Sahtu Land and Water Board

10/14/2026

Re: Government of the Northwest Territories – Department of Infrastructure – Prohibition Creek Access Road and Christina Creek Realignment – Notice of Preliminary Screening Determination – Applications for Land Use Permit S26E-004 and Water Licence S26L8-003

The Sahtú Land and Water Board (Board) met on October 8, 2026 and considered the Application Packages from Government of the Northwest Territories – Department of Infrastructure (GNWT-INF) for Land Use Permit (Permit) S26E-004 and Water Licence (Licence) S28L8-003 for the Prohibition Creek Access Road and Christina Creek Realignment (Project) in accordance with the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act (MVRMA).

The Board conducted a preliminary screening based on the public record for the proceedings. Based on the evidence provided, the Board is satisfied the screening has been completed according to section 125 of the MVRMA and has decided not to refer the changes to the Project to environmental assessment. The Board’s Preliminary Screening Determination and Reasons for Decision, as required by section 121 of the MVRMA, is attached.

If the Board does not receive notice of referral to environmental assessment, it can proceed with issuance of Permit S26E-004 and Licence S26L8-003 on Monday, October 19, 2026

09/11/2026

Invitation to submit recommendations for 2025 Annual Water Licence Report

File: S24L3-001

Item Description:

On July 6, 2026, Great Bear Lake Lodge Ltd. (the Applicant) submitted the Great Bear Lake Lodge 2025 Water Licence Annual Report. This report is required by Water Licence S24L3-001, Part B, Condition 19.

Formal approval of this report is not required under the Licence however, the Board must be satisfied that the Licensee has met the requirements of the Condition.

Using the Online Review System (ORS), reviewers are invited to submit comments and recommendations on the documents linked below by the review comment deadline specified. If reviewers seek clarification on the submission, they are encouraged to correspond directly with the Applicant prior to submitting comments and recommendations.

All documents that have been uploaded to this review are also available on our public Registry. If you have any questions or comments about the ORS or this review, please contact Board staff identified in the ORS post.

Review Comments Due
September 18, 2026
Proponent Responses Due
September 25, 2026

Link to ORS:

09/11/2026

Transboundary File:

Re: Redbed Resources Corp. – Amendment Issuance Package – Land Use Permit MV2019C0029 – Mineral Exploration – Coates Lake Area, NT

The Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board (Board) met on August 20, 2026, and considered Redbed Resources Corp. (Redbed)’s request to amend Land Use Permit (Permit) MV2019C0029 for the Coates Lake Project (Project) in accordance with the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act (MVRMA).

The Board has approved the amended Permit, which is supported by the Board’s Reasons for Decision. These documents are posted on the Board’s Public Registry.

Permit Processes and Additional Information: Sections 5 and 6 of the Land and Water Board (LWB) Guide to the Land Use Permitting Process (Guide) contain detailed information on permit enforcement and potential post-issuance processes, such as amendments to conditions, and assignment to another company.

Please be familiar with these sections of the Guide and reach out to Board staff with any questions about LWB processes related to the Permit.

Link to Registry:

Mineral exploration - summer and winter; camp in the Coates Lake area to support mineral exploration including geological mapping, rock chip sampling, and soil sampling. Work will be based at the Coates Lake camp.  All transportation from the camp to the working areas will be by helicopter and all...

09/11/2026

File: S26X-001

Re: Erosion and Sedimentation Management Plan, V1.1 – Approved – Northern Transportation Route (NTR) Initiative Project – Miscellaneous – Sawmill Bay of Great Bear Lake, NT

The Sahtú Land and Water Board (Board) received the Erosion and Sedimentation Management Plan, V1.1 submitted by Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. (AECL) on August 25, 2026 as required by the Board’s July 25, 2026 Decision Letter on Version 1.0.

Board staff have conducted a conformity check and determined that the submission meets the requirements set out in the Board’s Decision Letter. The Erosion and Sedimentation Management Plan, V1.1 is hereby considered approved.

Link to Registry:

​The Project involves the remediation of residual uranium ore spill sites along the historic Northern Transportation Route (NTR), a 2,000 km waterway and portage route that went from Port Radium, NT to Fort McMurray, AB through Treaties 11 and 8. In the early 1990s, elevated levels of radioactiv...

09/11/2026

File: S26X-001

Re: Waste Management Plan – V1.1 – Approved – Northern Transportation Route (NTR) Initiative Project – Miscellaneous – Sawmill Bay of Great Bear Lake, NT

The Sahtú, Land and Water Board (Board) received the Waste Management Plan (WMP), V1.1 submitted by Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. (AECL) on August 25, 2026 as required by the Board’s July 25, 2026 Decision Letter on Version 1.0.

Board staff have conducted a conformity check and determined that the submission meets the requirements set out in the Board’s Decision Letter. The Waste Management Plan, V1.1 is hereby considered approved.

Board staff also provides the following clarifications:

The Waste Management Plan notes wastes will be transported to Deline’s Solid Waste Disposal Facility. Board approval of the Waste Management Plan does not require the Deline Got’ine Government to accept waste from the Project.

The capacity of the Facility to accept waste from the Project may change over time. In advance of transferring any waste to the Facility, the Permittee is expected to contact the Deline Got’ine Government to confirm that the waste will be accepted at the Facility and to determine the preferred frequency of subsequent advance notifications. If the Deline Got’ine Government will not accept the waste, the Permittee is expected to submit a revised Waste Management Plan to the Board for approval.

Link to Registry:

​The Project involves the remediation of residual uranium ore spill sites along the historic Northern Transportation Route (NTR), a 2,000 km waterway and portage route that went from Port Radium, NT to Fort McMurray, AB through Treaties 11 and 8. In the early 1990s, elevated levels of radioactiv...

09/11/2026

Re: Surface Water Management Plan and Quality Assurance and Quality Control Manual, Version 2.1 – Approved – Imperial - Norman Wells Operations, NT

The Sahtú Land and Water Board (Board) received the Surface Water Management Plan and Quality Assurance and Quality Control Manual, Version 2.1, submitted by Imperial Oil Resources N.W.T. Limited (Imperial) on September 9, 2026, as required by Water Licence (Licence) S13L1-007 and the Board’s direction in its August 19, 2026, Decision Letter.

Board staff have conducted a conformity check and determined that the Surface Water Management Plan and Quality Assurance and Quality Control Manual, Version 2.1, meets the requirements of the Surveillance Network Program, Annex A, Part B.3 of the Licence and the Board’s direction in its August 19, 2026, Decision Letter. The Surface Water Management Plan and Quality Assurance and Quality Control Manual, Version 2.1 is hereby considered approved.

Link to Plan:

09/11/2026

Transboundary File:

Re: Selwyn Chihong Mining Ltd. – Notice of Preliminary Screening Determination – Application for Land Use Permit – Quarry – Howards Pass Access Road, NT

The Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board (Board) met on September 3, 2026, and considered the Application Package from Selwyn Chihong Mining Ltd. for Land Use Permit (Permit) MV2025Q0005 for the Howard’s Pass Access Road Repair and Quarry Project (Project) in accordance with the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act (MVRMA).

The Board conducted a preliminary screening based on the public record for the proceeding. Based on the evidence provided, the Board is satisfied the screening has been completed according to section 125 of the MVRMA and has decided not to refer the Project to environmental assessment.

The Board’s Preliminary Screening Determination and Reasons for Decision, as required by section 121 of the MVRMA, is attached.If the Board does not receive notice of referral to environmental assessment, it can proceed with issuance of Permit MV2025Q0005 on Thursday, September 17, 2026.

Link to Registry:

​This project (originally under S25Q-004) is to develop, use and reclaim borrow material to repair (lifting and surfacing) the Howards Pass Access Road (HPAR) from Km 62 to Km 78 of the HPAR. In addition, this material will be used to repair the approaches to the Placer and Steel Creek Bridge. 

08/21/2026

Prohibition Creek Access Road and Christina Creek Realignment Project - Board Staff Developed - Draft WL and LUP Conditions

Review Comments Due: September 14, 2026

Proponent Responses Due: September 21, 2026

Link to ORS: https://new.onlinereviewsystem.ca//review/EB9B48A0-B79C-F111-9B33-6045BD621694

Item Description:

The draft Water Licence and Land Use Permit has been developed by Board staff, using the LWBs’ current Standard Water Licence Conditions Template and Standard Land Use Permit Conditions Template, to allow reviewers and the Applicant to comment on possible conditions. Non-standard conditions are highlighted in green. These draft materials are not intended to limit, in any way, the scope of reviewers’ comments. There are also specific comment bubbles in the drafts, Board staff are seeking input on.

The Board is not bound by the contents of the draft Licence or Permit and will make its decision at the close of the proceeding on the basis of all the evidence and arguments filed by all Parties. Note that ‘except as directed by the Board’ still allows the submission of new evidence through staff-directed IRs and reviews of IR responses, requests for ruling, etc. as needed. Following the review and response period for the draft Licence and Permit, the public record for this proceeding will be closed, and no further evidence can be submitted except as directed by the Board.

Using the Online Review System (ORS), reviewers are invited to submit comments and recommendations on the documents linked below by the review comment deadline specified. Please clearly indicate which condition you are commenting on.

All documents that have been uploaded to this review are also available on our public Registry. If you have any questions or comments about the ORS or this review, please contact Board staff identified in the ORS posting.

08/19/2026

Re: Imperial Oil Resources N.W.T. Limited (Imperial) - Norman Wells Operations (NWO) - Request to modify water withdrawal approach – Modification - Part G

The Sahtú Land and Water Board met on August 19, 2026, to review the proposed plan to modify the method and locations of withdrawing water from the Mackenzie River for the Norman Wells Operations (NWO) as requested by Imperial Oil Resources N.W.T. Limited (Imperial) on June 22, 2026.

The SLWB determines that this proposal is a Modification as per Part G: of Water Licence S13L1-007. As the proposed Modification results in changes to the Surveillance Network Program (SNP) and the Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) Plan, both which require Board approval to be updated, the requested Modification was reviewed and approved by the Board. This proposal is subject to the following:

Imperial shall include a summary of water use activities and volumes in the NWO Annual Report 2026 and subsequent annual reports;
Imperial shall complete the following steps prior to converting the CPF settling pond into a Category A holding pond as outlined in the July 31, 2026, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) Inspector letter to the Board:
• Sample water currently contained in the CPF settling pond to confirm it meets Category B criteria
• Clean the CPF settling pond in accordance with current procedures outlined in the QAQC Manual
• Collect, sample and appropriately dispose of sediment accumulated in the CPF settling pond in
accordance with current procedures
• Sample water from within the CPF settling pond once refilled to confirm Category B status
• Report the results of the water and sediment sampling to the Sahtú Land and Water Board and the Inspector

Imperial shall submit an updated QA/QC Plan; and
Imperial shall contact the Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) Inspector Erika Nissen two weeks prior to the change in the water withdrawal approach at 819-920-4703.

Changes to the Surveillance Network Program (SNP)
Imperial is requesting to change the status of the two SNP surface water monitoring stations to inactive. Once these monitoring stations become inactive, sampling under Section C and measured water temperatures under Section H of the SNP will no longer be conducted. Imperial is also requesting to change the CPF Settling Pond from a Category B facility to a Category A facility, reducing the sampling and analysis requirements for the Settling Pond.

The Board determined that the Modification proposes changes to the SNP and not to specific water licence conditions. Changes to the SNP do not warrant a water licence amendment process but require approval from the Board. The Board approves the status change for the two surface water monitoring stations, S13L1-007-1 and S13L1-007-2, to inactive, and the CPF Settling Pond from Category B to Category A, subject to this letter’s requirements. Imperial is required to continue to follow the SNP requirements, including measuring, recording and reporting the quantities of fresh water pumped from the Mackenzie River at all withdrawal locations.

Submission Requirements
The Board requires that the QA/QC Plan be revised to include all changes detailed in the Modification and submitted by September 9, 2026. The revised QA/QC Plan will be considered to be approved when the Licensee receives written confirmation of conformity from Board staff. Until the revised QA/QC Plan is approved, the Licensee may not commence the activities associated with the Modification, and must comply with the QA/QC Plan, Version 1.5.

CIRNAC has provided a letter of conditions (attached and available on the Public Registry).

The letter can be found on our public registry:https://registry.mvlwb.ca/Documents/S13L1-007/S13L1-007%20-%202026%20Water%20Withdrawal%20Approach%20-%20Modification%20-%20SLWB%20Approval%20Letter%20-%20Aug19_26.pdf

08/19/2026

Re: Denendeh Exploration and Mining Company Limited (DEMCo) – Notification of Timeline Pause – S25C-001 – Mineral Exploration, Camsell River / Great Bear Lake area, NT

The Sahtú Land and Water Board (Board) met on August 19, 2026, and considered the amendment Application Package from DEMCo for Land Use Permit (Permit) S25C-001 for mineral exploration activities in the Camsell River / Great Bear Lake region in accordance with the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act (MVRMA). The Board has decided to invoke paragraph 22(2)(b) of the Mackenzie Valley Land Use Regulations based on the concerns expressed by the Délınę Got’ınę Government (DGG) in a letter to the Board dated July 27, 2026, and other stakeholder comments submitted as part of the public review of the application.

Further, the Board has determined that additional direction and information is necessary to consider the Application. The Board directives are outlined in the letter, which has been uploaded to our public registry.

The Board considers in-person discussion to be the most meaningful form of engagement and encourage DEMCo and DGG to work together to thoroughly review remaining concerns in-person together with the goal of building consensus.

The Board determined that these further studies and investigations are necessary because the current engagement and consultation record, as contested by DGG, does not provide a sufficiently reliable basis for the Board to understand potential impacts of the proposed land-use operation on the affected lands or on the rights of the Délınę Got’ınę. DGG’s internal review process involving multiple governance bodies remains ongoing and is expected to conclude no earlier than mid-September 2026. Pausing the timeline under paragraph 22(2)(b) and section 23.1 of the MVLUR will allow this work to be completed and will enable the Board to make a fully informed decision.