On July 3, 2026, the Government of Canada, Government of Nunavut and Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated said they had each decided that the 2023 Recommended Nunavut Land Use Plan could not be accepted as drafted. The plan was submitted by the Nunavut Planning Commission in June 2023 after public hearings and revisions. Source↗

A territory-wide plan would set policies and land-use designations across Nunavut, affecting how future development proposals are assessed alongside Inuit rights, conservation and community interests. The federal release says the recommended plan would cover one-fifth of Canada’s land mass and would be Nunavut’s first territory-wide plan. Because it was not jointly accepted, it has not taken effect and does not itself create new land-use rules. Source↗

The three parties say they will continue work with the Nunavut Planning Commission toward a plan that meets the Nunavut Agreement’s requirements. The announcement gives no deadline, revised draft, public-hearing schedule or detailed written reasons for the concerns that remain. The federal release also says Nunavut is scheduled to assume administration and control of Crown lands, natural resources and inland waters on April 1, 2027 under the Devolution Agreement. Source↗

The Nunavut Agreement provides for a planning commission to prepare and revise land-use plans after public input. It says a plan must be accepted and then approved before it is implemented, with government activities required to follow an approved plan. Source↗ The 2023 recommended plan followed five regional public hearings held in 2022. Source↗