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Kangirsuk (in Inuktitut: ᑲᖏᕐᓱᖅ/ Kangirsuq, meaning "the bay") is an Inuit village in northern Nunavik, Quebec, Canada. It is north of Kuujjuaq, between Aupaluk and Quaqtaq. The community is only accessible by air (Kangirsuk Airport) and, in late summer, by boat. The village used to be known also as Payne Bay and Bellin.Thomas E. Lee (1971). 9780889284005, Centre d'études nordiques de l'Université Laval. ISBN 9780889284005
Inuit have hunted and fished along the Ungava Bay coast for centuries. Permanent European settlement did not occur until 1921 when the Revillon Frères company set up a trading post here, named Payne River (now the Arnaud River) in memory of Frank F. Payne, who explored the region during the winter of 1885–1886. Four years later, the competing Hudson's Bay Company also set up a post. The Inuit remained nomadic however and only visited the site as a summer encampment because of the abundance of game.
In 1945, the location was known as Payne Bay. In 1959, the federal day school was founded. From then on permanent settlement by Inuit finally began. In 1961, the federal government provided healthcare facilities, housing, and social services. That same year, the Quebec Government decided to give French names to places of the northern Quebec coast and changed the name of the post to Francis-Babel, in honour of Louis Babel (1826-1912). But this name did not take root, and was replaced a year later with Bellin, named after Jacques-Nicolas Bellin (1703-1772). It was subsequently known as Bellin (Payne) until 1980. That year, the name was changed to Kangiqsuk when the village was incorporated as a Northern Village Municipality (). Local authorities disagreed with this transliteration, and in 1982 it was corrected to Kangirsuk.
Since 1996, the police services in Kangirsuk are provided by the Kativik Regional Police Force.
The community is depicted in the 2019 short film Throat Singing in Kangirsuk (Katatjatuuk Kangirsumi).T'cha Dunlevy, "Dunlevy: Throat-singing Nunavik teens are stars of Sundance". Montreal Gazette, January 31, 2019.
Population trend:Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, 2021 census
On the islands of Kyak Bay and Virgin Lake located to the east and north-east of Kangirsuk, respectively, important colonies of common eider nest every year.
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