Land Use Planning in Nunavut

The Nunavut Planning Commission (NPC) was established under Article 11 of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement (NLCA) to develop land use plans for Nunavut, outside of municipal boundaries.  The purpose of land use planning is to protect and promote the existing and future well being of the residents and communities of the Nunavut Settlement Area, taking into account the interests of all Canadians.  NPC devotes special attention to protecting and promoting the existing and future well-being of Inuit and Inuit Owned Lands.  NPC also gives great weight to the views and wishes of municipalities.

A land use plan outlines regional priorities for conservation, development, management and use of land, water and resources in the Nunavut Settlement Area. In Nunavut, these priorities are driven by communities and Inuit. “Land use” includes activities like traditional use, wildlife harvesting, tourism, establishing parks and protected areas, mineral or oil and gas exploration and development, transportation and communication corridors, marine shipping, and infrastructure for communities and industrial development.

Some land uses are compatible, while others are not, such as industrial development on sensitive wildlife habitat. Land use planning seeks to resolve conflicts between different land uses by identifying what types of land use are appropriate, where they should occur, and under what conditions. Land use planning ensures that the long-term social, cultural, economic and ecological goals and values of the region are considered when making land use decisions. Plans contain terms that guide and direct resource use and development in the Nunavut Settlement Area.    

NPC develops land use plans through years of consultation and research with communities, Government, Inuit organizations, industry, and non-government organizations. NPC has approved plans for only 2 of the 6 planning regions in Nunavut. A single plan can take 4-5 years to develop. To complete planning more efficiently, NPC will instead develop one plan for all of Nunavut as specified in S. 11.5.1 of the NLCA. This process is just beginning.

The Nunavut Land Use Plan (NLUP) will integrate community, regional and Nunavut-wide issues, goals and objectives into a single framework to guide land use in Nunavut. NPC will complete this Plan in phases. The initial phase will identify community, regional and Nunavut-wide goals, incorporate existing information, update existing plans, and provide general guidance on land use across Nunavut. Then, as more complex issues are resolved, NPC will amend the NLUP to incorporate new direction. In this way, the NLUP can become an effective tool for land use management within a few short years. The entire process may take several more years to fully complete.
 
The NLUP must be approved by NTI, the Regional Inuit Associations, the GN, and the Government of Canada. Once approved, only activities that conform to the Plan may proceed.  The NLUP will be reviewed periodically and may be amended at any time.