The Far North Planning Initiative

The Government of Ontario and the Ministry of Natural Resources are working with Nishnawbe Aski Nation and Far North First Nations, with advice from the Far North Advisory Council and the Far North Science Advisory Panel, to protect the Boreal region while allowing environmentally sustainable economic development opportunities that benefit Far North First Nations and Ontario.

Together we will develop a land use plan that both conserves the vast environment of the Far North and provides an environmentally sustainable economic future and greater prosperity for the area's people and communities. Our goal is to strike the right balance between conservation and development.

We will create a framework for our plan in 2009 which will lead to a Far North Land Use Strategy to be completed in 2011.

At the same time, we will be working with individual First Nation communities as they begin local land use planning. We anticipate that as communities move forward with Far North community land use planning a number of local plans will be completed each year. The entire process should be completed in the next ten to fifteen years.

New forestry and the opening of new mines will require community land use plans supported by local Aboriginal groups.

This planning process for the Far North will create a new respect and working relationship with First Nations. In addition to a much greater say on the future of their communities and traditional lands, the process also provides opportunities for economic development in these remote communities.

Planning at the community level will be a true partnership. Because any decision on development has the greatest effect on communities, local planning will be led by First Nation communities in partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources and will be agreed to by both the First Nation community and the Ministry.

To support this planning, the Ontario government is also undertaking scientific mapping of the region's biodiversity, carbon sequestration potential, and natural resources.