Backgrounder - Government Of Canada Supports Gwich’In Measures To Attract Petroleum Industry Bids

CanNor investment: $125,000
Government of Northwest Territories investment: $15,000
Gwich’in Tribal Council investment: $10,000

The Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor), on behalf of the Government of Canada, invested a total of $125,000 to the Gwich’in Tribal Council (GTC) to support the second phase of a newly adopted rights issuance model. This phase includes the development of an industry-attractive call for bids to the petroleum industry.

The GTC is the Aboriginal organization established to administer the Gwich’in Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement. It represents Gwich’in members in the Mackenzie Delta region of the Northwest Territories and throughout Canada.

The GTC owns the rights to a number of sub-surface lands and recently adopted a rights issuance model to allow the petroleum industry to administer geological analysis in a way that best serves the interests of Gwich’in members.

As part of the second phase of this initiative, the GTC is undertaking the development of the geology, marketing and legal tools needed to support a call for bids for petroleum rights issuance on its lands.

Specifically, CanNor’s investment will enable the GTC to:

• Undertake a geological analysis of GTC-owned subsurface lands
• Develop legal documents required to carry out successful petroleum rights issuance
• Develop a community consultation template
• Host two seminars in Calgary to present the findings of the geological analysis and the GTC’s petroleum rights issuance model

Strategic Investments in Northern Economic Development (SINED)

Funding for this project was provided through the Strategic Investments in Northern Economic Development (SINED) program, part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan. SINED is delivered by CanNor in the three territories.