Iqaluit, Nunavut, October 5, 2023 – The Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA), along with the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard, Diane Lebouthillier, and Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Steven Guilbeault, have reached a significant milestone by signing an Agreement in Principle (AIP), signalling their shared commitment to working toward the Qikiqtani Regional Conservation Vision through the Qikiqtani Project Finance for Permanence (Q-PFP) model.
The Conservation Vision is based on the following key principles: Inuit governance founded in Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, Inuit-led stewardship, targeted infrastructure, and expanded economic opportunities for Inuit relating to fisheries in the offshore waters adjacent to the Qikiqtani region.
In total, the Q-PFP aims to empower Inuit to protect and manage 989,879 km² of land and waters in our region. Once completed, the Q-PFP project has the potential to comprise the largest network of Inuit-led protected areas in the world.
This AIP outlines a shared commitment of the signatories to advance the following objectives:
•Inuit Impact and Benefit Agreementfor proposed conservation areas Qikiqtait andSarvarjuaq, encompassing Inuit Protected and Conserved Areas upheld through Inuitstewardship and governance, grounded in Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, and aligned with asustainable regional protected area model.
•A regional governance agreement designed to align over time all current, proposed andfuture protected areas with a common Inuit led regional governance model thatincludes community specific committees with the responsibility to guide localconservation activities and priorities.
•A commitment that QIA will designate proposed and future protected areas as InuitProtected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs).
•An Inuit developed and Inuit led Qikiqtani Inuit Protected and Conserved Areas Plan(QIPCAP), that outlines QIA’s overall approach to delivering tangible outcomes in eachQikiqtani community.
•Achievement of one or more Qikiqtani Fisheries Reconciliation Agreements andassociated measures if required, encompassing support for new opportunities andengagement relating to fisheries in the offshore arctic waters within Canada’s ExclusiveEconomic Zone.
•A financial plan that details funding amounts required to implement a long term andsustainable approach to Inuit led conservation.
•Efforts to support development of additional multi-use facilities, together with efforts toaddress funding shortfalls related to Tallurutiup Imanga, including advancement of asmall craft harbour in Arctic Bay.