turn ship noise, which is currently an occasional disturbance for wildlife into persistent, year-round pressure. In Foxe Basin, home to Canada's largest concentration of walrus, ship noise will exceed natural sound levels about half the time by 2030. And in Hudson Strait, a marine "superhighway" for whales, ship noise is projected to exceed natural sound levels nearly all the time.

Underwater noise from mine-related ship traffic would drown out much of the natural soundscape, shrinking by two-thirds the habitat where marine life can hear and be heard across the Foxe Basin-Hudson Strait corridor, and by three-quarters in the southern shipping lane.

Bowhead whales begin migrating through the corridor during the busiest part the shipping season and their calls overlap with the low frequency noise made by ships. Ore carriers will also follow the same path narwhal use to migrate.

"If the project goes ahead, Baffinland would make more than 200 transits each year through the Foxe Basin-Hudson Strait corridor, causing underwater noise to rise sharply, spread farther and persist longer in essential habitat for Arctic whales, walrus and seals. For these species, sound is habitat, so when industrial noise takes over that space, it makes it harder for them to communicate, find food, and navigate safely, and may even push wildlife out of areas they need to survive ," said Sam Davin, WWF-Canada's lead specialist for shipping and marine conservation and one of the report's authors.

"More ships also means more pollution, more black carbon emission, and a higher risk of fuel spills and fatal ship strikes. This level of disruption would have serious consequences for marine environment, wildlife, and Inuit communities - and it should trigger a fresh look at this project before it moves ahead."

Ongoing concerns from communities

Underwater noise can force species to leave familiar habitats. In Eclipse Sound, where Mary River Mine shipments began in 2015, Inuit hunters have reported fewer narwhal, seals, seabirds and Arctic char in waters that have sustained communities for generations.

The Steensby expansion would increase these impacts and bring them into new habitats, affecting more communities that rely on marine wildlife for food, culture and continuity.

"These waters are not empty shipping lanes - they are hunting grounds, travel routes and places of deep cultural importance," said Paul Okalik, lead Arctic specialist at WWF-Canada. "If mine traffic is shifted into Foxe Basin and Hudson Strait, the communities that depend on that wildlife need to be meaningfully heard before any decision is made."

About WWF-Canada
WWF-Canada is committed to equitable and effective conservation actions that restore nature, reverse wildlife loss and fight climate change. We draw on scientific analysis and Indigenous guidance to ensure all our efforts connect to a single goal: a future where wildlife, nature and people thrive. For more information, visit wwf.ca.

For more information:

Emily Vandermeer
Senior specialist, media relations | [email protected]