GOVERNANCE

Commitment 5.4.3 – We will finalize community wildland fire protection plans, and develop and propose amendments to modernize forest protection legislation.

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) works with communities in the Northwest Territories (NWT) to develop and implement Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP). Currently, every NWT community potentially at risk from wildland fire has a CWPP in place. These plans are designed to identify and reduce wildland fire risk in communities.

CWPPs are becoming a national standard for agencies and communities responsible for wildland fire management. The process is recognized as a crucial first step in better preparing homeowners and communities to reduce the risk of loss.

CWPP for all forested communities were updated in 2012. All CWPP have to be reviewed and updated (milestones 1, 3 and 4). Some issues with implementation and ownership of the plans have been identified.

Completed CWPPs help communities to:

• make sound decisions on which areas are most critical to address;

• develop funding applications to assist in the implementation of recommendations; and

• work with private landowners/homeowners to take responsibility and address their own exposure to risk.

The Forest Management Act and the Forest Protection Act were established in 1988 with the transfer of forestry from the federal government. The Acts are outdated and require new language and a more sustainable approach in terms of managing forest within northern ecosystems (milestone 2). The Forest Protection Act is based on a very old act and requires the development of new regulations.

Related Mandate Commitments:

• Commitment 1.3.2 - In order to advance the territorial vision of land and resource management in accordance with the Land Use and Sustainability Framework, we will evolve our legislative, regulatory, and policy systems by: Developing and proposing amendments to the Forest Management Act.