Nunavut and Northwest Territories Regulation
The management of oil and gas on Northern Crown Lands in Nunavut and federal areas in the Northwest Territories is governed by the Canada Petroleum Resources Act (CPRA) and the Canada Oil and Gas Operations Act (COGOA).
The CPRA is carried out by Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) and governs land allocation and royalties on frontier lands. On private land owned by Aboriginal governments, such as Inuit-owned land (IOL) in Nunavut, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI) is now the landlord. NTI owns subsurface rights and can set its own terms and conditions for hydrocarbon exploration and development. Resource access agreements may be required for access across or through Aboriginal-owned lands.
COGOA covers the exploration, production, processing, and transportation of marine-based oil and gas resources that are controlled by the federal government. Administrative responsibility lies with the National Energy Board (NEB) and applies to the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, as well as offshore areas where there is no federal-provincial management plan (such as the Arctic, Hudson’s Bay, and the Gulf of St. Lawrence).
Land claims agreements in the North have also led to the establishment of a number of co-management boards, which are often responsible for giving out land-use and water permits as well as conducting environmental assessments.
Although non-binding and voluntary, the Arctic Council has also developed Arctic Oil and Gas Guidelines.
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The content for this province was peer-reviewed in Oct 2013. We’d like to acknowledge the assistance of the external reviewers and Leah Fusco who authored this webpage content.
