We are proud of the work we have done towards the creation of the Arctic Council in 1996, notably the efforts of former ICC Chair Mary Simon. In fact, it was founded in Ottawa, and Canada was the first Chair from 1996-1998. The Arctic Council is composed of eight Arctic States – Canada, USA, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Russia, Iceland, and Denmark. ICC is one of the six Indigenous Permanent Participant Organizations.

The Permanent Participants of the Arctic Council are supported by an Indigenous Peoples Secretariat (IPS), which is based in Tromsø, Norway.

The Arctic Council regularly produces comprehensive, cutting-edge environmental, ecological and social assessments through its Working Groups (ACAP, AMAP, CAFF, EPPR, PAME, and SDWG), which ICC contributes to. Greater details of our activities in these areas are chronicled in the ICC (Canada) Annual Reports, as well as the Activities Reports associated with our General Assemblies.