Reduce your impact on NWT species at risk

Development projects in the Northwest Territories (NWT) must consider potential impacts to species at risk and their habitat as part of the environmental assessment process and when applying for permits and licences.

On This Page

  1. Which species at risk are in my project area
  2. How to avoid or minimize potential impacts
  3. Regulations and Permits
  4. Critical habitat
  5. Caribou range planning
  6. Report observations
  7. Resources
  8. Contact

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Which species at risk are in my project area

Developers can use the NWT Species and Habitat Viewer to explore spatial data on species, ecosystems and habitats in the NWT and identify the species at risk that occur within their area of interest. Reports generated through the viewer can provide:

  • species lists
  • range maps
  • federal and territorial species status
  • lead government agency responsible for the species
  • identified critical habitat (federal) or designated habitat (territorial)
  • information about caribou habitat and range plans

For a current list of all species at risk in the NWT, see Our Species at Risk. Click on the species name to get information about the species, including a map of where the species is known to occur in the NWT.

Some species that are assessed but not currently listed may become listed within the timeframe of your project. It is best practice to consider these species as though they were listed and identify ways to avoid or minimize potential impacts.

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How to avoid or minimize potential impacts

Mitigating and monitoring measures will depend on the species and its sensitivity to different kinds of activities. It will also depend on the size and expected impact of the development.

The Government of the Northwest Territories considers it a best practice for all developers to develop a Wildlife Management and Monitoring Plan (WMMP) for their project. A WMMP allows developers to demonstrate how they will mitigate the impacts of their project, remain in compliance with regulatory requirements and address public concern.

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Regulations and Permits

Regulations may be put in place to protect the species or its habitat. Under the Species at Risk (NWT) Act, these regulations are developed on a species-by-species basis anytime after assessment, following the appropriate consultation. Visit our page on Regulations and Permits for current regulations or agreements with land owners under the Species at Risk (NWT) Act.

Every year, the NWT Minister of Environment and Climate Change publishes a report on any agreements, orders, permits and exemptions made under the Species at Risk (NWT) Act. These reports can be found here.

Under the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA), some protective regulations come into force automatically as soon as the species is listed. For more detailed information about how SARA applies on private land and what you can do to ensure you comply with the requirements of SARA, please read SARA and You: Information for Private Landowners.

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Critical habitat

Where critical habitat has been identified for Endangered or Threatened species under the federal Species at Risk Act, it must be protected from destruction. For guidance on activities likely to result in the destruction of critical habitat, refer to the national recovery strategy for the individual species on the on the federal Species at Risk Public Registry.

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Caribou range planning

Range planning is underway for several populations of caribou in the NWT, including boreal caribou and barren-ground caribou (Bathurst herd).

Range plans can help stabilize and recover caribou populations through careful management of human activity across the caribou range. They also provide clarity on land use and access for developers, regulators and residents of the NWT.

Developers can use the NWT Species and Habitat Viewer to explore spatial data on caribou habitat and range plans, and help determine how a proposed development may contribute to new habitat disturbance.

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Report observations

Developers are encouraged to submit data on wildlife sightings and other wildlife monitoring to ECC’s Wildlife Management Information System (WMIS). Contact WMISTeam@gov.nt.ca to discuss the best way to submit your data.

For sightings of NWT species at risk, you can also contact WildlifeObs@gov.nt.ca. Report migratory bird observations to www.ebird.org or the Canadian Wildlife Service’s NWT-NU Checklist.

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Resources

For a full list of online resources for species at risk click here.

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Contact

Species at risk in the NWT

Species at risk in Canada

Wildlife management and monitoring plans in the NWT

Environmental impact assessments in the NWT

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