Department of Lands’ offices located on the first floor of the Gallery Building in Yellowknife were closed this morning after it was determined an individual who was supposed to be self-isolating following travel, entered the office space for a short period of time on Sunday. The incident has been reported to Protect NWT as appropriate.
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Madam Speaker, land is the foundation of the Northwest Territories, both figuratively and literally. Our government is responsible for managing 1.15 million square kilometres of it.
Agreement on Protection for the Subsurface of Edéhzhié has been Achieved.
Premier Caroline Cochrane and Dehcho First Nations (DFN) Grand Chief Gladys Norwegian are pleased to announce today that the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is indefinitely extending a subsurface land withdrawal for the Edéhzhíe Protected Area. The extended withdrawal will complement this culturally and ecologically important region’s future designation as a National Wildlife Area.
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I would like to begin today, Mr. Speaker, by commending the courage and resolve of our front line staff responding to this unprecedented public health emergency.
Good morning everyone and thank you for joining us today for this announcement.
This morning I am here to talk a bit about some changes coming out of the Department of Lands, in response to the impacts of COVID-19.
The physical distancing and isolation measures used to combat the spread of COVID-19 have created new and very real economic stress on Northwest Territories residents, families, businesses, Indigenous governments and communities.
The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) understands the physical distancing and isolation measures used to combat the spread of COVID-19 have created new and very real economic stress on Northwest Territories (NWT) residents, families, businesses, Indigenous governments and communities. To ease some of the burden, Shane Thompson, Minister of Lands announced the Department intends to waive rent on existing surface dispositions on public land, for the fiscal year 2020-21.
The top priority for the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is the health and safety of Northwest Territories (NWT) residents, and we are taking proactive measure to be prepared to respond to COVID-19 as the situation evolves.
There are currently no cases of COVID-19 in the NWT, and the risk of acquiring the virus in the NWT and Canada remains low at this time.
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Mr. Speaker, Strategic Oil and Gas Limited or “Strategic“ filed for creditor protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act in April 2019. Strategic operates the Cameron Hills, Northwest Territories Project which includes winter access roads, well sites, oil and gas gathering systems, a small pipeline, an oil and gas battery, a permanent camp and various incidental activities such as borrow pits, permanent bridges and sump sites.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has a mandate commitment to have land use plans in all regions of the Northwest Territories. Furthermore, the government’s vision of land management, articulated in the Land Use and Sustainability Framework, states we will promote and support land use planning in all regions of the Northwest Territories.
As part of the NWT Land Use Planning Forum, the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) released Finding Common Ground – a renewed commitment to regional land use planning in the Northwest Territories, earlier today.
“Finding Common Ground” sets out how the GNWT and its Indigenous government and federal government partners will work together to help advance important and necessary land use plans for every region of the NWT.
