In 2025, melting sea ice allowed a Canadian icebreaker to enter the world's last ice area

Often referred to as the one of the last places in the world with year-round sea ice, the waterways around Queen Elizabeth Islands and western Tuvaijuittuq have historically been difficult to access. But in 2025, melting sea ice opened a path for a Canadian research icebreaker to sail through this part of the country for the first time ever.