MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING TO ADVANCE A PROPOSED INDIGENOUS PROTECTED AREA UNDER THE CANADA NATIONAL MARINE CONSERVATION AREAS ACT OFFSHORE TORNGAT MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK (LABRADOR)

The Government of Canada is committed to protecting and conserving Canada’s oceans for future generations by investing in nature-based solutions such as marine protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures.

In September 2017, Canada and the Nunatsiavut Government signed a “Statement of Intent Concerning a Labrador Inuit and Government of Canada Partnership in Development of the Nunatsiavut Government’s Imappivut Marine Plan Encompassing the Co-Management of Marine Areas of the Labrador Sea” to advance marine planning and marine protected areas while providing benefits to Labrador Inuit and ensuring their rights under the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement are protected.

Following this event, in September 2019, Canada and the Nunatsiavut Government announced the launch of a feasibility assessment to consider the establishment of an Indigenous protected area under the Canada National Marine Conservation Areas Act adjacent to the Torngat Mountains National Park.

The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Canada and the Nunatsiavut Government confirms the commitment of the two governments to advance the feasibility assessment. This process is a critical step toward meeting the goals of the Imappivut Marine Planning Initiative, which ensures the rights of Labrador Inuit are maintained while working to continue to conserve and protect parts of Nunatsiavut’s waters, grounded in the foundation of Inuit knowledge and priorities of Labrador Inuit.

Description of the Region

The study area for the proposed Indigenous protected area under the Canada National Marine Conservation Areas Act is 14,906 square kilometres, and is located adjacent to Torngat Mountains National Park in northern Labrador.

This region represents a transition between Arctic and Atlantic habitats and communities ranging from highly scenic fjords, to long coastlines and mudflats. The area encompasses a concentration of marine mammal species, including various species at risk, and important concentrations of breeding and migrating seabirds and waterfowl.

The Nunatsiavut Government has developed and promoted its Imappivut (Our Oceans): A Nunatsiavut Marine Plan Initiative for the purpose of protecting and managing Labrador Inuit interests and traditional usage of the coastal and marine areas of Labrador.

National Marine Conservation Areas

Canada has over 243,000 km of coastline along three oceans and another 9,500 km along the Great Lakes - the longest coastline in the world. The vast marine ecosystems off these coasts are varied, productive, and precious. As a maritime nation, whose geography, culture and history have been shaped by this marine legacy, Canada has a responsibility to protect examples of this marine heritage for present and future generations.

National marine conservation areas (NMCAs) are established and managed to protect representative examples of marine regions in Canada for the benefit, education and enjoyment of Canadians and the world.

Activities such as the harvesting of renewable resources, including fishing (except for bottom trawling) and hunting, commercial shipping, marine transportation and a range of recreation and tourism activities are permitted in a national marine conservation area, if the activity does not impair the long-term health of the ecosystem.

Under the Canada National Marine Conservation Areas Act and the Parks Canada Agency Act, Parks Canada’s goal is to establish a system of national marine conservation areas to protect and conserve representative examples of each of Canada’s 29 unique marine regions. The proposed study area includes the Labrador Shelf Marine Region which is currently unrepresented in the plan. This study area has been identified as being among the best candidates to represent this marine region.

Feasibility Assessment

The feasibility assessment will be guided by Inuit knowledge and science that has been collected and documented in the Nunatsiavut region in partnership with the Nunatsiavut Government as part of the Imappivut Marine Planning Initiative. The feasibility assessment will include extensive consultation on the proposal area and is designed to help determine whether establishing an Indigenous protected area is both practical and desirable. The feasibility assessment provides the opportunity for rights holders, partners, stakeholders and the Canadian public to contribute information and share knowledge and expertise.

The result of the feasibility assessment will inform future decisions about whether the proposal will continue and under what terms and conditions, including proposed boundaries. If the feasibility assessment process demonstrates support for an Indigenous protected area, the required establishment agreements will be negotiated to set out the terms and conditions under which the Indigenous protected area will be established and managed.

A formal committee with representation from the Nunatsiavut Government and the Government of Canada (Parks Canada), signatories to the MOU, has been established and is responsible for directing the feasibility assessment until it is concluded with a decision by each party whether to accept the recommendations of the steering committee.

Next Steps

Following the signing of the MOU, the next step is to finalize a work plan to ensure that adequate studies and community and stakeholder engagements are undertaken to assess the socio-economic, cultural, environmental and ecosystem benefits and impacts of establishing an Indigenous protected area in northern Labrador.

The Government of Canada and the Nunatsiavut Government will engage with Makivik Corporation, representing Nunavik Inuit, and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and will keep all parties informed during the feasibility assessment.

                                                                                           -30-

*High demand in translation due to COVID-19 has delayed the rendition of this document in Inuttitut Roman Orthography. The translated version will be made available as quickly as possible.