Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau and the President of the Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA), Olayuk Akesuk have signed the SINAA Project Finance for Permanence Agreement between the Government of Canada, the QIA, The Pew Charitable Trusts, and the Aajuraq Conservation Fund Society.
The initiative is a large-scale conservation project in the Qikiqtani Region of Nunavut, one of the most biodiverse areas in the Arctic and home to a wide array of species including polar bears, narwhals, and migratory birds. This region’s ecological health is deeply intertwined with Inuit culture, economy, and well-being, creating a deep connection that sustains biodiversity and livelihoods and that helps support both wildlife and important natural processes like climate regulation and carbon storage. Sinaa is an Inuit word meaning “the floe edge where the land fast ice meets the open water.”
Key elements of the SINAA Agreement include:
- establishing an Inuit-led regional conservation governance model
- expanding the Inuit stewardship program (Nauttiqsuqtiit)
- building Nauttiqsuqtiit Conservation Centres to support Qikiqtani Inuit conservation work
- advancing establishment and management of protected and conserved areas
Once implemented, the initiative will protect up to an additional 3.68% of oceans in Canada, and 0.04% of lands, as well as enhance Inuit governance, and the management and stewardship of existing protected and conserved areas.
“The Canadian Arctic has been home to vibrant ecosystems and Indigenous communities for generations. With today’s announcement, we are strengthening our commitment to protecting lands, waters, and wildlife, honouring Inuit-led conservation efforts, and walking forward on the shared path of reconciliation,” said Prime Minister Trudeau. “Working together with provinces, territories, Inuit communities, and other partners, we can build a future where traditions, stories, and ways of life are preserved and celebrated.”
Contributions to the SINAA Agreement include a planned $200 million from the Government of Canada, along with $70 million pledged from philanthropic donors in Canada and around the world. Over the next 15 years, these investments are projected to attract $318 million to the Qikiqtani region, with more jobs, opportunities, and Inuit-led stewardship of lands and waters. The agreement will also make meaningful progress in advancing the goal to conserve 30% of oceans in Canada by 2030.
“Today, we are reaching a historic milestone in Canadian history. The agreement signed today sets the foundations for Inuit-led and governed conservation efforts to protect our culture, lands, waters, and wildlife,” said Akesuk, President of the Qikiqtani Inuit Association. “Today is a proud day, and I thank the Government of Canada, donors, and the philanthropic community for seeing our vision and working with us to make it a reality.”
To further support economic opportunities for the Qikiqtani Inuit, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the QIA have signed the Qikiqtani Fisheries Agreement. The agreement provides funding over the next 10 years to support both acquiring access to offshore commercial fisheries, vessels and gear, and training to participate in offshore commercial fishing in adjacent waters.
