Inuvialuit Final Agreement

The Inuvialuit Settlement Region, abbreviated as ISR (; ), located in Canada's western Arctic, was designated in 1984 in the Inuvialuit Final Agreement by the Government of Canada for the Inuvialuit (''the real people''). It spans , including of land and of subsurface mineral rights. The ISR is mainly above the tree line, and includes several sub-regions: the Beaufort Sea, the Mackenzie River delta, the northern portion of Yukon ("Yukon North Slope", Herschel Island), and the northwest portion of the Northwest Territories. 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.

The ISR is one of the four Inuit regions of Canada, collectively known as Inuit Nunangat, represented by the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK). The other regions include Nunatsiavut in Labrador, Nunavik in northern Quebec, and the territory of Nunavut. 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. 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. In 2016, Duane Ningaqsiq Smith, was elected to replace her, was re-elected in 2019, and acclaimed in 2022.

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 and the Arctic Science and Technology Information System. Funding comes from Shell Canada and MGM Energy.

Demographics

There are six communities in the ISR, Aklavik, Inuvik, Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour, Tuktoyaktuk, and Ulukhaktok and all are in the Northwest Territories. There are no Inuvialuit communities in the Yukon North Slope and it is estimated that the number of Inuvialuit living along the coast, as far east as the Baillie Islands, dropped from a high of 2,500 people to around 250 between 1850 and 1905. The drop in population is attributed to epidemics, such as smallpox, measles, and scarlet fever, caused by the arrival of whalers and fur traders.

These six communities, along with Fort McPherson and Tsiigehtchic, form the territorial Inuvik Region and, including Region 1 Unorganized, are Region 1, a federal census division.

In the 2021 Canadian census, the ISR population was 5,420 people, and change of from the 2016 population of 5,495 people. In 2021, 3,145 () people were Inuvialuit, were the largest group in all six communities, and a majority in five.

Culture

Inuvik, located on the East Channel of the Mackenzie Delta, approximately from the Arctic Ocean, is the region's administrative centre, home to the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation. The only other inland community, Aklavik, is located on the Peel Channel.

Hunting, fishing and trapping are the major economic activities of Paulatuk, in Amundsen Gulf's Darnley Bay, and Sachs Harbour, the only permanent settlement on Banks Island.

Tuktoyaktuk, formerly known as "Port Brabant", is set on Kugmallit Bay, near the Mackenzie River Delta. It has the only deepwater port in the ISR.

Ulukhaktok, formerly known as "Holman", is located on the west coast of Victoria Island. Printmaking has taken over as the primary source of income in recent years.

Kitigaaryuit is a former Inuvialuit settlement. It was the traditional territory of the Kitigaaryungmiut. The site, which is situated near the junction of the Mackenzie River's East Channel and Kugmallit Bay, encompasses the villages of Kitigaaryuk and Tchenerark, which are located on a small island, and the adjacent village of Kuugaatchiaq, located on the mainland to the west of the island.

Herschel Island, which is uninhabited, is part of the ISR although in Yukon and was traditionally occupied and used by the Inuvialuit. The island is an important part of Inuvialuit culture and the people sill visit the island to hunt and fish. At one time Herschel Island was inhabited by Paleo-Eskimo groups followed by Thule people, and finally the Inuvialuit, but in the latter half of the 20th century the population had migrated to government communities in the NWT.

Tarium Niryutait, is a marine protected area (MPA) located in the coastal areas of the Yukon and Northwest Territories in Canada. It is located within the ISR and was the first Arctic MPA established in Canada. The MPA was established with the goal of protecting beluga whales and the biodiversity of other bird and fish species and their habitats.

English is spoken in the entire region. Additionally, Sallirmiutun (formerly Siglitun) is spoken by the Siglit in Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour and Tuktoyaktuk. Uummarmiutun is spoken by the Uummarmiut in Inuvik and Aklavik. Kangiryuarmiutun (Inuinnaqtun) is spoken by the Kangiryuarmiut in Ulukhaktok and nowhere else in the Northwest Territories. Together they are grouped under Inuvialuktun.

Climate

ISR is dominated by subarctic climate in the south and tundra climate in the north.

Wildlife

The Inuvialuit Renewable Resource Conservation and Management Plan sets the strategy for fish and wildlife management and conservation. Integrated management planning of the region's marine and coastal areas is described in the Beaufort Sea Integrated Management Planning Initiative. Wildlife includes Arctic char, Arctic fox, beluga whale, bearded seal, bowhead whale, caribou, moose, muskox, polar bear, ringed seal, and whitefish.

Migratory bird management within the ISR is handled by policies, principles, and regulations described in the Conservation of Migratory Birds in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region report.

Protected areas

There are several protected parks and bird sanctuaries in the ISR. There are five parks: Aulavik National Park, Qikiqtaruk Territorial Park (Herschel Island), Ivvavik National Park, Pingo Canadian Landmark, and Tuktut Nogait National Park. There are also five migratory bird sanctuaries in the region: Anderson River Delta Migratory Bird Sanctuary, Banks Island No. 1 and Banks Island No. 2 Bird Sanctuary, Cape Parry Migratory Bird Sanctuary, and Kendall Island Migratory Bird Sanctuary

Natural resources

The area is rich in non-renewable hydrocarbon resources. There are proven commercial quantities of natural gas, nickel, petroleum, and zinc.

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.

Notes

References

External links

Map

Inuvialuit Regional Corporation

Yukon ISR Lands

{{Authority control

Inuvialuit Settlement Region
Inuvik