Land Administration Office

Land Administration Office

Our Land Administrator Specialist is responsible for surface rights administration. This includes the issuance of land use permits under the Territorial Land Use Regulations, leases and licences of occupation under the Territorial Lands Regulations, and the issuance of quarrying permits under the Territorial Quarrying Regulations. You can apply for land use permits, quarry permits and surface leases/licences by contacting our Land Administrator Specialist.

On this page

Crown Land in Nunavut

If you are interested in acquiring Crown land in Nunavut or are planning a land use activity in Nunavut, you should be aware of the following:

  1. The Government of Canada has a settled land claim with the Inuit of Nunavut, the Nunavut Land Claim Agreement (NLCA). Extensive consultation is therefore undertaken with these groups prior to the disposal of land. Although every application will be considered, persons applying for land should be aware that their applications are subject to approval.
  2. The NLCA established five (5) Institutions of Public Government: the Nunavut Impact Review Board (NIRB) which is responsible for the environmental assessment of projects in Nunavut; the Nunavut Planning Commission that ensures projects conform to approved Land Use Plans (Please contact NPC for more information on approved Land Use Plans in Nunavut); the Nunavut Water Board that has responsibility over the regulation, use and management of water; the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board that protects and conserves wildlife through traditional Inuit and scientific knowledge; and the Nunavut Surface Rights Tribunal that arbitrates disputes, independent of any influence of another party, government, Inuit organization or industry.

Legislation

Territorial Lands Act

  • Territorial Lands Regulations
  • Territorial Land Use Regulations
  • Territorial Quarrying Regulations
  • Northwest Territories and Nunavut Mining Regulations
  • Territorial Coal Regulations
  • Territorial Dredging Regulations

Federal Real Property and Federal Immovables Act

  • Public Lands Mineral Regulations
  • Federal Real Property Regulations
  • Public Lands Oil and Gas Regulations

Homesteads (Squatters)

Acquiring Crown land through homesteading is not available in Nunavut. Homesteading is defined as the development and occupation of a parcel of land before acquiring some form of land interest.

Residential Lands

Information regarding the purchase or lease of residential lots in communities may be obtained from the Government of Nunavut's Department of Community and Government Services. You can also contact the respective municipality or community.

Tourism Operations

The first step for those interested in acquiring land for tourism purposes is to contact the Government of Nunavut's Department of Environment for the appropriate tourism approval. Bear in mind that the issuance of tourism approval does not mean the land lease application has been approved by INAC. Pursuant to Section 5.8.1 of the NLCA, Inuit have right of first refusal on sites for new sports lodges and naturalist lodges on Crown land within the Nunavut settlement area.

Recreational Cabins

The recreation cabin policy is presently under development.

Price of Crown Land

Value of land is based on fair market value. Once a parcel of land has been identified, the applicant may then be advised of the annual lease rental. Leases rental is calculated at 10 per cent of the fair market value.

Titled Land

Transactions involving land held under Certificate of Title are registered in the Land Titles Office of the Department of Justice (Government of Nunavut) in Iqaluit. They can be reached by phone at 867-975-6190.

Trespassing on Territorial Lands

Persons who, in the opinion of the Minister, wrongfully or without legal authority use, possess or occupy territorial lands are subject to removal pursuant to Section 20 of the Territorial Lands Act and to a fine and/or imprisonment pursuant to Section 21 of the Act if they fail to vacate the land after having been ordered to do so under Section 20.

Maps

Some maps are available for purchase from the INAC Nunavut Regional Office in Iqaluit or from private mapping agencies.

How to Complete Application Forms

The following Guide for completing a Land Use Permit Application will help with your request. Don't hesitate to contact us should you require additional information.

Land Use Permits are issued under the authority of the Territorial Land Use Regulations. For this reason, the applicant should become familiar with these regulations prior to completing an application for Land Use Permit. Below is a brief paraphrased description of requirements for Class A and B permits provided for informational purposes only. Please refer to Sections 8 and 9 of the Territorial Land Use Regulations to determine if you fall within the thresholds of requiring a land use permit.

Class A Permit (Section 8) is required for:

  1. Use of more than 150 kg of explosives within 30 days.
  2. Use of vehicles that exceed 10 tons (10,160 kg).
  3. Use of power driven machinery for drilling exceeding 2.5 tons (2,540 kg).
  4. A campsite used for more that 400 man days.
  5. Fuel Storage greater than 80,000 litres (17,598 gal) or a single container over 4,000 litres (880 gal).
  6. Self propelled machinery for moving the earth.
  7. Stationary power machinery for prospecting, moving earth or clearing land.
  8. Creating a line, trail or Right of Way exceeding 1.5 metres wide and 4 ha in area.

Class B Permit (Section 9) is required for:

  1. Use of more than 50 kg of explosives but less than 150 kg within 30 days.
  2. Use of vehicles that exceed 5 tons (5,080 kg) but less than 10 tons (10,160 kg).
  3. Use of power driven machinery that exerts over 35 kpa of pressure on the ground.
  4. A campsite used for more that 100 man days but less than 400 man days.
  5. Fuel Storage greater than 4,000 litres (880 gal) but less than 80,000 litres (17,598 gal) or a single container over 2,000 litres (440 gal) but less than 4,000 litres (880 gal).
  6. Creating a line, trail or Right of Way exceeding 1.5 metres wide and 4 ha in area.

Man day is defined by the regulations is in respect to the use of a campsite and means the use of that campsite by one person for 24 hours. It is calculated as the number of people times the duration of stay (i.e. 12 people for 10 ten days = 120 man days)

Special note should be made of the time required to allow for application processing. The application should be submitted early enough to allow the minimum processing time for environmental and public screening, thus preventing any delays in the commencement of a land use operation. In Nunavut, most Land Use Permits take 42 days from the date the application is received to the date of issuance. Applications are to be made in duplicate and contain information outlined in Section 22(1) of the Territorial Land Use Regulations.

For Crown land in Nunavut the application acceptance and issuance process is the responsibility of INAC. Class "A" permits are screened by NIRB. Class "B" are distributed amongst a Land Advisory Committee for comments. Use the following time frames as a guide and allow sufficient time for your application to be processed.

CLASS "A"

Section 25 (1)(b) of the Territorial Land Use Regulations invoked for the purpose of further environmental studies on your application. This is done for areas of community interest and/or sensitive areas. This can take up to 42 days.

CLASS "A"

In the event that further studies or investigations respecting the land are required, Section 25 (1)(c) of the Territorial Land Use Regulations may be invoked and allowed extended screening time for up to one year.

CLASS "B"

If Section 28 of the Territorial Land Use Regulations is declared, this means that your CLASS "B" permit is now administratively considered a CLASS "A" permit for the purpose of conducting further environmental studies on your application. This section is followed by section 25 (1)(b) of the Territorial Land Use Regulations to allow up to 42 days from the date of receipt to issue a permit. This is done for areas of community interest and/or sensitive areas.

Within 30 days of the establishment of a Fuel cache of more than 400 litres and less than 4,000 litres that otherwise does not require a permit you will be required to notify the Land Administrator Specialist in writing of the details of the cache including: Location, Fuel Type, Container Size, Method of Storage and Date of Removal.

In using the term "sensitive" we refer to all aspects of the environment which could be seriously disturbed unnecessarily by your land use operation. Before applying for your permit, you may consult with the respective Regulatory Agency to obtain clearer indication of the concerns in the area of your proposed operation.

Specific to the Land Use Permit Application

The following numbered statements correspond to specific blocks of the Application for Land Use Permit form. Please do not write in those areas on the form specified as "office use only." Photocopies or faxed applications are not acceptable. This office requires signed, original applications in duplicate.

To avoid a refusal or delays in the application screening process, please ensure all parts of the application are complete.

The department encourages all applicants to conduct community consultations with appropriate community councils, resource users, and Inuit organizations located in the general area of any proposed activities, prior to submission of applications. This keeps the communities informed about what operations are being conducted in their traditional use areas. The feedback and/or results of any consultation efforts conducted as part of the application process by the proponent should be included in the submission of your application. This information, although not a requirement of the territorial land use regulations, will be helpful in the environmental and public screening of your application.

Application Form must be submitted in duplicate.

  1. Indicate the full name, address, telephone number and facsimile number of the person or registered company (in good standing at Nunavut Companies Registry) applying for the land use permit. Please be advised that initials are not acceptable for financial reasons.
  2. Indicate the full name, address, telephone number and facsimile number of the company's head office if not the same as in #1. Indicate full name and location of a field supervisor if the applicant is not in charge. Contact telephone numbers are required.
  3. Indicate full names of any and all contractors as well as a total number of personnel involved in the operation. The number of person days required to complete the operation must be indicated as well. (Person days = number of people x the number of operating days.)
  4. Indicate for which section you are qualified to obtain a Land Use Permit (see Section 21 of the Territorial Land Use Regulations).
    1. A complete description and summary of the land use operation is required. All activities must be described, so as to provide a complete summary of operation, including: purpose and nature of all undertakings, project location and locations of any existing or proposed infrastructure, schedule of activities and the area(s) to be used during each phase of the operation. (See section 22(2) of the Territorial Land Use Regulations). You may wish to include a brief history of property development and brief summary of any key issues or identified impacts of which you are aware.
    2. If there is to be a camp set up, the location and specifics must be detailed here.
    3. As there are existing and new land management boards in Nunavut, as a result of land claim negotiations, it may be helpful to include a translated copy of your project description, with each application, according to the language in the area of your proposed operations. While this is not a requirement or pre-requisite in obtaining a land use permit under the Territorial Land Use Regulations, it may be of assistance in facilitating the time frames of the environmental screening that is carried out on all Land Use Operations.
  5. A summary of potential environmental and resource impacts is required. This should include effects to land, water, vegetation and wildlife either known or perceived. Please include impacts to related socio-economic and cultural areas. Any baseline data you may have collected on these aspects would be helpful and beneficial information in the environmental screening process of your application.
  6. Proposed environmental impact and mitigation measures should be supplied bearing in mind that complete site restoration proposals are required. Please keep in mind that land use operations are to be short-term and temporary in nature. The area used has to be returned, as near as possible, to its original state.
  7. Indicate other rights, licenses or permits that relate to this land use permit application and support the requirement for the proposed land use operation. (See Section 21 of the Territorial Land Use Regulations, for example, prospecting permits, mineral claims or subsurface leases.) If this is a new access road please check the applicable box(es).
  8. Indicate what waste disposal is required and what disposal methods are to be undertaken. Please be advised that written permission is required when using a third party disposal facility. Disposal methods for sewage, petroleum and chemical wastes are potentially regulated by other forms of legislation that they must also be adhered to. Please use the back page of the application should additional space be required for the description.
  9. List all types; numbers, makes, sizes and proposed use of equipment to be used (include ground pressures of vehicles if known).
  10. Indicate fuel types, volumes, number of containers and capacity of the containers to be used.
  11. A description of the procedures to be followed to respond to emergencies and the on site equipment to be used in dealing with an emergency situation such as fuel spills and fire is required. The plan must be related to the worst case scenario possible, listing the volumes and types of fuel involved, and must indicate equipment and methods to be used to control and cleanup any possible fuel spill or fire. Please attach a separate plan if required or appropriate.
  12. Describe proposed methods of fuel transfer (for example, pumps, gravity feed, etc.).
  13. Indicate all periods of operation including seasonal shut down to cover all active and storage activities (closest estimate possible).
  14. Indicate period for which the land use permit is required.
  15. Indicate the latitude and longitude of a sole point operation or of each camp site if more than one. If the operation is of a lineal nature indicate the start point, minimum latitude and longitude and the end point, maximum latitude and longitude. Indicate the map sheet numbers and quad numbers if applicable.

    Note: Deg = Degrees, Min = minutes, MN = minimum, MAX = maximum

    National Topographic Maps of 1:50,000 scale (or 1:250,000 if 1:50,000 are not available) are required to outline the program as well as sketches for programs involving a large amount of detail. Original maps are required; photocopies or faxed maps are not acceptable.
  16. The signature must be an original signature of the person authorized to sign for the applicant. Print your full name before signing and dating the application. Initials are not sufficient.
  17. Indicate CLASS of permit applied for (see section 8 or 9 of the Territorial Land Use Regulations).

Applications must be original and submitted in duplicate along with the appropriate application and land use fees.

Land Use fees are payable on actual land used to complete the land use operation including existing lines, cleared areas, campsite, access routes, drill sites, etc., as follows:

Application Fee

Class "A" or "B"
Permit $150

Land Use Fees

  1. where lands proposed to be used on the preliminary plan are less than or equal to two hectares $ 50
    OR
  2. where lands proposed to be used on the preliminary plan exceed two hectares, $50
    PLUS
  3. the cost of each hectare or portion of a hectare in excess of two hectares $ 50 per hectare

Assignment of land use permit $ 50
Copies of documents $1 per page

Land Use fees are payable at the time of application based on the estimated number of hectares required for your land use operation. Any adjustment of fees for actual hectares used for your operation will be adjusted when you submit your final plan and verification by inspection is completed.

There are environmental guideline booklets available through the INAC Nunavut Regional Office which describes proper land use practices for various types of operation, for example, Quarrying, Roads and Trails, Mineral Exploration, Seismic Operations, Hydrocarbon Well Sites and Reclamation, etc.

Did you find what you were looking for?

What was wrong?

You will not receive a reply. Don't include personal information (telephone, email, SIN, financial, medical, or work details).
Maximum 300 characters

Thank you for your feedback

Date modified: