Extend Protection for Tuvaijuittuq MPA

Summary#

The federal government published a proposal for Order No. 2 Designating the Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area under the Oceans Act on December 23, 2023. It would replace the 2019 ministerial order and keep the area’s human-activity “footprint” frozen for up to five more years (through 2029) while longer-term protection is worked out.

What it does#

• Repeals the 2019 ministerial order and replaces it with the proposed Order No. 2 Designating the Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area, keeping similar protections in place.
• Freezes new activities that could damage habitat in the MPA for up to five years (ending in 2029).
• Allows certain activities to continue:
  • marine scientific research and national defence activities listed as “ongoing.”
  • wildlife harvesting by Inuit in the Nunavut Settlement Area (protected by the Nunavut Agreement).
  • marine navigation by foreign vessels and the laying/maintenance of cables and pipelines by foreign states (these are specific exemptions in the Oceans Act).
• Covers the sea, the seabed and subsoil to a depth of five metres, the water column and sea ice over an area described as 319,411 km² (as in the notice).
• Estimates federal costs of $14 million over five years (about $3.4 million per year), to be covered from existing budgets.
• Notes enforcement penalties in the Oceans Act (maximum fines cited in the notice).

Who's affected#

• Qikiqtani Inuit Association and Inuit communities near northern Ellesmere Island, who asked for more time to complete local studies and consultations.
• Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Parks Canada, which are leading the work and consultations.
• Residents and Hunters and Trappers Organizations in nearby communities (for example, Arctic Bay, Clyde River, Grise Fiord, Pond Inlet and Resolute Bay were consulted).
• Researchers and national defence operations that already work in the area (these activities may continue).
• Potential future commercial interests (shipping, fisheries, oil and gas) — the notice says there is little current activity and that new industrial activity is unlikely during the five-year window.
• The federal government (which would pay the management, monitoring and enforcement costs).

If something is unclear: the notice describes the exemptions and ongoing activities but does not list every specific permit or licence by name.

Why it matters#

• The area contains long-lasting multi-year sea ice and is viewed as an important refuge for ice-dependent species as the Arctic warms. Keeping the area protected now preserves those habitats while officials, Inuit partners and territorial governments study longer-term options.
• The proposal buys time to explore an Indigenous-led long-term protection approach (an Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area) and to complete community consultations interrupted by the COVID‑19 pandemic.
• It helps Canada meet its marine conservation targets — the notice says the Tuvaijuittuq MPA contributes 5.55% toward those national targets.
• Economically, the notice predicts low immediate costs or lost opportunity because the area is remote, has limited current industry activity, and Canada already blocks new Arctic offshore oil and gas licences via a separate moratorium. The federal cost to manage the MPA is estimated at $14 million over five years.