Today, the Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, and Danny Yakeleya, Chair of the Our Land for the Future Trust, signed a historic grant agreement to launch NWT: Our Land for the Future, one of the largest Indigenous-led land conservation initiatives in the world. Backed by $375 million in new investments, including $300 million from Canada and $75 million from philanthropic partners, NWT: Our Land for the Future will support Indigenous-led stewardship and conservation across some of the world's most intact boreal and tundra ecosystems while creating hundreds of good, culturally meaningful jobs across the territory.
Indigenous partners to NWT: Our Land for the Future aim to conserve and steward up to 380,000 square kilometres of land and inland water, which is nearly 30% of the territory, including the protection and conservation of over 2% of Canada in new terrestrial and freshwater areas. This represents a space almost seven times the size of Nova Scotia.
- Indigenous Guardians, with support for operations, training, recruitment, and career development of Guardians who monitor ecological health, protect cultural sites, and safeguard sensitive areas and species.
- Establishing and stewarding Protected Areas, Conserved Areas, and Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs), both new and existing.
- Climate action, including research, impact assessments, adaptation strategies, and mitigation activities related to climate change.
- Local and regional conservation-based economic developments, such as Indigenous harvesting economies, ecotourism, cultural tourism, traditional arts, and artisanal enterprises will not only contribute to environmental preservation but also provide sustainable economic opportunities for Indigenous communities and the region at large.
This groundbreaking partnership involves 21 Indigenous governments and organizations, the Government of Canada, the Government of the Northwest Territories, and private donors working together to advance Indigenous-led stewardship in the North for the benefit of all Canadians.
Today marks a pivotal moment in our efforts toward climate action and conservation. NWT: Our Land for the Future stands out as one of the largest Indigenous-led land conservation efforts globally, aiming to foster sustainable practices and economic growth throughout the Northwest Territories. This initiative, led and governed by Indigenous peoples, will advance large-scale, long-term conservation, stewardship, and economic development throughout the Northwest Territories. It will generate hundreds of good, culturally meaningful jobs, sustaining Indigenous ways of life for generations to come and drive climate action and resilience. This initiative shows the progress possible through a tailored regional approach, engaging communities to identify important ecological and cultural areas. This not only provides clarity for industries but also streamlines conservation planning and project approvals. Initiatives like this will make it possible to protect these natural spaces for future generations.
