GNWT seeks input on new mineral regulations
Proposed law would replace legislation mirroring federal rules
Kirsten Fenn
Northern News Services
Friday, August 25, 2017
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The GNWT is looking to gather feedback next week on a proposed Mineral Resources Act that could replace current regulations and boost the competitiveness of the territory's mining sector.
Industry, Tourism and Investment minister Wally Schumann said the GNWT wants to know what Northwest Territories residents want to see in the proposed Mineral Resources Act. - NNSL file photo
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Since the 1930s, the federal government was responsible for regulating mining in the NWT. When devolution happened in 2014, the GNWT became responsible for public land management.
Now the territorial government wants to update mining regulations that still reflect federal legislation handed down at that time.
"We want to create legislation that's made in the NWT and that's going to be something that's influenced by people of the Northwest Territories," said Industry, Tourism and Investment Minister Wally Schumann.
The territory's mining sector is currently governed by the NWT Mining Regulations and affected by several other pieces of legislation, such as the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act.
A new Mineral Resources Act would replace only the NWT Mining Regulations, according to the department.
"Mineral resources is the biggest part of the economy in the Northwest Territories and we need to keep it that way moving forward," said Schumann.
Yellowknife North MLA Cory Vanthuyne said the proposed act would lay the groundwork for what the GNWT expects from prospective mining companies, as well as guide Indigenous self-governments that he said are working on their own mineral-resource regulations. Making clearer regulations shows exploration and mining companies the territory is a good jurisdiction in which to do business, according to Vanthuyne.
"If you've got those tools in place, that makes you a more attractive environment," he said, adding it could ultimately lead to more employment in small communities and better opportunities for entrepreneurship, he added.
Tom Hoefer, executive director of the NWT & Nunavut Chamber of Mines, outlined a number of challenges the mining sector is currently facing that the act could try to alleviate.
Some of those include the cost of doing mining work in the NWT and access to land - something he said can be made difficult by unsettled land claims.
"Increasing land access for exploration is critically important," said Hoefer. "There's a whopping pile of land off-limits to staking now. Some of it's permanent, like in (proposed Thaidene Nene) national park . but a lot of it is interim withdrawals for land claims."
Whatever the GNWT does, Hoefer said, territorial must ensure this jurisdiction remains competitive.
"If they're not, we're going to lose out," he said.
The GNWT is hosting community drop-in sessions on the proposed act in seven different communities: Yellowknife, Behchoko, Fort Simpson, Norman Wells, Inuvik, Hay River and Fort Smith.
The first takes place at the Tree of Peace Friendship Centre on Aug. 28, followed by a French-language session at the Explorer Hotel on Aug. 29.
An online engagement portal has also been created for residents to discuss questions around mining exploration incentives, the importance of mining jobs and staking claims online.
According to Schumann, the goal is to gauge residents' thoughts so the GNWT can ensure the act meets their needs.
He said he expects the act to be complete before the end of the current assembly.
