Welcome
International Polar Year 2007-2008: A Valuable Opportunity for Canada
International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-2008 marks the largest-ever international program of scientific research focussed on the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Thousands of scientists and researchers from more than 60 nations around the globe are expected to participate in IPY during the 24-month period beginning March 2007.
In addition to presenting Canada with a valuable opportunity to work together with researchers from around the world, IPY will also create a more complete scientific understanding of the North that can be applied to address issues related to our environment and the well-being of our communities.
The Government of Canada has made a significant strategic investment and is working closely with Northern and Aboriginal communities, scientists and researchers, and other domestic and international partners to ensure International Polar Year 2007-2008 is sufficiently supported to deliver important results for Canadians. Federal funding will enable Canada to carry out an innovative, multidisciplinary program for IPY that will focus on two key priority areas for science and research: climate change impacts and adaptation and the health and the well-being of Northern Canadians. A range of training and capacity building initiatives will also be supported to develop a new generation of northern scientists and enhance the capacity to conduct science in the North.
Canada is playing an important global leadership role for International Polar Year 2007-2008 through the support of multi-national research collaborations, the participation of leading Canadian scientists and its role as host to top research teams from around the world.
Throughout International Polar Year 2007-2008, Canadians from all parts of the country will have opportunities to learn more about our North and its residents and the importance of the polar regions for the world as a whole. Ultimately, IPY 2007-2008 will foster greater connections and understanding across Canada and the rest of the world.
This website brings together information on the Government of Canada's program for International Polar Year 2007-2008.
International Polar Year: A brief history
To read the electronic version of a document in PDF format, you will
need to use Acrobat Reader. You can download 
and install the free reader from the Internet Website of Adobe Systems Incorporated.
Please visit Access Adobe
to help make PDF files accessible to screen reading utilities.
These tools convert Adobe PDF documents into
HTML or