▁village ▁status ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁and ▁became ▁a ▁full ▁town ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁with ▁an ▁elected ▁mayor ▁and ▁council . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁with ▁the ▁completion ▁of ▁the ▁D emp ster ▁Highway , ▁In uv ik ▁became ▁connected ▁to ▁Canada ' s ▁highway ▁system , ▁and ▁simultaneously ▁the ▁most ▁nor ther ly ▁town ▁to ▁which ▁one ▁could ▁drive ▁in ▁the ▁summer ▁months ▁— ▁although ▁an ▁ice ▁road ▁through ▁the ▁Mack en zie ▁River ▁delta ▁connect s ▁the ▁town ▁to ▁T uk to y akt uk , ▁on ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁the ▁Ar ctic ▁Ocean , ▁and ▁Ak lav ik , ▁in ▁the ▁winter , ▁and ▁an ▁all - we ather ▁road ▁connecting ▁In uv ik ▁and ▁T uk to y akt uk ▁opened ▁in ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁replacing ▁that ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁ice ▁road . ▁ ▁Between ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁the ▁town ' s ▁economy ▁was ▁supported ▁by ▁the ▁local ▁Canadian ▁Forces ▁Station , ▁C FS ▁In uv ik , ▁( origin ally ▁a ▁Naval ▁Radio ▁Station , ▁later ▁a ▁communic ations ▁research / sign als ▁intercept ▁facility ) ▁and ▁by ▁pet ro chem ical ▁companies ▁expl oring ▁the ▁Mack en zie ▁Valley ▁and ▁the ▁Beau fort ▁Sea ▁for ▁pet role um . ▁This ▁all ▁col lapsed ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁for ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁reasons , ▁including ▁disappear ing ▁government ▁military ▁subs id ies , ▁local ▁resistance