Resources / Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR)

Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR)

A region protected by statute

The Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR) represents a protected geographical expanse in Canada, meticulously outlined by the terms of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement (IFA). In 1984, this pivotal agreement was painstakingly negotiated and formally endorsed by both the Government of Canada and the Inuvialuit community.

Encompassing the northernmost sector of Yukon, the northwestern reaches of the Northwest Territories, the sprawling Mackenzie River Delta, and the vast expanse of the Beaufort Sea, the ISR blankets more than 90,000 square kilometers of pristine land. As of Canada’s 2016 census, the ISR was home to a population of 5,336 residents, with 3,110 belonging to the Inuvialuit ethnicity.

The stewardship of the ISR is vested in the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, whose board comprises representatives from each of the region’s six vibrant communities: Aklavik, Inuvik, Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour, Tuktoyaktuk, and Ulukhaktok. Additionally, this remarkable region houses three of Canada’s cherished national parks.

Specific protections

Specifically, the IFA establishes stringent environmental safeguards for a designated area within the ISR known as the Eastern Portion of the Yukon North Slope. This encompasses the watershed area sloping toward the Beaufort Sea, sandwiched between the Babbage River to the west and the Northwest Territories to the east, alongside the contiguous Beaufort Sea waters and islands. Notably, areas west of the Babbage River on the Yukon North Slope are protected as parklands.

These unique protective measures are diligently instituted to preserve the existing wildlife, natural habitats, and traditional indigenous practices. In the event of any development project within the ISR causing harm, the IFA precisely stipulates procedures for wildlife and habitat restoration while also ensuring compensation for Inuvialuit harvesters who may incur losses in their subsistence or commercial harvesting activities.

An agreement that encourages engagement

The IFA, a groundbreaking accord, obliges the Inuvialuit to relinquish exclusive use of their ancestral lands, as articulated in a summary of the IFA. In return, the Government of Canada endows them with certain guaranteed rights encompassing land allocation, wildlife management, and financial support.

The multifaceted objectives of the IFA encompass the preservation of Inuvialuit cultural heritage and values while empowering them to assume equal and meaningful roles in both the northern and national economy and society.

Crucially, the Inuvialuit community actively participates in the scrutiny and oversight of any developmental undertakings occurring within the ISR, ensuring that the region’s delicate balance of ecological and cultural elements remains intact.