An Analysis of Land and Resource Management Devolution in the Northwest Territories ... : Is evolution needed prior to effective devolution? ...

• Main Author: McLauchlan, Sydney
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: Faculty of Graduate Studies 2015
• Subjects: Canada; Northwest Territories
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.11575/prism/30150; https://prism.ucalgary.ca/handle/1880/51643

On April 1st 2014 in the most recent round of Devolution, the Federal Crown transferred jurisdictional responsibility, management and decision-making power to the government of the Northwest Territories (NWT). Under this Devolution, the NWT now controls its onshore public lands, water and natural resources. This is a significant moment in the Territory’s history, analogous in some respects to the grant of provincehood to Alberta and Saskatchewan in 1905. This transfer gives the NWT greater financial and political autonomy and new access to revenues through royalty payments. Ultimately, the Territory is given the potential to become a “have jurisdiction” in Canada, instead of a “handout”. In anticipation of future resource development, this paper identifies and analyzes challenges that create barriers to oil and gas development, and provides recommendations to inform future policymakers. Although there has been a major initiative by the Federal Government in recent years to promote prosperity and autonomy in ...