Ms. Stephanie Briscoe
Executive Director
Nunavut Impact Review Board
P.O. Box 2379
Cambridge Bay, NU
X0B 0C0
September 9, 2004
Dear Ms. Briscoe:
RE: Bathurst Inlet Port and Road Project – September 2004
Further to the public scoping meetings that were held in June 2004 to obtain comments on
the proposed scope of the Bathurst Inlet Port and Road project, the Parks Canada Agency of the
Department of Environment is providing the following information to clarify its mandate and
interests with respect to the project.
As noted in earlier correspondence, Parks Canada’s areas of expertise and mandate are
related to heritage resources; historical, archaeological (including underwater archaeology), and
architectural resources; and to the management of protected areas in Nunavut, the Northwest
Territories and the Yukon Territory, which include national parks, national historic sites, national
marine conservation areas and Canadian Heritage Rivers. Additional information on the
protected areas within our jurisdiction follow:
1. National Parks
National parks are representative natural areas of Canadian significance. The national parks are
protected under the Canada National Parks Act and its regulations for public understanding,
appreciation and enjoyment, while being maintained in an unimpaired state for future generations.
The national parks of Nunavut, the Northwest Territories and the Yukon Territory protect
terrestrial, aquatic and marine ecosystems. The following national parks are located in Nunavut,
the Northwest Territories and the Yukon Territory:
Nunavut




Auyuittuq National Park of Canada
Quttinirpaaq (Ellesmere Island) National Park of Canada
Sirmilik National Park of Canada
Ukkusiksalik National Park of Canada
Northwest Territories
 Aulavik National Park of Canada
 Nahanni National Park Reserve of Canada
 Tuktut Nogait National Park of Canada
 Wood Buffalo National Park of Canada
Yukon Territory
 Ivvavik National Park of Canada
 Kluane National Park and Reserve of Canada
 Vuntut National Park of Canada.
2. National Historic Park
The Pingo Canadian Landmark is currently designated as a national historic park, but will be
changed soon to a national historic site under the Canada National Parks Act National Historic
Sites of Canada Order. This change was pre-published in Part 1 of Canada Gazette on March 27,
2004. Final approval and publishing in Part II of the Canada Gazette is anticipated when Cabinet
returns. With the change, the provisions of subsection 8(1), section 12, subsections 16(1) to (3),
sections 17 to 23, subsections 24(2) and (3) and sections 25 to 32 of the Canada National Parks
Act will apply to the Pingo Canadian Landmark.
3. Sites of National Historic Significance
Other than the Pingo Canadian Landmark, there are no national historic sites administered by
Parks Canada in the Northwest Territories or in Nunavut. Canada does however have a program
of historical commemoration under the Historic Sites and Monuments Act that recognizes
nationally significant places, persons, events and other aspects of Canadian history. The Minister
may, by means of plaques or other signs or in any other suitable manner mark or otherwise
commemorate historic places and make agreements with any persons for marking or
commemorating historic places pursuant to this Act and for the care and preservation of any
places so marked or commemorated. The Parks Canada Agency does provide advice and
support to these historic places. The following is a list of sites designated of national historic
significance in both the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, and a designated historic event in the
Yukon Territory:
Sites of Significance in the Northwest Territories Not Administered by
Parks Canada
Church of Our Lady of Good Hope, Fort Good Hope, Northwest Territories
Déline Fishery / Franklin's Fort, Déline, Northwest Territories
Ehdaa, Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories
Fort McPherson, Fort McPherson, Northwest Territories
Fort Reliance, Reliance, Northwest Territories
Fort Resolution, Fort Resolution, Northwest Territories
Fort Simpson, Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories
Grizzly Bear Mountain and Scented Grass Hills, Grizzly Bear Mountain
and Scented Grass Hills, Northwest Territories
Hay River Mission Sites, Hay River Indian Reserve, Northwest Territories
Kittigazuit Archaeological Sites, Kittigazuit, Northwest Territories
Nagwichoonjik (Mackenzie River), Tsiigehtchic, Northwest Territories
Parry's Rock Wintering Site, Winter Harbour, Melville Island, Northwest
Territories
Sites of Significance in Nunavut Not Administered by Parks Canada
Arvia'juaq and Qikiqtaarjuk, Qikiqtarjuac, Sentry Island, Nunavut
Beechey Island Sites, Beechey Island, Nunavut
Blacklead Island Whaling Station, Blacklead Island, Nunavut
Bloody Falls, Kugluktuk, Nunavut
Erebus and Terror, Erebus Bay, King William Island, Nunavut
Fall Caribou Crossing, Kazan River / Baker Lake, Nunavut
Igloolik Island Archaeological Sites, Igloolik Island, Nunavut
Inuksuk, Enukso Point, Nunavut
Kekerten Island Whaling Station, Kekerten Island, Nunavut
Kodlunarn Island, Kodlunarn Island, Frobisher Bay, Nunavut
Port Refuge, Port Refuge, Devon Island, Nunavut
Event of Significance in Yukon Territory
Herschel Island Historical Event, Herschel Island, Yukon Territory
4. Canadian Heritage Rivers
The Canadian Heritage Rivers System (CHRS) was established in 1984 by the federal, provincial
and territorial governments to conserve and protect the best examples of Canada’s river heritage,
to give them national recognition, and to encourage the public to enjoy and appreciate them. It is
a cooperative program of the governments of Canada, all 10 provinces, and the three territories.
A Board, which includes participation by Parks Canada, works to develop a management plan, or
heritage strategy, to ensure the river will be managed to conserve its outstanding natural, cultural
and/or recreational values. Following is a listing of the rivers that have been designated as
heritage rivers in the area of interest:
Nunavut


Soper River
Coppermine River (nominated)
Northwest Territories
 Arctic Red River
Yukon Territory
 Bonnet Plume River
Parks Canada Concerns with Respect to the Project /
Recommended Scope of Project/Scope of Assessment
1. Although the project lies entirely within the Kitikmeot region of Nunavut, activities associated
with the Bathurst Inlet Port Proposal, including marine traffic for the delivery of fuel and bulk
cargo and for shipping of base metal concentrates, as well as road development, will
undoubtedly be key to opening up the Central Arctic to increased levels of mining and other
human activity in years to come. These activities have the potential to adversely impact on
the ecological integrity of protected areas managed by Parks Canada listed above. Although
the scope of the project as presently described is limited to the construction and operation of
the Bathurst Inlet Port and Road project, the scope of the assessment should include the
cumulative effects of the project combined with past projects and future projects and activities
which will occur in the area. The cumulative effects assessment should include the imminent
development of the Izok mine and its associated road access, and the potential for increased
traffic along shipping lanes from both eastern and western approaches.
Although not contained within the scope of the present submission, analysis of the cumulative
impacts on the development of this port and road system and the future westward expansion
of roads and subsequent mining operations towards the boundaries of Tuktut Nogait National
Park also needs to be undertaken. Tuktut Nogait National Park is located west of the
proposed development area. The park protects the important calving grounds for the
Bluenose West caribou herd that numbers approximately 75,000 adults. This co-operatively
managed herd is important to Inuit and Dene subsistence harvesters from Nunavut and the
Northwest Territories.
2. Eastern shipping routes have the potential to impact on the national parks in Nunavut,
specifically Sirmilik National Park and Auyuittuq National Park. Sirmilik National Park at the
north end of Baffin Island contains near-shore marine components within its boundaries.
Shipping activity could pose a threat to sensitive arctic marine environments contained within
the national park as well as to those of the greater marine system. The accidental release of
petroleum products in the northern marine environment has the potential to create significant
adverse effects to both marine and terrestrial ecosystems. There are limited, if any,
infrastructure / emergency facilities to deal with spills.
3.
Although the current proposal discusses eastern shipping routes only, the opening of the
port will inevitably lead to the eventual opening of western shipping routes. This would result
in increased traffic along the coastline of Ivvavik National Park, which also contains nearshore marine components within its boundaries. As discussed above, shipping activity could
pose a threat to both marine and terrestrial ecosystems in an area where infrastructure /
emergency facilities to deal with spills are limited or non-existing. This activity could also
result in impacts to the Coppermine River estuary.
4. The proposed pit and quarry locations are potential sites for heritage resources. With the
number of proposed sites for gravel and rock extraction, and the associated high potential for
human occupation of these sites, heritage resource surveys of these locations are required.
Failure to do so has the potential to result in irreversible loss of heritage resources.
5. Similarly, the port site heritage resources need to be evaluated for undersea heritage
resources. Canadian waterways were used extensively by Inuit and non-Inuit peoples for
travel and exploration, and the wrecks of ships constitute underwater heritage resources that
are unique and irreplaceable. Surveying of the new sections of the marine route for
underwater heritage resources is recommended; in addition to surveying, mitigation to protect
underwater heritage resources from irretrievable loss needs to be proposed.
6. In response to concerns about navigational challenges posed by the Bathurst Inlet, an
alternative proposal may involve relocating the port and associated infrastructure to
Kugluktuk. This alternative would result in the siting of the port and infrastructure
considerably closer to existing park boundaries (i.e. Tuktut Nogait National Park) and to
planned extensions that encompass Bluenose Lake to the east and areas north of Great Bear
Lake to the south. The integrity of the national park could be significantly impacted by this
alternative.
We trust that this information will provide some clarification on the areas of interest and issues of
concern to the Parks Canada Agency. If you have any questions or require clarification, please
contact one of the Parks Canada representatives below:
Name:
Address:
Telephone:
FAX:
E-Mail:
Suzanne Therrien-Richards, Environmental Science and Assessment
Coordinator
Western Canada Service Centre
3rd Floor, 145 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 0R9
(204) 984-5719
(204) 983-0031
Suzanne.Richards@pc.gc.ca
Name:
Field Unit:
Address:
Attention:
FAX:
E-Mail:
Ed McLean, Manager, Resource Conservation
Western Arctic District Field Unit
Box 1840, Inuvik, NT X0E 0T0
Telephone:
(867) 777-8818
(867) 777-8820
Ed.McLean@pc.gc.ca
Name:
Field Unit:
Address:
Telephone:
FAX:
E-Mail:
Vicki Sahanatien, Chief, Resource Conservation
Nunavut Field Unit
P.O. Box 278, Iqaluit, NU X0A 0H0
(867) 975-4672
(867) 975-4674
Vicki.Sahanatien@pc.gc.ca
Original signed by:
Elizabeth Seale
Superintendent, Nunavut Field Unit
Unit
Parks Canada Agency
(867) 975-4683
Alan Fehr
Superintendent, Western Arctic Field
Parks Canada Agency
(867) 777-8801