A Guide to Natural Resources Canada Programs and Activities in Canada's North

Quality of Life Through Sustainable Resource Development

NRCan's Northern Activities:

(3) Programs and Initiatives

Aboriginal Communities and Minerals and Metals Activities Map Series - As part of an on-going effort to promote aboriginal people's participation in mining, NRCan has developed six regional maps covering all provinces and territories in Canada. The maps show Aboriginal communities* and First Nation Reserves, producing mines, Historic Treaty boundaries, Settled Land Claims and Settled Traditional Territories. The information provided on these maps are of interest to a number of users including Aboriginal communities, government agencies, and natural resource industries.

*For the purposes of this map series any communities with a 20% or greater Aboriginal population, according to the 1996 Census, were designated aboriginal communities.

Contact: Bruno Bond
tel (613) 992-8589
fax (613) 992-8263
email: bbond@nrcan.gc.ca
Website:http://atlas.gc.ca/

Aboriginal and Northern Community Action Program – This shared initiative with INAC engages aboriginal people and northerners in climate change activities, including examining opportunities for energy efficiency and the application of renewable energy technologies in remote northern and aboriginal communities. The work is carried out in partnership with northern and aboriginal communities, as well as with provincial, territorial and aboriginal governments.

Contact: Yvonne Pandke,
tel (613) 996-5289
fax (613) 943-1590
email: ypandke@nrcan.gc.ca

Aboriginal Portal – The Aboriginal portal coordinated by NRCan's SPB Branch is a website designed to provide information on NRCan's programs and services that are specifically designed for, or of particular interest to, Aboriginal peoples. This directory contains links to program-specific websites across the department, including the Aboriginal Communities and Minerals and Metals maps. NRCan programs and services provide useful tools (including information and training, technical and scientific expertise, and skills and capacity development) to assist Aboriginal people to manage their own lands and resources and to participate more fully in Canada's natural resource-based economy.

Contact: Alex Randall
tel (613) 992-9701
fax (613) 947-5977
email: arandall@nrcan.gc.ca
Website: www.nrcan.gc.ca/aboriginal

Aeronautical Charting – NRCan's Aeronautical and Technical Services (ATS) publishes Canada's official aeronautical charts (including coverage of Canada's northern airspace), and provides specialized cartographic imaging and printing services to the Government of Canada's mapping agencies. Thousands of civilian and military pilots, air traffic controllers, government planners, and domestic and foreign airlines use our information daily. Applications for this information are diverse, and include: enroute navigation, flight planning, air traffic control, search and rescue, military operations, and recreational aviation. The charts and publications produced are revised and updated from data submitted by the Department of National Defence, Transport Canada and NAV CANADA, and are available through distributors such as TGIT Geomatics in Yellowknife and Mac's Fireweed Books in Whitehorse.

In addition to aeronautical information products, ATS provides a variety of advanced imaging and printing services related to the enhancement, assembly and publishing of cartographic image data in support of client mapping and publishing programs in the North. ATS has printed maps for different government clients such as land claims maps for Indian and Northern Affairs and the first federal map of Canada showing Nunavut. ATS produces maps for different government clients and is the official backup for the Department of National Defence printers.

Contact: Claude Goyette
tel (613) 992-3489
fax (613) 943-8959
e-mail: cgoyette@nrcan.gc.ca
Website: http://ats.nrcan.gc.ca

Arctic Energy Alliance (AEA) – The AEA coordinates federal and Government of the Northwest Territories' programs relating to energy efficiency, and renewable energy. Its goal is to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and associated climate change impacts in the north.

Contact: Zoe Beaulac
tel (613) 992-7357
fax (613) 995-8343
email: zbeaulac@nrcan.gc.ca

Arctic Logistics: Polar Continental Shelf Project (PCSP) – As a national service agency, PCSP coordinates logistics support for government, university and northern community research groups working in the Canadian Arctic. PCSP organizes and manages aircraft support, field equipment, communications and other logistics services for groups conducting research in such fields as traditional knowledge, archaeology, climate change, oceanography, biology and geology, among others.

Contact: Bonni Hrycyk
tel (613) 947-1601
fax (613) 947-1611
e-mail: bhrycyk@nrcan.gc.ca
Website: http://polar.nrcan.gc.ca

Buildings Program – NRCan's Buildings Program provides the scientific and technical foundation for market deployment and adoption of more energy-efficient and environmentally advanced commercial and residential buildings. A large part of program activities will focus on reduced space heating energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. Space heating is still the largest single energy end-use among both housing and commercial buildings. Activities focus on both existing and new building stock. Renewable energy technologies also have potential to reduce the use of conventional energy sources through integration into building energy systems.

Contact: Charles Zaloum,
tel (613) 996-8116
fax (613) 996-9909
email: chzaloum@nrcan.gc.ca
Website: http://buildingsgroup.nrcan.gc.ca

Canada's Energy Efficiency Awards – Canada's Energy Efficiency Awards, as the only national competition of its kind, play an important role in recognizing Canadian success stories and innovation in energy efficiency. Canada's Energy Efficiency Awards honour Canadian innovation and achievement in energy efficiency by businesses, institutions, governments, communities and individuals. Managed by Natural Resources Canada's Office of Energy Efficiency and adjudicated by independent juries, these prestigious awards give winners well-deserved recognition and respect across Canada.

Contact: Maggie Johnston
tel (613) 943-8058
fax (613) 996-2250
email: majohnst@nrcan.gc.ca

Canada Yukon Energy Solutions Centre (CYESC) – The Centre was officially opened in March 2001. Working with the Yukon Development Corporation, the CYESC coordinates federal and territorial programs relating to energy efficiency, and green or renewable power/energy. Its goal is to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and associated climate change impacts in the Yukon.

Contact: Yvonne Pandke,
tel (613) 996-5289
fax (613) 943-1590
email: ypandke@nrcan.gc.ca
Website: http://www.nrgsc.yk.ca

Canadian Renewable Energy Network (CanREN) – The CanRENwas created through the efforts of NRCan and its stakeholders. Its purpose is to increase the understanding of renewable energy to accelerate the development and commercialization of renewable energy technologies.

CanRENpromotes what NRCan and its partners are doing to advance the role of renewable energy in Canadian society. It offers general information on renewable energy sources, highlights the technologies and applications being developed to harness these sources, and presents Canadians with the knowledge and support they need to make renewable energy part of their everyday lives.

Contact: Claude Faucher,
tel (613) 947-1598
fax (613) 996-9416,
email: cfaucher@nrcan.gc.ca
Website: http://www.canren.gc.ca
http://www.rescer.gc.ca

Canadian Spatial Reference System (CSRS) – The CSRS is the seamless reference for spatial positions throughout Canada, serving as the foundation for geo-referenced information in remote regions of the North as well as in more developed areas of the South. The highest level component consists of a globally linked network of radio observatories, including one located at Yellowknife. By maintaining and providing access to the CSRS, NRCan enables the capability for sophisticated GPS receivers to determine locations with centimetre level accuracy, with application to surveys, maps, oil and gas exploration and development, forestry, land/sea legal boundaries, sea level rise, permafrost changes, environmental studies, and community planning, among others.

Contact: Robert Duval
tel (613) 947-2786
fax (613) 995-3215
e-mail: rduval@nrcan.gc.ca

Commercial Building Incentive Program (CBIP) – CBIP, in place since 1998, aims to improve the energy efficiency of new commercial, institutional and multi-unit residential buildings by changing design practices so that energy efficiency is routinely integrated into new buildings. Buildings that are designed at least 25 percent more energy efficient than similar buildings constructed to the Model National Energy Code for Buildings (MNECB) can qualify for financial incentives equal to two times the difference (to a maximum of $60,000) between the estimated annual energy costs for an approved CBIP design and the estimated annual energy costs for an MNECB design. The Yukon Energy Corporation (YEC) office building was the first funded under CBIP, one of three CBIP buildings in the Yukon.

Contact: Pierre Guèvremont
tel (613) 996-6722
fax (613) 947-0373
email: pguevrem@nrcan.gc.ca
Website: http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/newbuildings

Community Energy Systems (CES) – NRCan's CES group works with communities in the identification, evaluation and design of community energy plans and district heating systems, cogeneration, waste heat recovery, thermal storage and local sources of renewable energy, particularly biomass. These increase community self-reliance and sustainability. CES has experience with a number of northern communities in addressing their energy needs by using local resources, capacity building and increasing local net worth. Using this experience they can assist the development of community-wide, long term energy plans by providing direction, technical, business and marketing advice.

Contacts: Chris Snoek
tel (613) 992-1832
fax (613) 947-0291
email: csnoek@nrcan.gc.ca

Ken Church
tel (613) 947-8952
fax (613) 947-0291
email: kchurch@nrcan.gc.ca

Consolidating Canada's Geoscience Knowledge (CCGK) –Timely access to comprehensive resource geoscience data, information and knowledge is critical to Northern Canada's global competitiveness for mineral and energy exploration investments. CCGK is designed to enhance this capability by establishing mechanisms for efficient and effective discovery, access, delivery and management of Canada's consolidated resource geoscience knowledge base. In addition, through the Cooperative Geological Mapping Strategies (CGMS) initiative, the program seeks to define new partnerships with provincial and territorial agencies, industry and universities to jointly deliver goescience knowledge as the basis for fact based decision making.

Contact: Mark Williamson
tel (902) 426-3126
fax (902) 426-6152
email: mawillia@nrcan.gc.ca

EnerGuide for Houses (EGH) – EGH provides homeowners with unbiased advice from qualified experts to identify and help them understand how to safely and economically improve the energy efficiency of their homes. EGH offers a personalized home energy evaluation and energy rating system that is a reliable tool to assess the energy performance of a house and guide renovation activities. Starting October 12th, 2003 all owner-occupied low-rise housing is eligible for the EnerGuide for Houses Retrofit Initiative which will assist homeowners in taking action to reduce GHG emissions in their home. The Yukon Housing Corporation, and Arctic Energy Alliance manage this program for their respective territories. Currently, the Green Communities Association is preparing to launch the program in Nunavut.

Contact: Suzanne Deschênes
tel (613) 947-4824
fax (613) 996-3764
email: sdechen@nrcan.gc.ca
Website: http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/houses

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Awareness Course - NRCan collaborated with the Assembly of First Nations and INAC to produce this course for aboriginal and remote communities. Its objective is to generate awareness of techniques and technologies available for immediate application, their energy costs/benefits, and implementation approaches. Course content shows how and where energy is used in the home and community, explains total energy costs and life cycle costs, describes energy efficiency measures, reviews renewable energy technologies, and provides information sources.

Contacts: Greg Leng
tel (450) 652-5154
email: gleng@nrcan.gc.ca

Ron Alward
tel (450) 652-7102
email: ralward@nrcan.gc.ca
Website: http://www.retscreen.net

Energy Innovators Initiative (EII) – NRCan's Energy Innovators Initiative helps organizations in the commercial, institutional and industrial sectors reduce operating costs and protect the environment by investing in energy efficiency. Through the EII, consumers of energy in the commercial, and industrial sectors have access to a wide variety of tools and services including technical information, workshops and financial incentives, for qualifying retrofit plans and projects.

In Nunavut, two organizations in the education sector - the Baffin Divisional Board of Education, and the Nunavut Arctic College - are registered as Energy Innovators. In the Yukon, one commercial business and four industrial companies are registered in the program. In the NWT, some activities under the Energy Innovators Initiative are delivered in partnership with the Arctic Energy Alliance.

Contact: Anne Auger
tel (613) 996-4079
fax (613) 947-4121
email: anne.auger@nrcan.gc.ca
Website: http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca

Energy Management for Sustainable Community Development – In collaboration with Environment Canada and Public Works and Government Services Canada, NRCan conducts research and development to help communities achieve significant reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by increasing the integration of energy-efficient technologies, measures and practices into their planning process. Activities are focussed on district heating and cooling, co-generation, waste heat recovery, thermal storage and local sources of renewable energy.

Contact: Chris Snoek
tel (613) 992-1832
fax (613) 947-9400
email: Chris.Snoek@nrcan.gc.ca

Environmental Assessment and Regulatory Review Processes for Northern Mines – Under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act and other regulatory regimes established after territorial devolution, NRCan is a regulatory authority for environmental assessments of mining projects in the territories that trigger the federal Explosives Act. The department also provides scientific, technical, economic and policy expertise during the environmental assessment processes of mining projects that are proposed throughout Canada's North.

Contacts: Rob Johnstone
tel (613) 992-7744
fax (613) 992-8263
email: rjohnsto@nrcan.gc.ca

John Ramsey
tel (613) 947-1591
fax (613) 995-5719
email: jramsey@nrcan.gc.ca

Fire Research Network Program in the Boreal Forest – NRCan's Fire Research Network comprises: Fire Management Systems, Fire Ecology, Fire Environment and Fire & Global Change. The Fire Management Systems provides tools such as Fire Weather Index and Fire Behavior Prediction models for fire control and suppression. The Fire & Global Change research program investigates relationship between climate change and wildland fire in the boreal forest. NRCan also participates in the International Crown Fire Modeling Experiment, an interdisciplinary, multinational project conducted in the NWT, providing results that apply also in northern areas of Canada's provinces.

Contact : Ken Mallett
tel (780) 435-7201
fax (780) 435-7396
email: Kmallett@nrcan.gc.ca

First Nations Forestry Program (FNFP) – The FNFP operates in both the Yukon and NWT, as well as across Canada, with NRCan's Canadian Forest Service (CFS) as the implementing agent for INAC in this program. In the Yukon, the Council of (14) First Nations, in consultation with INAC and CFS, are the implementing agents. The thrust of the FNFP in the NWT is to assist First Nations Management Committees in developing forest land use strategies, involving forest inventories, forest management plans and training (building capacity, particularly with regards to forest management and fire fighting).

The FNFP in the Yukon began in 1996. The program provides forest management strategies to First Nations upon their acquisition of lands under recently settled land claim agreements.

Contact: Jack Smyth
tel (613) 947-7380
fax (613) 947-7399
email: jsmyth@nrcan.gc.ca
Website: http://www.fnfp.gc.ca

FleetSmart Program – Natural Resources Canada - through the Office of Energy Efficiency's FleetSmart Program - helps commercial and municipal fleets reduce fuel consumption and emissions through improved energy-efficient practices. This contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gases and helps Canada meet the challenges of climate change.

Contact: Linda Harvey
tel (613) 947-4291
fax (613) 952-8169
Website: http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/fleetsmart
http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/ecoflotte

Geomatics for Aboriginal Property Rights Infrastructure – This program provides an integrated suite of projects that deal specifically with the boundary or cadastral component of the property rights infrastructure on Aboriginal Lands. The aim of the program is to support the development of an effective and culturally aligned land administration system that will support the socio_economic aspirations of Northern Aboriginal Communities. Two projects address management of cartography as well as the management of survey contracts to define boundaries of lands claimed in the Yukon and Northwest Territories. This initiative contributes to the self–government of Northern Aboriginal People and will improve quality of life for all "Northerners."

Contact: Rick Beaumont
tel (780) 495-6174
fax (780) 495-4052
email: Rick.Beaumont@nrcan- rncan.gc.ca

Geomatics for Northern Development – In close collaboration with Northern stakeholders to address their specific needs, this program supports development and investment in the North in a sustainable manner by providing to all 3 territories complete, reliable and consistent basic geospatial information, thereby developing capacity building in northern governments and communities.

A series of NRCan projects will focus on producing or upgrading basic geospatial information, new information products from satellite data, new mapping products, outreach and geomatics capacity building in the North.

Contact: Doug Culham
tel (613) 995-2604
fax (613) 944-6157
email: dculham@nrcan.gc.ca
Website: http://gadn.rncan.gc.ca/index_e.php

Geomatics for Sustainable Development of Natural Resources (GSDNR) - The GSDNR Program provides reliable geospatial information in support of NRCan's leadership role in sustainable development within the federal government. This initiative strives to improve the quality of geospatial data and expand its use, incorporating new sources of data where applicable and moving towards integration with other reference sources within the federal government. As part of this commitment, GSDNR contributes to GeoBase, a government wide initiative which ensures unrestricted access to an up-to-date and maintained database of quality Canadian geospatial data.

Contact: Eric Loubier
tel (819)- 564-5600
fax (819) 564- 5698
email: GSDNR@NRCan.gc.ca

Geoscience for Oceans Management – This program will deliver sea floor mapping capacity in the offshore to provide a geoscience knowledge base suitable for informed decision making under the Oceans Act. The program will conduct surveys to map areas of highest priority for integrated oceans management in Canada (SeaMap pilot program), including targeted surveys of Large Ocean Management Areas (LOMA), assessment of hazard potential and environmental impact of infrastructure, developing predictive models of geoscience controls on benthic habitat distribution, and assessing human impact on marine environmental quality. Seven regional projects will be delivered across Canada over the next three years, one will focus on integrated management of the Beaufort Sea and provide a framework to balance competing demands of conservation, fisheries, and offshore oil and gas development. Fisheries and Ocean Canada is an important partner, providing advice, ship time, resources and researchers to complement the Geological Survey of Canada Program.

Contact: Dick Pickrill
tel (902) 426-5387
fax (902) 426-6186
email: dpickril@nrcan.gc.ca

Geoscience for Sustainable Communities and Economic Development in the Mackenzie Delta Region - This four year project addresses investment for northern economic development. Program outputs (e.g., assessment of northern energy potential, digital geoscience databases and models) and outcomes (e.g., new hydrocarbon prospects) will be achieved using modern quantitative basin analysis methods that integrate new and existing data to improve hydrocarbon exploration efficiency in the Mackenzie Delta region. Multi-purpose digital geoscience information will be compiled into databases and used to characterize the geological factors controlling hydrocarbon accumulation and to prepare maps illustrating resource potential and drilling hazards for use by targeted communities.

Publications and maps will be released periodically during the course of the study with publication of a final synthesis in 2007.

Contact: Dale Issler
tel (403) 292-7172
fax (403) 292-5377
email: dissler@nrcan.gc.ca

Global Positioning System Corrections – NRCan's Canadian Geodetic Service provides real time Global Positioning System Corrections (GPS*C) and collaborates in a federal/provincial/territorial initiative to deliver them to Canadians via the "Canada-wide Differential GPS Service" (CDGPS). These corrections are based on satellite information from the Canadian Spatial Reference System's (CSRS) network of permanent GPS tracking stations. Officially launched in the fall of 2003, the CDGPS offers improved positioning accuracy to communities and remote areas (no survey experience required) for applications such as planning and resource management.

Contact: Robert Duval
tel (613) 947-2786
fax (613) 995-3215
email: rduval@nrcan.gc.ca

Green Municipal Enabling Fund (GMEF) – The GMEF is part of the Green Municipal Funds, a $250 million endowment from the federal government to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and available to all Canadian municipalities or their public or private sector partners. The $50 million GMEF provides grants of up to 50% of eligible costs to a maximum of $350,000, for feasibility studies that assess the technical, engineering, environmental and/or economic viability of proposed municipal environmental projects. The Fund covers a variety of community sectors including: municipal buildings, water distribution and wastewater facilities, waste management, sustainable transportation services and technologies, renewable energy technologies, and sustainable community planning (community energy plans, local action plans, etc.)

Contacts: Margaret Anthony
tel (613) 947-4202
fax (613) 947-4121
email: manthony@nrcan.gc.ca
Website: http://www2.nrcan.gc.ca/es/es/efficiency_e.cfm

Sandor Derrick
Federation of Canadian Municipalities
tel (613) 241-5221 ext. 321
fax (613) 244-1515
email: sderrick@fcm.ca
Website: www.fcm.ca

Green Municipal Investment Fund (GMIF) – The $200 million GMIF, complimentary to the GMEF, is a revolving fund providing loans and loan guarantees to finance the implementation of environmental infrastructure projects to municipalities or their public or private sector partners. The GMIF also funds up to 50% of the cost of highly innovative pilot projects through grants or loans or a combination of these. Eligible projects include those under the same sectors covered by the GMEF as well as integrated community projects (community energy systems, renewable energy projects).

Contacts: Margaret Anthony
tel (613) 947-4202
fax (613) 947-4121
email: manthony@nrcan.gc.ca
Website: http://www2.nrcan.gc.ca/es/es/efficiency_e.cfm

Sandor Derrick
Federation of Canadian Municipalities
tel: (613) 241-5221 ext. 321
fax: (613) 244-1515
email: sderrick@fcm.ca
Website: www.fcm.ca

Hotel & Hospitality Industry Energy Retrofits – This Yukon Energy Centre initiative will provide audits and information to support energy-saving retrofits in the hotel and hospitality industry based on partnerships between the BC & Yukon Hotel Association, individual hotels, the Yukon Tourism Industry, the Yukon Development Corporation and Energy Solutions Centre.

Contact: Marlene Weinheimer
tel (613) 943-0643
fax (613) 947-4121
email: mwein@nrcan.gc.ca

House Calls 2000 – The project involves visits to homes in Yukon communities that are serviced by diesel generated electricity to promote energy efficiency and include measures such as hot water tank wrapping and energy efficient light bulb replacements.

Contact: Barbara Mullally Pauly
tel (613) 995-2945
fax (613) 943-1590
email: bmullall@nrcan.gc.ca
Website: http://www.nrgsc.yk.ca/programs/yukon_energy_programs.php#House_Calls_2000

Industrial Building Incentive Program (IBIP) – IBIP, launched in April of 2002, extends the precepts of the Commercial Building Incentive Program (CBIP) to the industrial sector by encouraging the integration of building and process design in new industrial buildings. Eligible building owners can qualify for financial incentives equal to two times the difference (to a maximum of $80,000) between the estimated annual energy costs for an approved IBIP design and the estimated annual energy costs for a Model National Energy Code for Buildings (MNECB) design with a conventional process. The proposed building design must be at least 15% more energy efficient than MNECB reference and another 10% must be contributed from improvements in the process to reduce building energy load.

Contact: Jim Clark
tel (613) 947-1948
fax (613) 947-0373
email: jclark@nrcan.gc.ca
Website: http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/newbuildings

Inuit Tapirisat of Canada Sustainable Communities Initiative (SCI) Agreement – In July 2001, NRCan signed an agreement with Inuit Tapirisat of Canada (ITC), to cooperate in planing and delivering the SCI, in a manner that is both culturally appropriate and sensitive to the concerns of the Inuit in the four regions of interest to the ITC. The SCI Project Office and the ITC National Office will work together with the four ITC regional offices (Nunavut, Inuvialuit, Nunavik, and Labrador) and local communities in each region while keeping other potential partners informed. It is expected that local community proposals will address issues dealing with natural resources, environment and health (including contaminants in the environment and climate change), social well-being, or a combination of these issues that would benefit from the use of geomatics and internet technology.

Contact: Sophie Sliwa
tel (613) 996-1397
e-mail: ssliwa@nrcan.gc.ca

Inuit Traditional Place Names Map – Inuit traditional place names contain a wealth of information about the land and the natural environment. Under its mandate to provide expertise to support education and training, and awareness and outreach, C-NGO is providing technical support to Nunavut researchers and Inuit Elders who are working to develop a series of maps that illustrate these place names. The C-NGO also provides hands-on training in GIS techniques in its Iqaluit office.

Part of C-NGO's effort involves the development of a computer model that will create a three-dimensional map with the traditional place names. The map will allow the user to virtually "fly" through the map and as named features are encountered, the animation will "speak" the place names in Inuktitut and English. This computer model is similar to the computer games familiar to local youth, and will be distributed on CD to schools in Nunavut, where students will learn about traditional place names in an exciting new way.

Contact: Celine Gilbert
tel (867) 979-3539
email: cgilbert@nrcan.gc.ca

Natural Hazards and Emergency Response – Hazards are a factor in planning and development decisions for all levels of government, as well as for industry. This program's objective is to provide geoscience and geomatic information and knowledge to support disaster mitigation and emergency response activities in Canada. Key activities related to the North include: evaluating the land stability along pipeline routes in northern British Columbia, along the Mackenzie Corridor, and monitoring the geomagnetic field variations and seismicity from earthquakes across the entire northern region.

Contact: Bert Struik
tel (604) 666-6413
email: bstruik@nrcan.gc.ca

Northern Resources Development – This program contributes to the development of the North and its communities by: providing geoscience maps and associated knowledge to stimulate resource exploration, underpin infrastructure and land-use planning and capacity building by local communities. NRCan leads a series of projects directly linked to the identification of new petroleum resource potential and new mineral deposits (such as diamonds) and ore deposits (such as copper, nickel, or gold) in the North, and other projects linked to the use of geoscience in the economic development and sustainable development of communities.

Within the next fiscal year, final (comprehensive) maps, reports and databases will be made available for the Exploration Science and Technology projects EXTECH III (Canada-Northwest Territories Yellowknife Mining Camp) and EXTECH IV (Athabasca Uranium Multidisciplinary Study) and the National Geoscience Mapping (NATMAP) project of the Central Foreland. See websites for more details.

Contact: David J. Scott
tel (613) 992-3218
fax: (613) 995-7322
email: djscott@nrcan.gc.ca
Websites: http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/gsc/mrd/extech/index_e.html

Public Outreach – Through a variety of communications and marketing activities, the OEE's Public Information Program increases Canadians' awareness of the environmental impacts of energy use. The program offers a number of publications that offer appropriate up-to-date information on energy. It also provides concrete tips on how Canadians can meet the One-Tonne Challenge on climate change. Consumers, youth, educators, and partners in the public and private sector can all find ways to take the Challenge -- either by reducing their personal greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent or encouraging others to get involved.

Contact: Cathy McRae
tel (613) 996-3676
fax (613) 996-2250
email: cmcrae@nrcan.gc.ca

R-2000 Houses – This is an industry-endorsed, voluntary certification program to encourage the building of energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly houses. The program features a technical performance standard for energy efficiency, indoor air quality and environmental responsiveness, supported by third party inspections, a quality assurance process and certification of houses that meet the standard. R-2000 also offers industry training. Currently, there are 27 R-2000 houses in the Yukon, where the program is actively promoted by the Yukon Housing Corporation. There are 126 R-2000 houses that were built a number of years ago in the NWT, where there is interest in re-activating the program.

Contact: Sylvain Quilliam,
tel (613) 943-0740
fax (613) 996-3764
email: squillia@nrcan.gc.ca
Website: http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/english/newhouses_r2000.cfm

Renewable Energy Capacity Building Program - The objective of the program is to build the capacity of planners, decision-makers and industry to implement renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. The program achieves this objective by developing decision-making tools that reduce the cost of pre-feasibility studies; disseminating knowledge to help people make better decisions; training people to better analyse the technical and financial viability of possible projects; and by connecting buyers and sellers together to facilitate project implementation and to help expand markets. The program is implemented in collaboration with a number of aboriginal and/or community organizations.

Contacts: Greg Leng
tel (450) 652-5154
email: gleng@nrcan.gc.ca

Ron Alward
tel (450) 652-7102
email: ralward@nrcan.gc.ca
Website: http://www.retscreen.net

Renewable Energy Deployment Initiative (REDI) – REDI aims to stimulate demand for market-ready renewable energy for heating and cooling systems (e.g., solar air heating, solar hot water, high efficiency/low emission biomass combustion and ground source heat pumps), through several market development activities including infrastructure development, marketing campaigns and targeted incentives. Under REDI, businesses, institutions and federal government departments are eligible for an incentive to purchase and install qualified solar and clan biomass heating systems. This incentive amounts to 40% of eligible costs in remote communities and 25% in all other communities, up to a maximum of $80,000.

Contact: REDI toll-free line 1-877-722-6600

Zoe Beaulac
tel (613) 992-7357
fax (613) 995-8343

email: zbeaulac@nrcan.gc.ca
Website: http://www.reed.nrcan.gc.ca

RETScreen – This software evaluates energy production, life-cycle costs and greenhouse gas emission reductions for eight different renewable energy technologies. It allows communities to prepare community energy plans in a much more cost-effective and timely manner by raising awareness of renewable energy options, offering energy project analysis and supporting decision-making. RETScreen has been used to identify cost-effective projects, and to initiate the process of project implementation in a number of communities to date.

Contacts: Greg Leng
tel (450) 652-5154
email: gleng@nrcan.gc.ca

Ron Alward
tel (450) 652-7102
email: ralward@nrcan.gc.ca
Website: http://retscreen.gc.ca

Sustainable Communities Initiative (SCI) – This NRCan Geoconnections program builds capacity in Aboriginal and northern communities that wish to take control of their future, by providing them with modern mapping technologies to make informed decisions for sustainable development. SCI provides this enabling capacity by helping communities learn, implement and use Geographic Information Systems (G.I.S.) to make decisions about their economic, environmental and social development. An Aboriginal community might want to develop a management plan for its territory, preserving its traditional values. It might, for instance, want to ensure that a community-sanctioned forestry project leaves its traditional hunting territory intact. A list of northern communities SCI projects is given below. Additional information, proposals and reports about each community project can be found on-line in the community section of the SCI website.

Contact: André Prégent
tel (613) 992-5186
fax (613) 943-9278
email: pregent@nrcan.gc.ca
Website: http://www.sci.gc.ca/

Alberta (SCI)

Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (SCI) – The Sustainable Communities Initiative (SCI) will partner with the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (ACFN) to develop a traditional land use study. The primary purpose of the ACFN traditional knowledge, land use, occupancy and place names study is to support the development, management and utilization of the community's traditional knowledge and to aid in the protection and monitoring of the natural environment within the traditional lands of the community. An important purpose of the project is to involve the community youth in the gathering and understanding of traditional knowledge. Where possible, youth will be involved in training, interviewing and participating in using the study results.

Contact: Tim West
tel (613) 947-0114
email: twest@nrcan.gc.ca

Mikisew Cree First Nation (SCI) – The Mikisew Cree First Nation will perform a traditional knowledge, land use occupancy, and place name study of their territory. This project will include the collection of vital traditional land use information from the past and from present members of the Mikisew Cree First Nation. To date, very little traditional knowledge of the Mikisew peoples exists in printed form. The very nature of this study will ensure the preservation of the oral history, culture, language and religion of the Mikisew people.

Contact: Sophie Sliwa
tel (613) 996-1397
email: ssliwa@nrcan.gc.ca

British Columbia (SCI)

Doig River First Nation (SCI) – The Doig River First Nation is situated on approximately 2500 acres, surrounded by an area that is rich in natural resources and includes major oil and gas deposits. The community is concerned by the loss of wildlife, fish, plants, and herbs habitats, and the resulting impacts on the traditional land use of area. The pilot project will prepare digital maps of the Doig River First Nation Traditional Territory. The community will then focus on making detailed maps of specific protected regions because these are the most vital areas of information.

Contact: Tim West
tel (613) 947-0114
email: twest@nrcan.gc.ca

Gitxsan Nation (SCI) – The Gitxsan First Nation is carrying out an inventory of ecological resources on its territory, including plants, animals, soils, terrain, and water. The capacity to use Geographical Information Systems and geographical data will be used to identify, rehabilitate and maintain ecosystems in its territory, and to develop territory-based economies.

Contact: Tim West
tel (613) 947-0114
email: twest@nrcan.gc.ca

Nisga'a Nation (SCI) – With the signing of the Nisga'a Final Agreement, the Nisga'a Nation became responsible for a number of new responsibilities, including resource management and emergency response planning. In order to carry out these responsibilities the Nisga'a Nation must have the capacity to use the modern technological tools necessary to efficiently and effectively do resource management and emergency planning. Three issues of concern will be addressed in this project. Employment and Capacity, Health and Emergency Preparedness, and Environmental protection.

Contact: Tim West
tel (613) 947-0114
e-mail: twest@nrcan.gc.ca

Northwest Territories (SCI)

Deh Cho (SCI) – The project goal is to develop a working knowledge of geographic information systems (GIS) by Deh Cho First Nations members at both the regional and community government levels, using the Deh Cho Atlas and traditional land use studies. Staff from all 14-community governments will be trained in basic GIS concepts and provided with follow-up support.

Contact: Sophie Sliwa
tel (613) 996-1397
email: ssliwa@nrcan.gc.ca

Gwich'in Integrated Geographic Information System (GIS) – The Gwich'in GIS Project is a cooperatively funded project aimed at producing, as a first step, a Community Based Atlas. The project involves three community-based organizations: the Gwich'in Tribal Council, Gwich'in Renewable Resource Board, and the Gwich'in Land Use Planning Board. The GIS Project will be used by the partners for land management operations, as a spatial mapping tool for cultural and heritage data, mapping the distribution of vegetation types and monitoring of Wildlife Habitats and, finally, as a tool for decision management.

Contact: Tim West
tel (613) 947-0114
email: twest@nrcan.gc.ca

Liidlii Kue First Nation (SCI) – SCI will support the Liidlii Kue First Nation's (LKFN) efforts to develop an integrated land use plan using advanced geospatial systems. Their goal is to use GIS to make resource management decisions, identify lands for interim protection through land withdrawals, and set up a co-operative regional land use planning process. As part of this, the Nation will conduct a density analysis of its traditional land use and occupancy data, identify ecological constraints and development opportunities, and consult with the community to identify lands for withdrawal or development.

Contact: Sophie Sliwa
tel (613) 996-1397
email: ssliwa@nrcan.gc.ca

Nunavut (SCI)

Iqaluit (SCI) – The City of Iqaluit has a rapidly expanding population base. It has doubled its size in the past 10 years and is looking at continued rapid expansion for the foreseeable future. In order to better deal with this rapid growth the City is beginning a consultation process to develop a General Plan and Zoning By-law. The GIS will be used to: present information during community consultations; provide updated information to planning experts; provide information to Council so they can make informed decisions; assist in municipal infrastructure site selection; and, assist the City to understand the physical opportunities and constraints for development.

Contact: André Prégent
tel (613) 992-5186
email: pregent@nrcan.gc.ca

Kivalliq Inuit Association: Rankin Inlet, Arviat, & Baker Lake (SCI) – NRCan will partner with the Kivalliq Inuit Association (KIA) to help develop a system to manage their land. This pilot project will help the KIA become proficient in the use of GIS and GPS by collecting, organizing and analyzing data for map productions. The data sets will include conservation areas, archaeological sites, fishing, mining and carving grounds as well as wildlife habitat and water flow, for the regions of Rankin Inlet, Baker Lake and Arviat. This project will help promote economic self-sufficiency of Inuit through time, in a manner consistent with Inuit social and cultural needs and aspirations.

Contact: Sophie Sliwa
tel (613) 996-1397
email: ssliwa@nrcan.gc.ca

Kuglugtuk (SCI) – Kuglugtuk is building its capacity in the use of geospatial data and the Information Highway. This data will be used for improved land-use planning and decision-making to accommodate mineral development while preserving the environment, wildlife, and traditional values. The project is also creating an electronic service to link people (individuals, families and agencies) to the information they need.

Contact: Tim West
tel (613) 947-0114
email: twest@nrcan.gc.ca

Québec (SCI)

Blanc-Sablon (SCI) – The community wishes to diversify it's economy, which is primarily based on fisheries. Blanc-Sablon is investigating whether the gathered and harvesting of a small fruit called chicoutai (cloudberries), which grows in the peat bogs of the St. Lawrence North Shore region, can be a viable source of income for the small community. The pilot-project objective's are twofold: 1) to inventory the areas of growth and estimate potential volumes using the GIS; and, 2) to strategically plan the harvesting of the fruit by targeting the harvesting teams locations according to the fruits short maturation season.

Contact: André Prégent
tel (613) 992-5186
email: pregent@nrcan.gc.ca

Saskatchewan (SCI)

Northwest Saskatchewan Métis Council (SCI) – The Northwest Saskatchewan Métis Council (NWSMC) represents the political, economic and social interests of twenty Métis communities in northwest Saskatchewan. The geographic area of interest of these communities covers a vast region rich in natural resources (forests, minerals, tar sands), which is coming under increasing development pressures. In order to develop the social, economic and environmental needs of the communities in a balanced and sustainable manner, past and present uses of the land must be understood and local expertise must be developed to use this information to make planning decisions for future land use. The project will build the mapping infrastructure (hardware/software, data, people, and organization) to create and utilize traditional land use and occupancy mapping information.

Contact: Sophie Sliwa
tel (613) 996-1397
email: ssliwa@nrcan.gc.ca

Yukon (SCI)

Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation (SCI) – The Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation is establishing a GIS for their Lands and Resources Department for environmental and resource management. They will focus on establishing mechanisms for incorporating traditional knowledge into a GIS and the development of cultural base-maps. Community Elders will guide this process.

Contact: Tim West
tel (613) 947-0114
email: twest@nrcan.gc.ca

Nacho Nyak Dun First Nation (SCI) – The Nacho Nyak Dun First Nation is upgrading its computer systems to effectively use satellite imagery and other digital map products to help manage its forest and wildlife resources according to traditional values, and to integrate social and education programs, especially youth training, with its land management system.

Contact: Sophie Sliwa
tel (613) 996-1397
email: ssliwa@nrcan.gc.ca

Teslin Tlingit First Nation (SCI) – The Teslin Tlingit First Nation Council asked NRCan for help in preparing a community forest proposal and business plan. The project involves conducting a needs assessment and producing a proposal with research, demonstration, extension, training, and economic development components. In addition the project will produce a program for a community research workshop and complete a prototype system to deliver customized knowledge products for First Nations and rural communities. The prototype will be used to determine specific community natural resource information needs and will produce a template on how to build a community forest.

Contact: Jean-Claude Henein
tel (613) 992-5158
email: henein@nrcan.gc.ca

Tr'ondek Hwech'in First Nation (SCI) – In order to balance the community, economic, and environmental needs of its members the Tr'ondek Hwech'in First Nation must have an accurate, reliable, and accessible source of land related information. This project involves building a comprehensive database of land related geospatial information and having the infrastructure and staff in place to provide the First Nation with support in land resource decision making.

Contact: Tim West
tel (613) 947-0114
e-mail: twest@nrcan.gc.ca

Targeted Geoscience Initiative (TGI) – This program was established in 2000 to provide integrated geoscience mapping to underpin private sector exploration for new mineral resources, delivered in partnership with provincial and territorial geological surveys. Data acquired during the three-year research program, and released in preliminary reports and maps, will be merged, refined and interpreted in more detail in 2003-04, and will be published as final compilations, interactive maps and databases that will serve as the legacy of the program. Of the 29 TGI projects conducted between 2000 and 2003, 17 were carried out in the North.

Contact: Murray Duke
tel (613) 995-4093
fax (613) 996-6575
email: mduke@nrcan.gc.ca
Website: http://gsc.nrcan.gc.ca/tgi_e.php

Technology Early Action Measures (TEAM) – TEAM is a component of the Government of Canada's Climate Change Action Fund which helps to fund technology projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while sustaining economic and social development. TEAM is managed cooperatively by NRCan, Industry Canada and Environment Canada, with the TEAM Operations Office in NRCan. TEAM invests in projects through existing federal technology programs. Partners include territorial governments, business, industry, community organizations and municipalities. For example, the Watson Lake project in Yukon, will develop a community energy system using rejected heat from a local power station to heat community buildings in the town.

Contact: Wayne Richardson
tel (613) 996-5419
fax (613) 947-1016
email: wsrichar@nrcan.gc.ca
Website: http://www.climatechange.gc.ca

The Canada Lands Survey System – The Canada Lands Survey System provides the foundation of the property rights infrastructure on Canada Lands, mainly located in Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut. The system allows orderly and peaceful occupation of the land and efficient land administration capabilities for/by Aboriginal & Northern communities. This, will enable decision-making capabilities for

Aboriginal & Northern Communities using geo-spatial information and integrated specialized geomatics solutions that will improve the socio-economic impact of the land tenure system and long-term sustainable community and Natural Resource development.

Three regional offices also participate in the land selection process, manage legal survey programs, prepare unambiguous land descriptions and facilitate the land transfer process, which includes working on several land claims in their jurisdiction.

Contacts: Michael O'Sullivan
tel (613) 995-4341
fax (613) 992-1122
email: Michael.OSullivan@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

Yukon: Bob Gray
tel (867) 667-3957
fax (867) 393-6709
email: bgray@nrcan.gc.ca

NWT: Lorne McNeice
tel (867) 669-3949
fax (867) 920–6662
email: lmcneice@nrcan.gc.ca

Nunavut: Stan Hutchinson
tel (867) 975-4629
fax (867) 975-4630
email: shutchin@nrcan.gc.ca

The Regional Impacts of Climate Change Poster Series – A series of 7 regional posters depicting regional impacts of climate change were developed by the Geological Survey of Canada in close collaboration with provincial and territorial partners and stakeholders. Along with a Teachers' Guide, the posters explain the general science of climate change and expected impacts on each region. All posters are available in English and French, while the Nunavut poster is also available in Inuktitut. The posters can be viewed on the web or ordered by phone (1-800 O Canada).

Contact: Beth Lavender
tel (613) 992-1755
fax (613) 992-0190
email: blavende@nrcan.gc.ca
Website: http://adaptation.nrcan.gc.ca/posters

Traditional Knowledge Publication – NRCan has published Traditional Knowledge: Building Bridges between Generations and Cultures – Creating Better Resource Management Decisions, a brochure that provides basic information on the use of traditional knowledge in mineral resource management decision-making.

Contact: Bruno Bond
tel (613) 992-8589
fax (613) 992-8263
email: bbond@nrcan.gc.ca

Wind Power Production Incentive (WPPI) – WPPI aims to encourage the construction of 1,000 megawatts of new wind power capacity over a five year period. Under the program, eligible producers may obtain a financial incentive of about one cent for every kilowatt-hour produced during the first ten years of operation of a new qualifying facility.
Contact: WPPI toll-free line 1-877-722-6600

Denis Zborowski
tel (613) 947-9815
fax (613) 995-8343
email: dzborows@nrcan.gc.ca
Website: http://www.canren.gc.ca/wppi