Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area Re-established

Summary#

Order No. 2 Designating the Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area is a federal order under the Oceans Act that re-establishes protection for the waters off northern Ellesmere Island. It replaces a 2019 order and temporarily freezes new damaging activities in the area while the government and Inuit partners work on a long‑term plan.

What it does#

• Designates the Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area, covering 319,411 km2 of sea off northern Ellesmere Island (from the low‑water mark to the edge of Canada’s Exclusive Economic Zone).
• Repeals the earlier 2019 designation and replaces it with this new order.
• Freezes the footprint of ongoing human activities for five years (effective on registration, July 24, 2024, and extending up to 2029) so no new activities that would harm the area are allowed while planning continues.
• Allows a short list of activities to continue:
  • national defence activities by the Department of National Defence;
  • marine scientific research;
  • marine navigation by foreign nationals, foreign ships or foreign states;
  • laying, maintenance and repair of cables and pipelines by a foreign state.
• Does not affect Inuit wildlife harvesting rights protected by the Nunavut Agreement.

Who's affected#

• Qikiqtani Inuit Association and the five nearby Inuit communities (for example, Arctic Bay, Clyde River, Grise Fiord, Pond Inlet, Resolute Bay) — because consultations and any future Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA) work involve them.
• The Government of Nunavut and other northern co‑management bodies involved in planning and consultation.
• Researchers doing Arctic marine science — permitted activities can continue.
• Military operations in the area — allowed as ongoing activities.
• Commercial interests that might seek future access (shipping, tourism, oil and gas exploration) — the order limits new potentially harmful activities, though current foreign navigation and certain cable/pipeline work remain exempt.
• The federal government, which will fund management and enforcement costs.

Why it matters#

• Tuvaijuittuq contains persistent multi‑year pack ice and under‑ice habitats. Protecting it helps ice‑dependent species and provides a likely long‑term refuge as Arctic sea ice declines with climate change.
• The order is temporary but important. It buys time for more research, community consultations, and the possible creation of an Inuit Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA) or other long‑term protection.
• It contributes 5.55% toward Canada’s marine conservation targets and supports national commitments to protect more land and water by 2025 and 2030.
• The federal government estimates management and research costs of $14 million over five years (about $3.4 million per year). Enforcement penalties for violations can be up to $8,000,000 (summary) or $12,000,000 (indictable).
• Because the area is remote and usually ice‑covered, current commercial activity there is minimal. The order mainly prevents new pressures as the Arctic becomes more accessible.