Land, Water, and Air

Information on land, water, and air management in the Northwest Territories, including planning, monitoring, permits, and programs that support environmental protection and responsible resource use.

Land planning and access

Information on how land is planned, accessed, and used in the NWT, including mapping tools and applications for permits and leases.

Land use planning

Learn how land use plans are developed and used to guide land and resource decisions in the NWT.

ATLAS mapping

The ATLAS system is a user-friendly mapping tool that provides information about parcels of land in the Northwest Territories.

Apply for land use permit

Information on how to apply for a land use permit in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR).

Apply for a recreational / cabin lease

Information on how to apply for a recreational or cabin lease to build a non-commercial dwelling on public land.

Apply for a commercial land lease

A commercial lease gives the occupant the exclusive right to use the land for a specified period and allows the lessee to make improvements on the land for their business-related activities.

Water management and stewardship

Information on water monitoring, protection, agreements, and scientific analysis to support safe and sustainable water use.

Water monitoring and stewardship

Information about water stewardship, regulatory responsibilities, and water monitoring and assessment.

Transboundary water agreements

Agreements between the NWT and neighbouring jurisdictions to cooperatively manage shared water resources and protect ecosystem health across borders.

Taiga Environmental Laboratory

Full-service analytical laboratory that performs a wide range of organic and inorganic chemical analyses on water and soil.

Drinking water in the NWT

Information on drinking water in the NWT, including how it is treated, monitored, and managed to ensure safe and reliable supply for communities.

Environmental oversight and air

Tools and programs that support environmental assessment, auditing, and air quality monitoring across the NWT.

Air quality

Information about monitoring and the development of a regulatory framework for air quality in the Northwest Territories.

Ecosystem classification

Information on the Ecosystem Classification Program, an ecologically-based landscape classification for environmental assessment.

NWT Environmental Audit

An independent, legislated review of the NWT's environmental management system, assessing regulatory effectiveness, environmental data, and cumulative impact monitoring to guide improvements.

Land management and industry

Resources for managing land use activities, including industrial development, leasing, fees, and financial requirements.

Quarrying permits and leases

Information on the quarry development plan and have to apply for a quarry permit for the purpose of extracting sand, gravel, stone, loam, and other types of granular materials.

Land lease rents and fees

Information on land lease rents and fees.

Land and water securities

Financial securities (deposits or letters of credit) required from land and water users to ensure funds are available for site cleanup and reclamation.

Project assessment

Learn about the GNWT's role in environmental project assessments, including impact reviews, public and Indigenous consultation, and decision-making processes for proposed developments in the Northwest Territories.
Updated: Mar 27, 2026