The Environmental Impact Screening Committee (“EISC” or the “Committee”) has seven permanent members. The Chair is appointed by the Government of Canada with the consent of the Inuvialuit Game Council (“IGC”). The governments of Canada, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories each designate one member and Canada appoints these designated members (whom are referred to as the “Canada”, “Yukon”, and “GNWT” members). The IGC also appoints three “Inuvialuit” members.

The EISC mandate is derived from the Inuvialuit Final Agreement (“IFA”), section 11(36), which states that “no licence or approval shall be issued that would have the effect of permitting any proposed development to proceed unless the provisions of IFA section 11(36) have been complied with”. This compliance has the effect of requiring competent authorities to give notice of applications for licences, permits, or other authorizations, to the EISC. All applications for proposed development and/or research purposes must therefore be reviewed by the EISC to determine if they are to be subject to an Environmental Impact Screening (“EIS”).

If the proposed development could have a significant negative environmental impact on the ISR, or a significant negative impact on present or future Inuvialuit wildlife harvesting, the Committee can recommend terms and conditions to mitigate the potential impact(s), or make a decision that the project is subject to a further assessment and review by either the Environmental Impact Review Board (“EIRB”) or another competent body.

Since the Committee was established in 1986, over 700 development proposals have been screened. These projects have ranged from oil and gas, seismic and drilling programs, to cruise ships and other large development projects like the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway (“ITH”). A standardized system for screening, developed by the Committee, has led to prompt and consistent decision-making. Through the efforts of the Screening Committee, a positive relationship between the Inuvialuit, industry, government, and the EISC has emerged.

For more information, please visit the EISC website.