The three approval authorities rejected the recommended plan rather than accepting it for final approval. Their joint release says the plan cannot be accepted in its current form and commits them to continue working with the Nunavut Planning Commission. The release does not identify the changes sought, publish the written reasons, or give a timetable for a revised plan. Source↗

A territory-wide plan would guide land conservation, use, resource development and project conformity decisions across the Nunavut Settlement Area. Under the Nunavut Planning and Project Assessment Act, a plan does not take effect unless it is accepted and then approved by the federal and territorial governments. Source↗

The legal process requires a rejected draft to be returned to the Nunavut Planning Commission with written reasons. The Commission must consider those reasons, may conduct further public-hearing work, revise the draft as appropriate and resubmit it. No public deadline for those steps was included in the July 3 release. Source↗

This is a completed decision on the 2023 recommended plan, not approval of a final plan. The release says that, if approved, the plan would cover about one-fifth of Canada’s land mass and would be Nunavut’s first territory-wide land-use plan. It also says the Government of Nunavut is to assume administration and control of Crown lands, natural resources and inland waters on April 1, 2027 under the devolution agreement. Source↗