Nunavut, Canada. Photo: Mike Beauregard, available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial license.

[Via Satellite 05-26-2016] Globalstar’s Canadian subsidiary Globalstar Canada Satellite has received a contract to provide Spot Gen3 satellite messengers to the Government of Nunavut to help increase the safety of its personnel and those it helps protect. According to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s “Communications Monitoring Report 2014: Telecommunications Sector,” while wireless networks cover about 99 percent of the country’s population, an estimated 80 percent of Canada’s geographic land mass is not covered. To date, Spot has helped initiate more than 4,000 rescues around the globe, of which 1,100 have occurred in Canada. British Columbia has reported the greatest number of Spot rescues (42 percent), followed by Northern Territories including Nunavut (18 percent), which together account for more than half of all rescues in Canada.

Spot Gen3 is a rugged, pocket-sized GPS messenger that helps users stay connected via satellite where there is poor or no cellular signal. It provides off-the-grid messaging, emergency alerts, and extreme GPS tracking, with track checkpoints capable of taking place as frequently as every 2.5 minutes.

“The Government of Nunavut promotes the use of communication devices when travelling on the land. Such devices save lives, are cost effective and reduce risks for volunteer search and rescue personnel who play such an important role in helping our citizens. We are planning to replace our older devices with the Gen3 because when used, these devices increase safety for our hunters, boaters, visitors and recreational travelers, at least they would have an option to get help should they ever need it,” said Kris Mullaly, policy analyst/communications officer with the Department of Community and Government Services at the Government of Nunavut.