Road to improvement: 'The review of the regulatory systems across the North'
Dates
Year
2008
Citation
McCrank, Neil, 2008, Road to improvement: 'The review of the regulatory systems across the North': Indiana and Northern Affairs Canada: Ottowa, p. 1-140.
Summary
Executive Summary: ... In response to criticisms of the northern regulatory regimes, in particular that of the Northwest Territories, and to calls for change, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) developed the Northern Regulatory Improvement Initiative. The Northern Regulatory Improvement Initiative has a two-fold approach, focussing on both concrete, operational-level improvements to areas of federal responsibility, while building a longer-term regulatory improvement agenda. The longer-term approach included a detailed examination of the current regulatory systems for non-renewable resources in Northern Canada and a process to make improvements. This report is in response to the Cabinet Directive and the Northern Regulatory Improvement [...]
Summary
Executive Summary: ... In response to criticisms of the northern regulatory regimes, in particular that of the Northwest Territories, and to calls for change, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) developed the Northern Regulatory Improvement Initiative. The Northern Regulatory Improvement Initiative has a two-fold approach, focussing on both concrete, operational-level improvements to areas of federal responsibility, while building a longer-term regulatory improvement agenda. The longer-term approach included a detailed examination of the current regulatory systems for non-renewable resources in Northern Canada and a process to make improvements. This report is in response to the Cabinet Directive and the Northern Regulatory Improvement Initiative. It is timely that this review should occur as there is an increased focus of attention on Northern Canada, its people and resources. It has become evident that there are significant renewable and non-renewable resources in northern Canada (North of 60). It is also very clear that the people in the North want and deserve to have the ability to co-manage the development of these resources with government. All interested parties have committed to the orderly and responsible management of these resources. The regulatory system(s) in the North were developed to ensure this orderly and responsible management. They were created from the settlement of the comprehensive land claim agreements in the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Many regulatory bodies in the Northwest Territories have been established based on these agreements, as has the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act. Almost all regulatory bodies are at some point the subject of criticism. After all, the recommendations and decisions they make are not always popular with all parties. These criticisms are usually addressed by a better understanding of the issues or improvements to the process and system. The northern regulatory systems are no exception to this rule. In the North, there are process and system improvements that can be made to address much of this kind of criticism. Twenty two (22) such recommendations for improvement are made in this report. However, some of the concerns call into question the very structure of the regulatory system. The complexity and the capacity of the regulatory system in the Northwest Territories was examined to determine if these issues could be addressed in the absence of a fundamental restructuring, which ultimately did not prove possible. This report recommends two (2) options to restructure that basically amalgamate the land use permitting and water licensing functions under a single board for the Mackenzie Valley. This would address the complexity and capacity issues by making more efficient use of expenditures and administrative resources, and would achieve more understandable and consistent practices. If these recommendations on restructuring and improvements are implemented, the regulatory systems in the North will be able to ensure orderly and responsible development of its resource (author)
