Northwest Territories Indigenous-Led Conservation Fund Establishment Act

Summary#

This bill creates a new not‑for‑profit trust called the Our Land for the Future Trust. The trust will hold, invest, and distribute money for Indigenous‑led conservation in the Northwest Territories. The main goal is to provide long‑term, reliable funding for protected areas and other conservation work led by Indigenous governments and organizations.

Key changes:

• Establishes the Our Land for the Future Trust as a separate, not‑for‑profit body.
• Directs the trust to fund “core activities” (defined in the Our Land for the Future Agreement) carried out by eligible Indigenous partners that signed the Agreement.
• Requires that any funds given to an Indigenous partner benefit the partner’s whole community.
• Sets up annual independent audits and public financial statements using Canadian public sector accounting standards, plus a public annual report.
• Requires the Minister to publish the Agreement (and any changes) online and to table the audited statements and annual report in the Legislative Assembly each year.
• Allows the government to make rules about how the trust accepts contributions and manages, invests, and disburses funds.
• States the trust is not an agent of the Government of the Northwest Territories or any other partner.
• Section 4 (which legally creates the trust) takes effect on assent; other parts start later by order.

What it means for you#

• Indigenous governments and organizations that signed the Agreement

  • Can receive funding from the trust for agreed “core activities” tied to Indigenous‑led conservation.
  • Funding decisions will follow the governance set out in the Agreement (Partners Table, Governance Committee, Financial Committee).
  • Projects funded must benefit the whole community, not only individuals or a narrow group.

• Residents and communities in the NWT

  • You could see more Indigenous‑led conservation projects and protected areas if funding flows as intended.
  • There will be yearly public reporting on how funds are used.

• Government of the Northwest Territories

  • The Minister must table the trust’s audited financial statements and public annual report each year and post the Agreement online.
  • Cabinet may make rules about contributions, investment, and disbursement of funds.
  • The Act must be applied in a way consistent with section 35 Aboriginal and treaty rights (including the duty to consult).

• Funders (such as the Government of Canada and philanthropic donors)

  • There will be a formal trust that can accept contributions, with independent audits and public reporting.

Note: The Agreement defines many key terms and processes (such as “core activities,” eligibility, and committee roles). Those details are not in this Act.

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

• The Act does not identify a specific funding amount or a territorial budget commitment.
• The trust will need resources for administration and annual audits; these would likely be paid from contributions to the trust.
• The Minister’s duties to table reports and publish the Agreement may create some administrative costs for government, but no estimate is provided.

Proponents' View#

• The bill appears intended to provide stable, long‑term funding for Indigenous‑led conservation and protected areas in the NWT.
• It could strengthen Indigenous self‑determination by giving Indigenous partners a central role in setting priorities and using funds, consistent with UNDRIP principles and section 35 rights.
• Requiring that funded activities benefit whole communities may promote broad, community‑wide outcomes.
• Annual audits, public financial statements, and a public annual report could improve transparency and public trust.
• Publishing the Agreement and tabling periodic review reports could support accountability and learning over time.

Opponents' View#

• One concern is that many core details (who is eligible, what counts as “core activities,” how decisions are made) sit in the external Agreement, not in the Act, making it hard to judge impacts from the law alone.
• It is unclear how Indigenous governments or organizations that are not signatories to the Agreement would participate or access funding.
• Requiring that disbursements benefit the whole community may limit targeted or pilot projects that help specific groups or needs.
• Although the trust is described as Indigenous‑led and not a government agent, Cabinet can still make rules about contributions, investments, and disbursements; this may raise questions about independence.
• Oversight is mainly through audits and public reports; it is unclear what remedies exist if governance or spending problems arise.
• Most sections take effect on a later date set by order, so the timing for full implementation is uncertain.