The Wek'èezhìı Land and Water Board is holding a public hearing regarding Arctic Canadian Diamond Company Ltd. (Arctic)’s Ekati – Licence Renewal. The hearing will take place at Behchokǫ̀’s Ko Gocho Centre (Sportsplex), on the following dates:

June 13: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. MT

June 14: 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. MT (includes evening session) 

June 15: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. MT

The Wek'èezhìı Land and Water Board is holding a public hearing in Behchokǫ̀ this week regarding Diavik Diamond Mines Inc.'s water licence amendment application. The proposed amendment pertains to the decommissioning of the Diavik project located in Lac de Gras, NT.

The public hearing will provide an opportunity for stakeholders and members of the public to express their views and engage in discussions related to this significant amendment application. The hearing will take place at the Behchokǫ̀ Ko Gocho Centre (Sportsplex) in Behchokǫ̀ on the following dates:

A Diavik Amendment Application Public Hearing will be taking place at the Kǫ̀ Gocho Sportsplex Centre in Behchokǫ̀ from May 30 to June 1. 

Anyone who has questions about the hearing or for any of the presenters, please email Ryan Fequet.

Please see the full agenda for details. 

It is with great disappointment that the Land and Water Boards announce the cancellation of the LWB Engagement Guidelines workshop (scheduled for May 17) due to the current wildfire and evacuation situations unfolding in the NWT. Further communication about the LWBs’ Guideline update process and rescheduling of the workshop will occur at a later date.

Our thoughts and hearts are with the Kátł'odeeche First Nation and community of Hay River at this time.

Please stay safe.

This is a notice that the Public Hearing for the Government of the Northwest Territories – Department of Infrastructure’s (GNWT-INF’s) Water Licence Amendment (W2020L8-0001) for increased Water Use on the Tłı̨chǫ All Season Road has been cancelled. 

The Ekati Closure Workshop, originally scheduled for May 1 to 5, has been cancelled. This is due to the fact that Version 3.1 of Arctic Diamond's Interim Closure and Reclamation Plan is not yet ready for public review. 

The Board and Arctic staff are working to ensure that the submission conforms to all the necessary requirements. The workshop may be re-scheduled at a later date. In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns, please contact Executive Director Ryan Fequet.  

The Wek'èezhìı Land and Water Board (WLWB) will be hosting a Technical Session for the renewal of the water licence for the Ekati Mine at the Tree of Peace in Yellowknife from March 27 to 29. 

The Technical Session Agenda can be viewed here. 

The Land and Water Boards (LWBs) are pleased to announce the release of the Waste and Wastewater Management Policy, which updates and replaces the Water and Effluent Quality Management Policy.

The Land and Water Boards of the Mackenzie Valley (LWBs) have released an updated Engagement and Consultation Policy, emphasizing the importance of early and meaningful engagement for well-planned projects and efficient regulatory processes. The newest version of the policy document, which has been several years in the making, is critical in helping the LWBs carry out permitting, licensing, and preliminary screening in the Mackenzie Valley.

The Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board is pleased to announce that Dr. Kathleen Racher has accepted an offer to become the next Executive Director (ED) of the organization. She will replace Dr. Shelagh Montgomery when she leaves the Board at the end of March 2023.

The final Virtual MVRMA Workshop Series of 2022 will take place during the mornings of Dec. 15 and 16. 

The fourth workshop will focus on how decision-making within the co-management system is adapting to climate change. 

Registration remains open and the draft agenda and other information can be found on our MVRMA Workshop page.  

Protecting the way of life of Indigenous people under Section 35 of the Constitution Act and established Treaties is a critical part of the decision-making process when considering who can use an area in the Mackenzie Valley. 

The Land and Water Boards of the Mackenzie Valley (LWBs) will be closed on Friday, November 11 in honour of Remembrance Day. 

Staff and Board members acknowledge the sacrifice that Canada's Veterans have made so that we can live in peace and freedom.

Regular office hours will resume on Monday, Nov. 14 at 8:30 a.m.

Lest We Forget. 

The Land and Water Boards of the Mackenzie Valley will be closed on Friday, Sept. 30 in recognition of the second National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Our office will reopen on Monday, Oct. 3.

We recognize the day’s importance in raising awareness of the truth and history of residential schools in Canada.

The Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act Workshop Planning Committee requests your feedback on the two remaining 2022 virtual workshops and the 2023 workshop.

Please visit our Share Your Feedback page to learn more. 

The Wek'èezhìı Renewable Resources Board is now putting together its annual 2023 calendar. 

We are now accepting photos for the 'Our Favourite Wek'eezhii Waterways' calendar which will feature lakes, rivers, and streams - throughout all four season the year.

We are hoping to capture landscape images of special bodies of water which mean the most to you and your family and culture. 

The deadlines for submission is Sept. 15, 2022. 

The next virtual Resource Co-management Workshop will focus on Engagement and Consultation and will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 28 and Thursday, Sept. 29.

You are invited to register for the event through our webform found here.

This workshop will be the third of four scheduled in 2022 and it will be hosted by the Land and Water Boards of the Mackenzie Valley, the Mackenzie Valley Review Board, the Government of the Northwest Territories, and the Government of Canada.

The Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board (MVLWB) will be hosting its second virtual workshop of 2022 in an effort to help residents become more familiar with the co-management system. 

Please see the scheduled events here. 

The WLWB will be holding a public hearing for Nighthawk's Water Licence Amendment Applications and Land Use Permit Applications today and tomorrow (April 12 &13, 2022), from 9 to 4pm daily, at the Explorer Hotel, as well as via Zoom. You can view the hearing live below, or on Cabin Radio's Facebook page. 

The MVRMA Workshop Planning Committee is pleased to host a series of four virtual workshops in 2022 related to the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act. The topics of the workshops were selected based on the results of a Fall 2021 survey given to participants of the MVRMA co-management system.

The Wek'èezhìı Land and Water Board is currently hiring for a joint Communications Officer position with the Wek'èezhìı Renewable Resources Board, located in Yellowknife, NT. This job-share position is open for applications until April 3, 2022. For details about the position, and to apply, click here. 

In collaboration with Trail Films, the Tłı̨chǫ Government has developed the film Kǫ̀k’etı̀: Walking with Caribou.

We are pleased to announce the release of the Strategic Plan for the Land and Water Boards of the Mackenzie Valley 2022-2026. The purpose of this 2022-2026 Strategic Plan is to outline where the Boards will focus their efforts and how they will go about their collective work over the next five yea

Are you interested in helping shape the future here in the NWT? Consider joining a resource management Board! The Government of Canada is looking for dynamic people who have an interest in this important work and are self-motivated! The Boards that you could serve on include:

Photo credit: Fran Hurcomb.