About the West Kitikmeot/Slave Study
Why the WKSS was set up
A great deal of exploration activity has occurred in the Slave Geological Province since the announcement in 1991 that diamonds had been discovered near Lac de Gras (see our map with the area highlighted). Virtually the entire area has been subject to mineral claims since that time.
Aboriginal peoples have deep historical and cultural ties to the WKSS area. It has been a homeland for Dene and Inuit for thousands of years. It sustains wildlife including Bathurst caribou, Grizzly Bear, Muskoxen, wolves, Moose, furbearers, huge populations of migratory birds and significant fish populations.
The high level of diamond exploration activity, coupled with the strong mineral potential for gold and other metals, raised questions about possible effects on the region's environment and peoples. These questions brought attention to the lack of information on the region's development potential, environmental quality, wildlife populations, critical habitats and socio-economic situation.
Key players in the region: governments, aboriginal organizations, environmental groups and industry, recognized that more data was needed, especially relating to possible regional cumulative effects of the many mining projects and related infrastructure developing in the region. They formed a nine member Partnership and developed a Terms of Reference. They designed a five year research program based on the value of including both traditional and scientific knowledge, which they called the West Kitikmeot / Slave Study (WKSS), to provide essential data for decision makers. The Partners set out their vision of sustainable development which respected aboriginal cultural values, encouraged communities to support themselves and provided for protection of the environment, in a Partners' Accord.
The Partners worked out a three-way matching funding agreement where contributions from industry, aboriginal organizations and environmental organizations were matched by both the Federal Government and the Territorial Government. This formula was modified after division of the NWT in 1999 to include Government of Nunavut participation.
What WKSS did 1996-2001
During its initial five-year mandate, the WKSS produced 19 research reports, using both traditional and scientific knowledge, on topics such as caribou and other wildlife, community health, vegetation and water. These reports provided necessary baseline information for the Partners to make informed decisions. During that time, WKSS received 74 proposals for projects or revisions to projects. The Management Board met 18 times over the course of the study to review and approve projects and revisions/extensions of research.
The WKSS Management Board's leadership in setting direction through cooperation of divergent interests and views has set a standard for other Partnerships to aim for.
WKSS did many other things to meet its objectives:
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Developed a holistic Research Framework and set of
Research Questions for guiding its research based on gaps in existing information
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Ensured the accessibility of all research results and data to the public; held public meetings throughout the WKSS area; produced regular updates through wide distribution of newsletters and annual reports; and maintained a website which was visited from around the world (23 countries 30,000 visits per year).
- Established a Forum for the Partners to share their diverse information and perspectives
More details on the ways WKSS met its objectives are in the Assessment of Progress section of the Final Report 1996-2001
Structure
The West Kitikmeot Slave Study Society was made up of nine founding Partners representing organizations and agencies with a legitimate vested interest in the WKSS area (see map). Each Partner had a seat on the Society's Management Board. In three cases, single Partner seats were shared by related groups: Inuit Organizations made up one Partner together, Nunavut Co Management Organizations formed a second, and Environmental Organizations worked together as a third Partner. The Government of Nunavut, which was formed after WKSS was set up, joined the partnership in July 2000. Follow the Partners link for descriptions and contact information.
In addition to the Management Board there were two main working committees: the Traditional Knowledge Steering Committee and the Project Steering Committee.
The Study office had three staff responsible for administering projects and communicating results to Partner organizations, local communities and other interested individuals and organizations.
More information on the structure and role of the Board and its Committees is in the Final Report 1996-2001 under the sections on Management Board, Introduction and The Study.
History
The formation of WKSS was announced on December 9th, 1994 in a joint statement by the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Government of Canada and the Minister of Renewable Resources (now Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development), Government of the Northwest Territories. They were concerned about increased development activity in the West Kitikmeot/Slave Study area and the lack of adequate information. They emphasized the need for baseline data for determining changes and trends in such fields as:
- possible cumulative effects of the variety of existing and potential mining and related infrastructure developments
WKSS was initiated to provide an information base to support sound resource management decisions and to examine the short term and long term effects of development.
A Partners' workshop was held in Cambridge Bay in September, 1995. It was attended by representatives of groups and agencies with a vested interest in the West Kitikmeot/Slave Study area ( the Slave Geological province and adjacent areas and communities (see map). This workshop led to the formation of the WKSS Management Board. A Partners' Accord was formally signed on December 14th, 1995. The Study officially began on April 1st, 1996 for an expected initial term of five years. The Government of Nunavut, which had not been formed at the time WKSS started, joined the WKSS partnership on July 28, 2000.
After WKSS' Initial 5-Year Mandate
The Partners began thinking about the wind up of WKSS in 1998. By 1999 they felt there would be a need to continue and expand the research with a stronger focus on ongoing monitoring of the effects of development. In March 2000 they held a workshop on the future of WKSS research that included a broader range of possible Partners and looked at future directions for research and monitoring.
Since 1999 other initiatives have been set up to discuss a number of different programs and organizations related to the research done by WKSS:
ways to set up a regional monitoring agency in the Slave Geological Province area (roughly the same area as the WKSS area)
ways to implement cumulative effects monitoring in the NWT under the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act
ways to set up a Cumulative Effects Assessment and Management Framework in the NWT
The WKSS Partners agreed that any plan for extending research in the WKSS area must fit directly with these other discussions, and with ongoing efforts to implement a Nunavut General Monitoring Program.
In 2001-2002, WKSS developed an interim plan for cumulative effect research and monitoring in the Slave Geological Province. Since that time, WKSS has continued to fund several key projects during the interim period, until regional monitoring systems are in place. Recently, WKSS updated its research priorities.
West Kitikmeot/Slave Study Project Overview