Funnyman, political pundit, and CBC host, Rick Mercer landed in the Northwest Territories yesterday for the Town of Inuvik’s famed Sunrise Festival. The festival, which takes place January 6-8, 2017, attracts visitors from around the world to watch the return of the sun after nearly 30 days of darkness.

In addition to taking in the festival, Mercer will also traverse the iconic Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk highway which will be especially exciting as this is anticipated to be the final season the ice road is available. The all-season Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway is expected to be completed in the fall of 2017. The public is reminded that the all-season road is an active construction zone and as such, is still closed to the public.

Pulling all of the elements together, such as ensuring that all safety requirements and a film location agreement was in place, required collaboration between the Town of Inuvik, the Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment’s NWT Film Commission, the Department of Transportation and local resources.

In addition to supporting local economic development and the growth of the NWT film industry, the NWT Film Commission is committed to sharing northern stories and adventures through film and television to increase interest in visiting, filming and living in the NWT.