Indigenous communities in Canada suffer disproportionately from compromised water insecurity, with multiple negative implications. Some attention has been paid to gender and water insecurity in developing countries, especially in sub‐Saharan Africa, but the topic has been neglected for subarctic settings. We conducted long‐term research in Black Tickle, a remote Inuit community in Labrador, Canada, with no piped water and limited access to potable water. Our research was aimed at understanding the multiple dimensions of water security, identifying materialist responses, and conducting a pilot project in domestic rainwater harvesting. Water security emerged as a gendered phenomenon. We supplemented our reflective analysis on this research with two focus group discussions during which Inuit women described their experiences of water security. Participants reported that their physical and mental health are undermined by water insecurity and that water is a source of multiple stresses that demand resilience. Given a developing remittance economy, gender was identified as an increasingly significant determinant of water insecurity in this subarctic community. Having to retrieve water themselves, Inuit women experience altered gender norms and a persistent values conflict in addition to physical strain. Water acquisition is an added responsibility, impacting their labour load. Alternatively, in relying on available men to retrieve water, participants reported feeling guilty and anxious and they worried about men fetching water in dangerous weather conditions and in the vicinity of dangerous wildlife. Participants’ experiences make clear the urgency for a materialist response to water insecurity in the Indigenous subarctic.

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Background: Labrador's Innu and Inuit live in nine small, isolated villages, and must travel to the urban centres of Goose Bay, Labrador and/or St. John's, Newfoundland for most health services. This study responds to anecdotal evidence of Aboriginal dissatisfaction with these services from the St. John's Native Friendship Centre Association (SJNFCA); it describes Aboriginal experiences and identifies relevant needs. Methods: The study consisted of qualitative interviews (N=143), conducted by trained local researchers, and nine focus groups. The interviews were narrative-based, appropriate to the Aboriginal culture of participants. Participants were recruited from the client list of the SJNFCA. Findings: Almost all study participants experience significant difficulties including profound disorientation, language and communication difficulties, inadequate accommodations, and altered diets. Cross-cultural relations are particularly problematic for the Innu. Conclusions: These findings, and 19 recommendations made to the provincial government (8 main recommendations appear in Table II), could lead to improved services for Innu and Inuit using urban health services. Workshops in development could mean more awareness among health care practitioners.

Background: Black Tickle-Domino is an extremely water-insecure remote Inuit community in the Canadian subarctic that lacks piped-water. Drinking water consumption in the community is less than a third of the Canadian national average. Water insecurity in the community contributes to adverse health, economic, and social effects and requires urgent action. Objectives: To test the ability of domestic rainwater harvesting (DRWH) for the first time in the subarctic with the goal of improving water access and use in the community. Design: This project utilised quantitative weekly reporting of water collection and use, as well as focus group discussions. DRWH units were installed at seven water-insecure households chosen by the local government. Results were measured over a 6-week period in 2016. Results: Participants harvested 19.07 gallons of rainwater per week. General purpose water consumption increased by 17% and water retrieval efforts declined by 40.92%. Households saved $12.70 CDN per week. Participants reported perceived improvements to psychological health. Because no potable water was collected, drinking water consumption did not increase. The study identified additional water-insecurity impacts. Conclusion: DRWH cannot supply drinking water without proper treatment and filtration; however, it can be a partial remedy to water insecurity in the subarctic. DRWH is appropriately scaled, inexpensive, and participants identified several significant benefits.