The Bay of Fundy in Atlantic Canada is well renowned for having the highest tides in the world — but many residents in Nunavik have long believed that title belongs to them.
Now, the representative for Inuit in the northern Quebec region says it has new data to prove that.
The Makivvik Corporation has conducted new measurements between 2024-25 from the mouth of the Leaf Basin near the community of Tasiujaq.
Leaf Basin already holds the Guinness World Record for the highest tide ever recorded in 1953. But Nova Scotia’s Burntcoat Head in the Bay of Fundy is the current title holder for the greatest tidal range — and that’s what Makivvik is disputing.
According to Makivvik’s study, the large tide range shows the Leaf Basin having a tidal range of 16.35 metres at its north end, compared to Burntcoat Head’s range of 15.85 metres. Both those figures are higher than what is currently listed in the Guinness World Records.
Adamie Delisle Alaku, the executive vice president of Makivvik’s department of environment, wildlife and research, said this study validates what many Nunavimmiut have long known.
“We are here to just measure and substantiate what has been known for many decades by our elders, by our Inuit knowledge holders, that we are the highest tide in the world. And that is something we’ve managed to prove using scientific instruments,” Delisle Alaku said.
It’s not the first time Nunavimmiut have tried to prove their region has the highest tidal ranges. The Nunavik Tourism Association conducted a similar study in 2003.
According to a document released by Makivvik, that study ran into technical failures which produced inconsistent results, but the data they did manage to salvage suggested extremely high tides.
Tasiujaq Mayor Tommy Annanack said interest in another study has grown since then.
“I’m happy to hear this. We’ve been waiting for this news for so many years now,” he said.
This is the biggest tide on Earth
