Land and Property Owners  

Within the Five Inuit Communities:

• Existing private land owners are not affected.
  
  
• Those holding Crown land leases and licences are protected and may continue according to their terms and conditions. It is your responsibility to ensure that the title is in good standing.
  
  
• Applications for renewal must be made to the Inuit Community Government, who may impose additional reasonable terms and conditions to your lease or licence renewal.
  
  
• No further opportunity will be available to acquire title from the Government. All new applications for land must be made to the Inuit Community Government.
  
  
• Those who wish to confirm their existing title is in good standing should contact the Labrador Regional Lands Office as soon as possible at the address below.

Outside Communities (Cabins, Homesteads, etc.):

• If you own a cabin and have a valid cabin licence within the Settlement Area, including Inuit Lands, you may continue to own and use it.
  
  
• Permits and licences within the Settlement Area, outside Inuit Lands, will continue to be issued by the Province.
  
  
• Existing leases and licences within Inuit Lands will be transferred to the Inuit government for future administration. Title holders can continue in accordance with their current terms and conditions. However, the title must be in good standing. It is the responsibility of the lease/licence holder to ensure the title is in good standing.
  
  
• Applications for renewals within Inuit Lands must be made to the Inuit government, who may impose additional, reasonable fees and conditions to your lease or licence.
  
  
• New cabins and licences within Inuit Lands will be available from the Inuit government only.
  
  

• Existing private land holders are not affected anywhere in the Settlement Area, including Inuit Lands.
  
  
• If you claim ownership or rights to homestead sites or other specific sites based on long-term use and occupation, which are not on record with the Lands Office, you may be affected by the Final Agreement.
  
  
• Following the Final Agreement, the Province will no longer accept requests for grants to sites within Inuit Lands.
  
  
• If you feel you have a claim to a specific site based on long-term usage, contact the Labrador Regional Lands Office for additional information as soon as possible.

Please contact the Lands Branch Office NOW:

Land Categories  

The Final Agreement will create two areas of land - the Labrador Inuit Settlement Area and Labrador Inuit Lands. The Settlement Area consists of 28,000 square miles of land and 17,000 square miles of adjacent ocean extending out 12 miles (referred to as the Zone). The Settlement Area will include the five Inuit communities - Nain, Hopedale, Makkovik, Postville and Rigolet. In the northern part of the Settlement Area, approximately 3,700 square miles will be set aside for the establishment of the Torngat Mountains National Park Reserve. Inuit will have special rights in all of these areas.

Within the Settlement Area, Inuit will own 6,100 square miles of land, referred to as Labrador Inuit Lands. It is in this area where Inuit have the most rights and benefits. Please see the map on the reverse for more details.

Resource Harvesting  

It is essential that we establish certainty of land ownership and access to resources for the economic, social and cultural development of Labrador. In the Agreement, resource harvesting includes hunting, fishing, cutting firewood and berry picking. The following outlines the resource harvesting regime for all Labradorians in the two main land areas.

Settlement Area:

• Outside Inuit Lands, non-Inuit can harvest in accordance with provincial and federal regulations.
  
  
• Inuit can harvest year-round for subsistence purposes according to Inuit regulations.
  
  
• If conservation requires that resource harvesting be limited, Inuit will have priority rights. All harvesting by non-Inuit must be closed before there are any reductions to Inuit harvesting. The Minister will consult with the Inuit government before reducing Inuit harvesting limits.
  
  
• If hunting, cutting firewood or berry picking is closed to non-Inuit, special consideration will be given to non-Inuit long-term residents of Inuit communities. (Long-term residents must have lived in the Inuit communities since 1980).
  
  

Inuit Lands:

• If you wish to harvest on Inuit Lands, you will need a permit from the Inuit government.
  
  
• Everyone can continue to fish in marine waters, however you need permission from the Inuit government to fish inland waters.
  
  
• Non-Inuit, long-term residents of Inuit communities will be given special consideration for harvesting wildlife, firewood and berries.
  
  

Ice Fishing  

Everyone can ice fish in all marine waters in accordance with federal regulations.

Recreational Access  

Outdoor activities such as snowmobiling, the use of ATV's, canoeing and hiking are not affected in the Settlement Area. Although Inuit Lands are private lands, free access to cross is permitted along standard routes. For other activities on Inuit lands, you will need permission from the Inuit government.

Commercial and Industrial Developments  

Under the final land claims agreement, development will refer to a proposed commercial or industrial operation. The province will approve and issue land titles for all developments in the Settlement Area, outside Inuit Lands.

For any large scale development in the Settlement Area, outside Inuit Lands, the proponent must negotiate an Impacts and Benefits Agreement (IBA) with the Inuit government. The Inuit government will approve proponents of developments on Inuit Lands. If you plan any development on Inuit Lands, you must negotiate an IBA with the Inuit government.

Land Use Plan

All developments in the Settlement Area, including Inuit Lands, must conform to a land use plan, which will be prepared by the Province and the Inuit government.

Environmental Assessment

Federal and provincial environmental assessment legislation will still apply in the Settlement Area, including Inuit Lands. However, the Inuit government may make additional laws regarding environmental assessments within Inuit Lands. Every effort will be made to ensure environmental assessment processes are harmonized to avoid duplication and inefficiencies.

Mineral Resources  

Settlement Area:

• Provincial regulations continue for mining and mineral exploration.
  
  
• Outside Inuit Lands, IBAs must be negotiated with the Inuit government for large-scale mineral developments only.
  
  

Inuit Lands:

• Existing mineral rights holders will continue under provincial regulation.
  
  
• The Provincial and Inuit governments must approve new exploration permits.
  
  
• All companies must comply with joint exploration and quarrying standards developed by the Province and the Inuit government.
  
  
• IBAs must be negotiated with the Inuit government for all mineral developments.
  
  
• Companies are subject to access conditions and fees required by the Inuit government - the fee schedule will be published and uniformly applied.
  
  
• Inuit will own 1,525 square miles of quarry materials within Inuit Lands. The Inuit government will issue quarry permits in this area, and an IBA will be required.
  
  
• With the exception of quarry developments in the 1,525 square miles of quarry materials owned by Inuit, developers are not required to negotiate IBAs for quarry developments.
  
  

Voisey's Bay  

An area of 85 square miles will be set aside for the Voisey's Bay project. The Inuit government will receive 3% of provincial mining revenues. Other rights and benefits related to lands and resources will be negotiated before the Final Agreement is concluded.

Commercial Fishing  

Existing commercial licences are not affected. The Inuit will receive a percentage of new commercial harvesting licences in the ocean Zone, and in Canadian waters adjacent to the Zone. They will also receive 70% of new processing licences.

Outfitters  

Outfitters in the Settlement Area or on Inuit Lands can continue. The Province, following consultation with outfitters and the new joint Wildlife Board will establish wildlife allocations.

Inuit will have the first option to buy operations that may be put up for sale, and first right to establish new operations in both areas.

Vacant guide positions must be filled with qualified Inuit candidates, if available. (Seasonal or temporary lay-offs are not considered vacancies.)

Sawmills  

Settlement Area:

• Sawmills in the Settlement Area are not affected. However, Inuit have the first option to establish new sawmill operations.

Inuit Lands

• Existing sawmill operations can continue in accordance with current terms, while fees are to be submitted to the Inuit government.
• Inuit government will authorize new operations and set appropriate fees for such operations.

Archaeology  

Archaeology permits for the Settlement Area will continue to be obtained from the Province, while permits for Inuit Lands must be obtained from the Inuit government. Community briefings will be required.