Mackenzie Valley Screening and Exemptions Update

Summary#

This notice describes proposed amendments to the Preliminary Screening Requirement Regulations and the Exemption List Regulations under the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act. If adopted, the changes would update which permits and activities in the Mackenzie Valley need a preliminary environmental screening and which small projects are exempt. The Canada Gazette published the proposal on June 24, 2023 and it is open for comment for 30 days.

What it does#

• Updates many out-of-date legal references so the regulations match newer federal and territorial laws.
• Replaces schedules in the Preliminary Screening Requirement Regulations to correct and modernize the listed permissions that trigger a screening.
• Adds a definition for Northwest Territories territorial park in the Exemption List Regulations and includes those parks among places where some activities do not need a preliminary screening.
• Changes several specific exemptions so fewer small projects require screening, for example:
  • Sidewalks, boardwalks and parking lots: now cover construction, repair or maintenance of a lot with capacity of 30 or fewer automobiles, carried out farther than 30 m from a water body (previously smaller limits).
  • Signs: construction or modification of a sign whose surface area is 25 m2 or less.
  • Small physical works: items with footprint under 25 m2 and height under 5 m (with limits on waste and hazardous materials).
• Removes or repeals some items in Schedule 2 and adds clarifications about repairs, renewals and small modifications in parks and protected sites.
• Notes changes made during consultation, including removal of a proposed exemption for certain radioactive devices after Indigenous groups raised concerns.
• Says the amendments would come into force on the day they are registered (if the proposal becomes final).

Who's affected#

• Project proponents and developers doing work in the Mackenzie Valley (Northwest Territories)—especially those doing small construction, repairs or installing signs or minor works.
• Federal and territorial regulators who issue permits, licences or authorizations referenced by these regulations.
• Indigenous governments and co‑management boards in the Mackenzie Valley region that take part in land and environmental decisions (they were consulted).
• Park managers in national parks and Northwest Territories territorial parks, since some park-based activities would be explicitly exempted from screening.
• Local communities and people who care about environmental review in the region—whether they will see fewer screenings or faster approvals for small projects.

Why it matters#

• The main practical effect is modernization: the rules would reflect current federal and territorial laws so there is less confusion about which permits trigger an environmental screening.
• More small, low‑risk projects could avoid preliminary screening (for example, small parking lots, repairs, and small signs). That can speed up work and lower administrative burden for proponents.
• At the same time, exempting more activities could reduce the number of early environmental reviews that might otherwise spot local concerns. Indigenous groups and other stakeholders were consulted; some proposed exemptions were removed after concerns.
• The proposal says it would not add costs for project developers and that no new government costs are expected.
• This is a proposal, not final law: comments were invited for 30 days after the Canada Gazette notice of June 24, 2023.