Proposed Edéhzhíe National Wildlife Area

Summary#

This is a proposed regulation that would add the Edéhzhíe area in the Northwest Territories to the list of national wildlife areas under the Wildlife Area Regulations. If adopted, it would give the area formal protection under Canadian law and let authorities issue monetary penalties for unauthorized entry by adding it to the Environmental Violations Administrative Monetary Penalties Regulations. The Canada Gazette notice was published on March 6, 2021, and there is a 30 days comment period from that publication.

What it does#

• Creates the Edéhzhíe National Wildlife Area by adding it to Schedule I of the Wildlife Area Regulations. The protected parcel is about 14,218 square kilometres and follows the boundaries already used in the local Dehcho designation.
• Makes most entry and many activities inside the area prohibited unless a person has a permit under the Wildlife Area Regulations. Examples of activities that would need authorization include hunting, fishing, camping, large group gatherings, operating vehicles (other than aircraft in limited ways), dumping waste, and industrial activity.
• Allows people who are exercising constitutionally protected Indigenous harvesting rights (section 35 rights) in a way that follows Dehcho law to enter and carry out their activities without a Canadian permit, as set out in the Edéhzhíe Establishment Agreement (signed October 11, 2018).
• Adds Edéhzhíe to the enforcement schedule of the Environmental Violations Administrative Monetary Penalties Regulations, so authorities could impose administrative monetary penalties if someone enters without permission.
• Describes co-management arrangements: the federal government (led by Environment and Climate Change Canada) and the Dehcho First Nations would jointly manage the area, with input from the Government of the Northwest Territories.

Who's affected#

• Dehcho First Nations — they are co-managers and retain Indigenous harvesting rights protected by the agreement; their existing cultural and land uses are not meant to be restricted when consistent with Dehcho law.
• Local residents and visitors near Wrigley, Fort Simpson, Jean-Marie River, Fort Providence, Whatì and Behchokö — recreational users and potential tourists would need permits for many activities inside the NWA.
• Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Dehcho Guardians (local stewardship staff) — they would run management, monitoring and enforcement.
• Industries: the notice says the mining and oil and gas sectors are not expected to be affected because there are no active operations inside the boundary. The small business lens was judged not to apply.
• If an environmental assessment is later required under the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act, the proposal could be paused; the notice says this screening was underway and the local governments prefer no referral to a review board.

Why it matters#

• Gives the Edéhzhíe area a clear, enforceable layer of federal protection for wildlife and habitat, on top of the existing Dehcho legal protections. That helps conserve species such as boreal woodland caribou and wood bison and important migratory-bird habitat at Mills Lake.
• Creates enforcement tools (including fines) that can be used if people enter or carry out prohibited activities without a permit. The proposal would add Edéhzhíe to the federal list of areas subject to administrative monetary penalties.
• Supports local co-management and can provide more predictable funding and work for local stewardship, including the Dehcho Guardians program.
• Has a cost to the federal government for running the NWA: about $210,000 per year for management, about $202,000 per year for enforcement, a one-time $25,000 for outreach materials, a first-year total of about $437,000, and a present value of roughly $4,000,000 over 10 years (all in 2019 dollars).
• This is a proposal (Part I of the Canada Gazette). It is not law yet. The notice invites comments during the 30 days after publication.