GOVERNANCE

Commitment 5.4.10 – We will work with community governments to find solutions to land tenure issues which present barriers to community planning.

Community governments are responsible for the control of development within community boundaries. This responsibility includes planning for future growth through the preparation of community plans or land use plans, and the control of development and land use through development controls such as zoning bylaws.

The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA) supports community governments by providing assistance with the preparation of the required bylaws, creation of development and planning tools and guides, and community government training programs.

MACA is working with NWT community governments and the Department of Lands to resolve land tenure issues within community boundaries which are hindering community governments’ ability to plan for future growth and the orderly development of communities. The steps to achieve this include identifying the communities with land tenure issues (Milestone 1), assisting community governments with updating community land use plans to identify future growth areas (Milestone 2), and MACA and the Department of Lands working closely with the identified community governments to develop a strategy to determine how and when tenure issues can be resolved (Milestone 3).

Related Mandate Commitments:

• Commitment 3.1.2 – We will support community-based planning to help make land available for the construction of affordable housing and to support community governments in dealing with derelict properties in their communities.