After 10 years and $30 million, the cleanup of one of the most contaminated sites in Canada's North is complete.

Resolution Island, also known as Tudjaat, located off Baffin Island at the mouth of Frobisher Bay, was part of the U.S. military's Distant Early Warning radar system built in the 1950s.

Resolution Island was one of the most contaminated sites in the North.
(CBC News)

The old DEW site was highly contaminated with PCBs as well as heavy metals such as lead, copper and zinc.

During the past decade, the Qikiqtaaluk Corporation, the economic development arm of the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, worked with Ottawa to clean up the site.

Iqaluit Mayor Elisapee Sheutiapik, a former project co-ordinator for the site, says there was a huge sense of accomplishment at the end of each season.

"I think it's one-of-a-kind of experiences," Sheutiapik said. "The end result being clean land, but the experience the employees got at all levels was amazing."

The 10-year cleanup of an old U.S. military DEW site is complete.
(CBC News)

Workers removed 4,000 cubic metres of contaminated soil from the island and built three new landfills for the remainder.

Indian and Northern Affairs Minister Jim Prentice, who handed out awards to former employees during a weekend visit to Iqaluit, says the benefits were twofold.

Not only is the site cleaned up, the 600 people who worked on the project over the years acquired skills they can take to other projects, Prentice said.

His department is currently involved in the cleanup of six other contaminated sites in Nunavut.