Cleaning Up Contaminated Sites

Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada is committed to communicating with NWT residents regarding the remediation of contaminated sites, and providing economic opportunities for Northerners wherever possible.

How does the department carry out contaminated site remediation in the Northwest Territories?

Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada NT Region’s Contaminants and Remediation Directorate (CARD) recognizes the importance of contaminated site remediation and future contaminated site prevention. CARD currently manages over 30 contaminated sites in the NWT, at various stages of remediation. Many of these sites became the Government of Canada's responsibility after private owners relinquished their properties according to the legislation of the day, or when companies went bankrupt. The properties then reverted to the Crown, and as representative of the Crown, the department became custodian of these properties and related remediation activities.

To guide its contaminated sites remediation and prevention efforts, the department created the Contaminated Sites Management Policy in 2002. The implementation of this policy contributes to a safer, healthier, sustainable environment for First Nations, Inuit, and Northerners by striving to preserve and enhance the ecological integrity of the Northern environment.

What information is available?

In this section you will find information related to contaminated sites in the Northwest Territories, and projects underway by Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada and their partners to remediate these sites.

As well, there is  information about the remediation process for contaminated sites, and descriptions of some contaminants and hazards commonly found at the sites.

There are also summaries of current remediation activities, information about the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan  and about doing business in the NWT for contaminated sites remediation.