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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - More than 10 illegal cabins have been dealt with in the Ingraham Trail area in the year since the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA) began to enforce its trespass strategy, said Bev Chamberlain, a senior policy advisor with the department.

Out of those, "a couple" have had leases issued, said Chamberlain, and "a couple more" have leases pending.

"The process is a little more complicated than tearing things down," she said.

The enforcement strategy, which was officially approved by the territorial government in February, outlines the steps the department will take to deal with squatters on Commissioner's land - about one and a half per cent of the NWT.

While the strategy encompasses the entire territory, there are more than 60 illegal cabins in the Ingraham Trail area alone. These were identified through the last in-depth survey in 2006.

Chamberlain said she couldn't say whether more illegal cabins have sprouted up since then, but added regional officers are planning to do another inspection in September, as well as follow up on cabins that have already received notices.

When asked about the timeline to fully address all illegal cabins - either by removal or getting leases - Chamberlain responded it depends on the department's resources.

"There is no distinct timeline," she said. "Dealing with trespass is just something that we are required to do under the Commissioner's Land Act. It's not an on-again, off-again thing.

"We have many other responsibilities when we're administering land and this is one of them. It's one of the more important ... but we can only do what we can do with our existing people and money."

Chamberlain said there is no specific budget within the department to address trespassing. Instead, the strategy falls under a program area funded out of the network of regional offices across the territory. Each office has two regional land officers who are responsible for inspections and who post unauthorized users of the land, but that's in addition to their other duties.

The Yellowknives Dene, who play a role in the leasing process by providing information in regards to aboriginal land claims, did not return calls for comment.