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Overview

The GNWT has developed guidelines for companies carrying out exploration and development activities to ensure they have the information and tools to plan and execute their projects in a way that considers and mitigates impacts on boreal caribou and boreal caribou habitat in the Northwest Territories (NWT).

A draft is out now, and we want your input.

Exploration and development projects can affect wildlife and wildlife habitat – including boreal caribou, which are listed as a Threatened species in the NWT. This means special care must be taken when planning and operating projects.

Background

The guidelines are for any exploration and development activities that take place in boreal caribou habitat. That includes, but is not limited to:

• Camps and support facilities
• Forestry
• Mineral exploration and mining
• Oil and gas exploration (including seismic surveys) and production
• Pits and quarries
• Renewable energy, energy infrastructure, and energy transmission
• Transportation (roads and trails) including public infrastructure

The objective of the NWT Boreal Caribou Guidelines is to help companies:

• Minimize habitat degradation and fragmentation resulting from exploration and development activities to maintain the function and connectivity of caribou habitat (e.g., calving/post-calving areas, late winter use areas);
• Minimize the footprint (i.e., habitat loss) of a development activity, including its overall contribution to cumulative disturbance;
• Minimize the density of linear features associated with exploration and development activities to avoid potential increases in predator efficiency (i.e., distribution, ease of travel);
• Minimize sensory disturbance associated with exploration and development activities; and
• Avoid and minimize activities associated with the project that increase the risk of caribou mortality (e.g., hunting, vehicle collisions).

The guidelines provide specific actions companies can take to achieve three mitigation outcomes:

• Avoid: avoiding impacting boreal caribou habitat all-together
• Minimize: steps they can take to minimize the impact to habitat
• Restore: actions taken after a project is done to help rebuild habitat that was damaged.

Input was considered from:

• Renewable Resources Boards
• Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers
• NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines
• Other GNWT departments
• Federal government
• Environmental non-governmental organizations