The Northwest Territories Environmental Audit is a requirement under Part VI of the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act and must be conducted every five years. This second audit is an important step in the continued improvement of environmental management in the Northwest Territories (NWT). It builds on other assessments such as the first audit (2005), Neil McCrank’s Road to Regulatory Improvement (2008), and the report on Sustainable Development in the NWT by the Office of the Auditor General (2010).
The audit evaluates the quality of the environment in the Mackenzie Valley by assessing three key areas: the NWT regulatory regime; the monitoring of cumulative impacts; and trends in the environment. In terms of assessing the NWT’s regulatory regime, the audit considers land use planning, regulation, and environmental impact assessment, as well as the role of traditional knowledge in the regulatory framework. The evaluation of trends in the environment focuses on: the atmospheric environment (including air quality, climate and climate change); the freshwater aquatic environment; the marine environment; the terrestrial environment; permafrost, ground ice and snow; human health; and socio-economic and community wellness.
SENES (Specialists in Energy, Nuclear and Environmental Sciences) Consultants Limited was chosen to carry out the 2010-2011 NWT Environmental Audit through a competitive bidding process and recommendations by a multi-partner Audit Sub-Committee. SENES is a leader in the provision of specialized scientific environmental services, including audit planning and implementation. The company has completed over 4,000 projects throughout the world, including many in the NWT, Yukon and Nunavut. The project team chosen for this work combined the strong auditing, project management, technical and northern experience necessary to undertake this complex and unique environmental audit.
The Audit Sub-Committee was composed of representatives from Aboriginal organizations and territorial and federal governments, including Inuvialuit Game Council, Northwest Territory Métis Nation, Gwich’in Tribal Council, Sahtu Secretariat Inc., Tlicho Government, North Slave Métis Alliance, Dehcho First Nations, GNWT Environment and Natural Resources, as well as Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada. The Akaitcho Territory Government is copied on all information and has a standing invitation to participate or observe without prejudice to land claim or self-government negotiations.
