New land-use bylaw gives KRG ‘the power to say no’
Bylaw approved Tuesday requires non-beneficiary projects to respect land use and socio-environmental protection in Nunavik
Kativik Regional Government’s council announced Tuesday a new bylaw to enforce protection of the land on projects coming to use the land. (Photo by Cedric Gallant)
Kativik Regional Government has adopted a plan giving it greater control over the way non-Inuit organizations use land in Nunavik.
A new bylaw approved by regional council Tuesday is a “legally enforceable tool” the regional government can use to oversee activities happening across the region, said lands and environment assistant director Veronique Gilbert.
Gilbert said it ensures “Kativik region users and residents are meaningfully engaged on the land-use and social environment protection to ensure that the project applicants are accountable.”
With this bylaw, “KRG has the power to say no,” she said during the council’s quarterly meeting being held in Kuujjuaq this week.
Among the other powers it provides KRG is the authority to enforce a cleanup at a company’s cost if environmental contaminants are left behind.
The bylaw applies to non-Inuit-beneficiary land users.
“KRG does camp inspections every summer,” Gilbert said. “Sometimes we see contamination that is happening at non-beneficiary camps.”
Those camps are usually owned by mining exploration companies or outfitting camps for tourists.
People who want to do projects in the Kativik region, outside of municipal boundaries, will need to qualify based on land-use classification, safe oil storage, usage of bodies of water and wetlands, and construction standards in the North.
Proposals will be analyzed by a 21-member committee, including three permanent members designated by the council. The other 18 positions will be rotated from among organizations that are frequent land users.
An interactive map will be made available to show the different constraints that exist across Nunavik. Projects will be judged based on their applicants’ ability to work within those constraints.
The map was created with input from Nunavimmiut knowledge holders. Such constraints include areas designated for conservation, caribou calving, historical and cultural interest and other factors.
When the map is completed, it will be available on the KRG website.
The bylaw was first considered in the KRG regional master plan that was released in 2020, then made possible through amendments last year to the Kativik Act.
Creation of the bylaw was a joint effort of an advisory committee between KRG, Makivvik Corp., Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach, Cree Nation Government and the Nunavik Landholding Corporations Association.
Just an old saying; “Absolute power corrupts absolutely”.
PCB’s
Depleted uranium
Mercury
Saturn and Jupiter cosmic radiation auka I had my dose today
Glad to see this happen, but, and this is a big but, the focus should now turn to ensuring bylaws are passed that not only levies fines but criminal penalties towards retailers that don’t pass on the shipping cost subsidies of necessities. The last ‘audit’ was completed in 2021 by the feds and it was very incomplete. The excuse was that they couldn’t get all the info due to the pandemic. That is code for ‘ we know they’re ripping off the Inuit and tax payers and we support it’ just like John A Mcdonald did as prime Minister did when they promoted the idea of starving the natives and Inuit to death. Take care of the Inuit food supply, health care, and language then worry about dealings with large corporations that are going to line your pockets with gifts to keep your mouth shut! Every ounce of minerals that comes out of that land should be a monthly cheque in the pockets of each Inuit inhabitant! As a guy that used to work in the mining sector in the arctic I’m well aware of the money and gifts given to the ” board members”! It disgusted me! The so called inspections were carried out by someone hired through a make work project that would show up at camps looking for cigarette butts and pop cans. Each cigarette butt would be a $50 fine and a can was $150. The “inspector” was given a commission??? One guy showed up at our camp with a bag full of crushed pop cans and a zip lock baggie with cigarette butts he started throwing around. The camp manager punched the guy in the mouth!
why in the first place we let non beneficiaries use our land, oh it’s not even our land we only have very small categories that communities can have a say on the land usages leaving us no power on the larger portion that we can only leave comment when it will be used. I wish each community can have power to control 3 categories and take decision whether or not will be used.
those camps are just the gateway for the small planes exiting their promised for the use of their camp areas.