The Kivalliq Inuit Association (KIA), in collaboration with Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) and the Nunavut General Monitoring Plan (NGMP), has established an aquatic cumulative effects monitoring program (CEMP) with the ongoing support of Rankin Inlet, Chesterfield Inlet, Baker Lake, Whale Cove, Naujaat, Arviat and Coral Harbour. This initiative aims to address core questions of community concerns:Is the water safe to drink?Are the fish safe to eat?The CEMP is a key component of the Inuu’tuti Initiative, a new program in the North designed to assess the cumulative effects of climate change, industrial development, and human activity on the aquatic environment within the Rankin Inlet, Chesterfield Inlet, Baker Lake, Whale Cove, Naujaat, Arviat and Coral Harbour watershed. Over four years, the program will conduct integrated monitoring of key sites of community importance, measuring environmental contaminants in water while evaluating their potential impacts on the local ecosystem.The program’s overarching goal is to unite the principles of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ) with scientific data collection to create a comprehensive monitoring framework. By working closely with local communities, the project will incorporate Traditional Knowledge through interviews with Elders and community members, alongside rigorous environmental sampling and analysis. This collaborative approach ensures that both scientific data and Indigenous perspectives guide decision-making, providing Nunavummiut with meaningful, reliable information about their environment.This program will enhance understanding of environmental changes across Kivalliq Region communities, strengthen community capacity in environmental monitoring, and support informed decision-making for the protection of water and food security in the region.