Inuvialuit Settlement Region
The Inuvialuit Settlement Region, abbreviated as ISR (Inuinnaqtun: Inuvialuit Nunangit Sannaiqtuaq – INS; French: Région désignée des Inuvialuit – RDI), located in Canada's western Arctic, was designated in 1984 in the Inuvialuit Final Agreement by the Government of Canada for the Inuvialuit people. It spans 90,650 km2 (35,000 sq mi) of land,[3] mostly above the tree line, and includes several subregions: the Beaufort Sea, the Mackenzie River delta, the northern portion of Yukon ("Yukon North Slope"), and the northwest portion of the Northwest Territories.[4] The ISR includes both Crown Lands and Inuvialuit Private Lands. Most of the ISR is represented by Nunakput, the territorial electoral district, meaning "our land" in Inuvialuktun.[5]
Inuvialuit Settlement Region
Inuvialuit Nunangit Sannaiqtuaq
Canada
1984
- Beaufort Sea
- Mackenzie River delta
- Yukon coast
- Northwest portion of Northwest Territories
- Western Arctic Archipelago
Board of Directors
Duane Ningaqsiq Smith[1]
435,000 km2 (168,000 sq mi)
90,650 km2 (35,000 sq mi)
0 m (0 ft)
5,336
0.012/km2 (0.032/sq mi)
UTC−06:00 (MDT)
Inuvialuk
Inuvialuit Nunangit,
Inuit Nunangat ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓄᓇᖓᑦ
The ISR is one of the four Inuit regions of Canada, collectively known as Inuit Nunangat,[6] represented by the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK). The other regions include Nunatsiavut in Labrador, Nunavik in northern Quebec, and the territory of Nunavut.[7] The ISR is the homeland of the Inuvialuit. The Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, established in 1986 as the receiver of the lands and financial compensation of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement, is controlled by the Inuvialuit population and is responsible for ISR operations.[8] From 1996 until 2016, Nellie Cournoyea, former Premier of the Northwest Territories, was the Chair and CEO of the Board. She had been elected nine times before declining to run again.[9] In 2016, Duane Ningaqsiq Smith, was elected to replace her and was re-elected in 2019.[1]
The Inuvialuit Settlement Region Database contains descriptions of thousands of publications and research projects about the ISR. It is maintained by the Joint Secretariat—Inuvialuit Renewable Resource Committees[10] and the Arctic Science and Technology Information System. Funding comes from Shell Canada and MGM Energy.[11]
Protected areas[edit]
There are several protected parks and bird sanctuaries in the ISR. There are five parks: Aulavik National Park, Herschel Island Territorial Park, Ivvavik National Park, Pingo Canadian Landmark, and Tuktut Nogait National Park. There are also four bird sanctuaries: Anderson River Delta Migratory Bird Sanctuary, Banks Island No. 1 Bird Sanctuary, Cape Perry Migratory Bird Sanctuary, and Kendall Island Migratory Bird Sanctuary[20]
Natural resources[edit]
The area is rich in non-renewable hydrocarbon resources.[21] There are proven commercial quantities of natural gas, nickel, petroleum, and zinc.[18]
The ISR's Inuvialuit Private Lands are divided into those where the Inuvialuit own surface and subsurface minerals, or those lands with only surface rights.[22]