This Coral Harbour, Nunavut, man travels by dog sled to fix the local phone lines

When a phone line goes down in Coral Harbour, Nunavut, local technician John Pudlat doesn't jump in his vehicle to go out and fix it.

That's because he doesn't have a vehicle.

Instead, Pudlat packs a sled with equipment and ties it to his sled dog, who pulls it along down the Kivalliq hamlet's streets.

Pudlat, who works for Northwestel, does this even in the cold Nunavut winters, through wind and show.

He's worked as a technician for the telecommunications company for 29 years, relying on his dog to help carry the tools he needs to keep the phone lines working in the community.

"I kind of grew up with hard labour as a carpenter, and that's kind of all I know," Pudlat said.

Pudlat said he asked Northwestel for a work vehicle, but was told there aren't enough work hours in his position to justify that.

"It's been really hard," he said.

Pudlat says 'it's been really hard' not to have a vehicle to do his work. (Submitted by Chris Matoo )

At one point, he did buy himself a vehicle, but the cost to maintain it outweighed what he got paid to do the work as a part-time employee, he said.

"Every workplace has a vehicle and that is very admirable to see," he said. "My question always has been why Northwestel can't provide that for us."

He said he's seen more and more businesses in town provide vehicles for their employees. As the sole technician in the community, he thinks Northwetel should follow suit for him.

"It's only sensible," he said.

Transportation a requirement of the job 

Northwestel's director of communications and marketing, Catherine Newsome, told CBC in a statement that she can't speak to specific employees' situations, but that she could speak generally about the role of a community service technician.

Newsome said transportation is a requirement of the role, and a transportation allowance is provided in all cases.

"We respect whichever way our CSTs [community service technicians] would like to get to their local appointments," Newsome wrote.

"Our community service technicians are the lifeblood of our operations."

The company's transportation allowance is $30 a day, along with $6 for fuel for every hour worked.

"That gives our CSTs flexibility to use their preferred method of transportation, whether it be by truck, quad, or even dog sled," Newsome said.

For Pudlat, that's nowhere near enough money. He said renting a vehicle in the community can cost upwards of $250 a day.

"People [elsewhere] got it good, but I don't know why we don't," he said. "I feel left out."