Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

CANADA #153:NWT Environmental Sciences Centre of Excellence  (NWT ESCE)

Outline
“Research in the North, for the North, by the North” The scientific and traditional knowledge capacity in the NWT is both limited and dispersed among various government and non-government organizations. This situation has resulted in inefficient, sometimes ineffective environmental management, reduced credibility and lost opportunities. The provision of scientific and traditional ecological expertise and training needs to be strengthened in the NWT. The combination of a young and growing but largely unskilled population, rapid industrial development (mining, natural gas) and many environmental challenges lends additional urgency to the need to establish an arms-length environmental sciences centre capable of providing first-rate advice and solutions to environmental problems to all parties. An NWT environmental sciences centre of excellence (NWT ESCE) would consolidate much of the environmental advisory functions of DIAND, the GNWT and possibly other agencies under a single umbrella, ensuring a critical, arms-length mass of western science-based environmental expertise. Traditional knowledge expertise from government and non-government organizations would similarly be a fundamental part of the NWT ESCE (the term “environmental sciences” is used here to refer to both western science and traditional ecological knowledge). Decision-makers (government agencies, Aboriginal groups, boards, industry, etc) would be able to draw on the objective and expert advice of the NWT ESCE without concerns about real or perceived conflicts of interest. There would be a sharing of the resource, rather than a further splintering of it. Capacity building and training in the environmental sciences (including traditional ecological knowledge) would be greatly facilitated. Linkages with universities (including the University of the Arctic), colleges, research institutes, science-based government departments, other centers of environmental excellence and industry would create opportunities on all sides. The linkages among Aurora College, Aurora Research Institute and the NWT ESCE would need carefully examination but close working relationships, if not integration, would enable more effective capacity building in the environmental sciences across the NWT. Northerners would have access to and opportunities in the science fields they don’t have now; other institutions would have a recognized centre of excellence in the NWT with which to do business. Roles and Responsibilities The NWT ESC could incorporate a wide range of environmental science expertise, including the following: •Hydrology; •Hydrogeology; •Archaeology; •Wildlife biology; •Geosciences; •Permafrost; •Laboratory analyses and research; •Climate change; •Cumulative effects; •Environmental assessment processes; •Contaminated sites remediation; •Project-specific environmental monitoring; •Regional environmental monitoring; •Information management, remote sensing and GIS technology; •Training and capacity building in environmental sciences. The ESC could bring existing centers of excellence under a single umbrella. For example, the water sciences expertise currently resident in the Water Resources Division of DIAND could be transferred to the ESC as could the wildlife expertise in RWED. Much of the ESC would be in a single location (the area currently occupied by the former Akaitcho College would be an ideal location given its proximity to the two high schools, a primary school, the NWT Geoscience Centre and the Taiga Environmental Laboratory) but other centers of excellence that would become part of the ESC could remain where they are now (e.g., Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre) and new centers of excellence created in communities – the hub and node model.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
The proposal to establish the NWT Environmental Sciences Centre (NWTESC) addresses three themes important to Northerners: • NWTESC would provide the scientific underpinnings for public policy and private practice concerning resource development and environmental studies through research programs initiated or supported by the Centre; • NWTESC would provide, through training and education, capability and capacity building for NWT residents to further develop northern scientists and science; • NWTESC would provide unique infrastructure through which northern researchers could develop and undertake their projects.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
Limited to date as this is largely a domestic initiative although there have been informal discussions with international researchers on the need for and advantages of such a facility in the NWT.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Field work supported by the NWT ESCE would largely be within the NWT although international collaboration would be strongly encouraged and supported

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: present - 31/03/06      01/04/06-01/06/07      01/06/07 - ongoing
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
This project requires the construction of an integrated, multi-disciplinary research facility in Yellowknife, NWT. Once operational, the facility would support both internal and external research projects and provide capacity building and training opportunities.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
Yes. Both the Yellowknife building and associated community nodes would form a permanent legacy for the NWT and the rest of the North.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?

Resources would come from various sources and in various forms. Financial resources would largely be from government and industry; researchers and support staff would be seconded from government, industry and other organizations or hired directly.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
This pre-proposal has been reviewed and is being submitted by the Canadian Steering Committee (CSC). Ongoing discussions will integrate this pre-proposal into a larger network of related national and international initiatives. The CSC has initially sorted this pre-proposal into: Non-virtual Infrastructure

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
YES

The concept is not entirely new (there was once a Science Institute of the NWT) but the current push is. Several parties are currently approaching the same concept from different directions, e.g., World Wildlife Fund Canada and its Conservation Data Centre, David Hik and Karen Kraft Sloan and the Northern Research Service, NRC and its Innovation Centres and NRCAN and its northern research facility. Collaboration will be necessary and mutually advantageous.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The project will be carried out through a collaborative approach among interested parties within and outside the NWT and lead by the project champions. The following steps identify the key milestones. Step 1 is complete. Step 1 – Analysing stakeholder positioning and support Step 2 – Developing the project structure, proposal and schedule Step 3 - Confirming the vision - Sustainable Development Solutions for the North by Northerners Step 4 – Describing the functional, human and physical resource needs Step 5 – Choosing a governance model Step 6 – Implementing business and organizational models Step 7 - Putting it all together

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
The first step (complete) is to understand who might be supporters of the project, who might be neutral to it, and who might be negatively disposed to it and therefore inclined to provide hurdles or barriers to progress. This was done through interviewing and opinion seeking among influential people. The second step requires project advocates to gather the support necessary to seek appropriate authorization and funding. This may be best accomplished through two closely linked teams: - a senior strategic team providing leadership and direction, strategic advice, fundraising, opening doors, promoting and communicating publicly; and an oerations team doing the planning, data collection, and preparation of documents, presentations, reports and recommendations for the decision makers in the strategic team.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Funding will largely come from the federal and territorial governments; industry may also play a key role. Approximate infrastructure costs are in the neighborhood of $10-$20M depending on the extent and nature of the activities that would be housed. Options include basic research facilities plus offices, an environmental laboratory, warehouse space, etc.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
Considerable additional information is available upon request. At this point, there is strong, widespread support for the concept; final agreement will require considerable collaboration among the many interested parties but the opportunity to create a northern research facility to support research in the north for northerners by northerners is clear.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Mr  David Livingstone
Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
P.O. Box 1500, Yellowknife, NWT
X1A 2R3
Canada

Tel: 867-669-2647
Mobile: no
Fax: 867-669-2707
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation