Message from the Chairperson
In the 2023-2024 period, the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board undertook significant initiatives and made critical decisions to further our mission of sustainable wildlife management, underpinned by our commitment to openness and transparency. We transitioned to a triannual public meeting schedule, enabling our wildlife partners more time to provide comprehensive responses to Board submissions. This change aims to ensure that our decisions are well-informed and reflective of the diverse inputs from our community.
Our wildlife management efforts have been multifaceted. We made pivotal decisions on wildlife harvesting, such as adjusting the Total Allowable Harvest for muskoxen and polar bears, reflecting our adaptive management approach based on the latest data and community input. Similarly, we provided essential advice on commercial marine resources, ensuring sustainable fishing practices and resource distribution among Nunavut’s fishing entities. These decisions are critical to maintaining balance between sustainability and the cultural practices in Nunavut.
Research continues to be a cornerstone of our activities. Through the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Fund and the Nunavut Wildlife Studies Fund, we supported projects that integrate Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and scientific research. For 2023-2024, we funded initiatives ranging from caribou research to community-led Arctic char health research.Our Community-Based Monitoring Network celebrated its third year of data collection in Naujaat and welcomed Arviat back to the program. These projects not only contribute valuable data but also engage Nunavut communities directly in wildlife management.
Our commitment to conservation education was highlighted by our collaboration on a STEAM camp for high school students, aiming to inspire the next generation of wildlife managers and researchers. Through these diverse activities, the NWMB remains dedicated to our mandate under the Nunavut Agreement, promoting sustainable wildlife practices, supporting communityled research and fostering educational opportunities in wildlife management across Nunavut.
Sincerely,
Daniel Shewchuk Chairperson
About the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board
The Nunavut Wildlife Management Board (NWMB) is the main instrument of wildlife management in Nunavut. It is a co-management board that includes nine appointed members.
The NWMB and its co-management partners work together to make decisions about the management of wildlife in Nunavut. They base their decisions on the knowledge of wildlife managers, users and the public, and on up-to-date research based in Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and modern science.
Mission
Conserving wildlife through the application of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and scientific knowledge.
Vision
Nunavut: a world class model for the cooperative management of healthy wildlife populations.
Mandate
Regulating Wildlife Access in the Nunavut Settlement Area
The NWMB regulates access to wildlife in the Nunavut Settlement Area (NSA). The NSA comprises the major part of the Territory of Nunavut. It encompasses an area spanning morethan 1.9 million square kilometres, including the marine areas of the Arctic Archipelago and the 12-mile territorial sea adjacent to Nunavut. In addition, approximately 43 percent of Canada’s ocean coastline is found within the NSA 104,000 out of a total of 243,000 kilometres.
Advisory Role for Zones 1 and 2
The NWMB also has an advisory role with respect to marine management in Zones 1 and 2 and adjacent marine areas.
Zones 1 and 2 are large marine regions around the Nunavut Settlement Area. Each includes hundreds of thousands of square kilometres. Zone 1 includes the waters north of 61° latitude subject to Canada’s jurisdiction seaward of the territorial sea boundary, that are not part of the NSA or another land claim settlement area. Zone 2 includes the waters of James Bay, Hudson Bay and Hudson Strait that are not part of the NSA or another land claim settlement area.
Board Members
Chairperson
Daniel Shewchuk, Governor in Council / NWMB Appointee
Members
Steve Mapsalak, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc Appointee
Simon Komangat, Kitikmeot Inuit Association Appointee
Philip Putumiraqtuq, Kivalliq Inuit Association Appointee
Joshua Arreak, Qikiqtani Inuit Association
Noah Kadlak, Government of Nunavut Department of Environment Appointee
Vicky Johnston, Canadian Wildlife Service Appointee
Simeonee Keenainak, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Appointee
Staff Team
Our Executive Director, Jason Akearok, manages our small, dynamic staff team. Our organizational structure is shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1: Nunavut Wildlife Management Board Organizational Structure, 2023-2024.
Board Members
Chairperson
Executive Director
Director of Wildlife Management
IQ Policy Advisor
Director of Finance and Administration
Wildlife Management Biologist
Senior Wildlife and Policy Advisor Office Administrator and Financial Assistant Logistical and Administration Coordinator
Wildlife Management Biologist
Junior Wildlife Management Biologist
Wildlife Management Biologist
Community-Based Monitoring Network
Community Liaison Officers (Casual)
Community-Based Monitoring Network Coordinator
Community-Based Monitoring Network Regional Liaison Officers (Casual)
Senior Finance Officer
NWMB Meetings in 2023-2024
The NWMB is committed to an overall policy of openness and transparency, and to conducting as much of its wildlife management business as possible on the public record. Accordingly, all Board meetings – except in camera and internal in camera meetings – are open to the public.
On January 16, 2023, the NWMB gave notice that it was transitioning from an annual quarterly public meeting schedule to a three-meeting-a-year schedule. The intent of the change was to allow time for our wildlife partners to provide, if they wish, a written response to submissions that require a Board decision. The NWMB considers that this change will better enable the Board to have a complete picture on an issue where a wildlife decision is required. Our partners still have the option of providing verbal input at these public meetings. The Board also informed its partners that, if circumstances require, the NWMB will meet outside of its triannual schedule
Public Meetings for the 2023-2024 fiscal year
• RM002-2023 June 7, 2023, Iqaluit
• RM003-2023 August 30, 2023, Baker Lake
• RM004-2023 November 29, 2023, Iqaluit
• RM001-2024 March 26, 2024, Iqaluit
NWMB Activities in 2023-2024
In 2023-2024, the NWMB continued to address a wide variety of issues and participate in a wide variety of activities related to the four main areas of our work:
1. Wildlife management decisions and planning
2. Research
3. Communications and public awareness
4. Administration
Wildlife Management Decisions and Planning
Article 5: Wildlife
Under Article 5 of the Nunavut Agreement, the NWMB is responsible for decisions on wildlife harvesting in Nunavut. This includes establishing, modifying, maintaining or removing current restrictions. In 2023-2024, the NWMB made the following decisions on wildlife harvesting:
• At the Board’s March 2023 meeting, the Government of Nunavut presented a proposal to increase the Total Allowable Harvest for muskoxen in the MX-11 Management Unit from 225 to 300. The NWMB considered the written proposal and the oral presentation by the Nunavut Government. The NWMB also received written information and heard from the Kugluktuk and the Ekaluktutiak Hunters and Trappers Organization and the Kitikmeot Regional Wildlife Board. They suggested increasing the Total Allowable Harvest to 350 stating that this would help prevent disease outbreaks, would allow for more access to an alternative food source and would reduce competition between muskox and caribou. The Nunavut Government informed the Board that they had no concerns with increasing the Total Allowable Harvest to 350. Based on the written and verbal information the Board received, the Board decided to modify the Total Allowable Harvest up to 350. The Minister accepted the Board’s decision in a letter dated April 13, 2023.
• At the NWMB’s June 2023 meeting, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada sought a decision and advice from the Board on the Total Allowable Catch for Northern and Striped Shrimp in the Eastern and Western Assessment Zones. The Board made the following decisions and recommendations:
In the Western Assessment Zone:
o A Total Allowable Catch of 4,788 tonnes for Northern Shrimp
o A Total Allowable Catch of 17, 282 tonnes for Striped Shrimp
In the Eastern Assessment Zone:
o A Total Allowable Catch of 7,382 tonnes for Northern Shrimp
o A Total Allowable Catch of 1,610 tonnes for Striped Shrimp
The Board further made decisions and provided advice at the management unit level, which includes portions within and adjacent to both the Nunavut and Nunavik land claim boundaries. On August 16, 2023, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard accepted the Board’s decisions. The Minister opted to modify the Board’s advice in the offshore outside of the Nunavut Settlement Area.
• At the NWMB’s August 2023 meeting, the Board was asked to make a Total Allowable Harvest decision by the Nunavut Government on the Davis Strait polar bear subpopulation. After considering the information provided, both written and oral, the Board made the decision to modify the Total Allowable Harvest from 61 to 64. The Board made this decision to offset the potential loss of harvestthrough defense-of-life and property kills. The record before the Board showed that on average that 2.5 bears were harvested due to defense-of-life and property kills and considered that an increase of three more bears would offset this loss. The Board also recommended that the Nunavut Government lead a working group to resolve the contentious issue of credit use in polar bear management. The Minister of Environment accepted the Board’s decision
• At the Board’s March 2024 meeting, the Kugluktuk Angoniatit Association submitted a proposal to modify the Total Allowable Harvest for the Bluenose-East Caribou herd from 170 to 450 and to remove the sex-selective Non-Quota Limitation. After considering the submission at its March 2024 meeting and reviewing the written and oral evidence, the Board made the decision to modify the Total Allowable Harvest to 450 and to remove the Non-Quota Limitation for the Bluenose-East Caribou herd. The Minister of Environment accepted the Board’s decision.
Commercial Marine Resources
Pursuant to the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board’s 2019 Allocation Policy for Commercial Marine Fisheries, the NWMB provides advice on allocating Nunavut’s shareof commercial shrimp and turbot marine resources among eligible fishers. The Board also provides advice as per Article 15 on the commercial marine resources in the marine areas outside of the Nunavut Settlement Area. In 2023-2024, the NWMB conducted the following activities on Nunavut’s commercial marine resources:
• On April 20, 2023, the NWMB modified its 2019 Allocation Policy for Commercial Marine Fisheries (Allocation Policy). The NWMB changed the quorum requirements from four to three appointees for the Board’s Fisheries Advisory Committee. The Board also removed the requirement that the appointees not be employees of their appointing agency and that one of the appointees no longer had to be a Qaujimanilik (i.e. a person with in-depth knowledge of a subject).
• On June 16, 2023, the NWMB provided advice to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada on the Total Allowable Catch levels for northern shrimp for the 2023 fishing season in Shrimp Fishing Area 0. The Board made the recommendation pursuant to Article 15.3.4 of the Nunavut Agreement that the Total Allowable Catch be set at 500 tonnes for northern shrimp for the 2023-2024 fishing season. On June 7, 2024, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada made the decision to set the Total Allowable Catch Level at 500 tonnes for the 2024 fishing season. In addition, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada supported the Board’s advice and opened that tonnage to an additional Nunavut fishing entity
• On June 16, 2023, the NWMB forwarded its decision and its advice to approve changes to the season bridging protocols for northern shrimp in the Eastern Assessment Zone to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. The decision included approval for maintaining the current carry-forward allowances at 350 tonnes and extending the carry-forward harvest deadlines for these allocations from July 31 to August 21. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada accepted the Board’s decision and the Board’s advice.
• As per the Board’s Allocation Policy, the Fisheries Advisory Committee conducted a review of Annual Reports from the Nunavut fishing companies that had a commercial allocation of turbot and shrimp for the 2022-2023 fishing year The Board reviewed the Fisheries Advisory Committee’s report and acceptedthe Committee’s performance targets at its November 2023 meeting. It forwarded the report to the Nunavut fishing companies and to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. In response to requests from the Nunavut fishing companies, the Fisheries Advisory Committee further met individually with each company to discuss the performance targets and to clarify and address any questions.
• On September 14, 2023, pursuant to section 15.3.4 of the Nunavut Agreement, the Board provided advice to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada on the Total Allowable Catch for Greenland halibut. The Board recommended rolling over the Total Allowable Catch in the Subarea 0 management unit at 36,370 tonnes for the 2024 season. The Board also advised that the distribution of the catch remain the same in Divisions 0A and 0B, with Nunavut’s share at 100% in Division 0A and its direct share of Division 0B at approximately 50% plus the participation with licenses in the 900tonne competitive fishery. Additionally, the Board recommended that 100 tonnes from the overall Total Allowable Catch in Division 0A be allocated towards the inshore fishery development within the Nunavut Settlement Area.
The Minister decided to maintain the overall subarea 0 Total Allowable Catch at 16,502.5 tonnes, split between subarea 0A and 0B as 8,704.99 tonnes and 7,7,97.51 tonnes, respectively. Nunavut harvesters were granted allocation to all of the 0A Total Allowable Catch and maintained their allocations in subarea 0B at 3,840.59 tonnes as enterprise and special allocations and access to the 900tonne competitive fishery. The Minister also allocated 100 tonnes of the overall Total Allowable Catch towards the inshore fishery within the Nunavut Settlement Area.
Protection of Wildlife and Habitats
Under Article 5 of the Nunavut Agreement, the NWMB has discretionary authority to approve plans for the management and/or protection of wildlife or wildlife habitats in Nunavut. In 20232024, the NWMB took the following related actions:
• In June 2023, the Parks Canada Agency requested that the Board approve the Quttinirpaaq National Park Management Plan. The Board approved the request because the plan provided a clear direction for protecting and managing the park’s ecosystem, the key strategies within the plan outlined a commitment to work with Inuit and other relevant organizations, and because Inuit rights would not be impacted within the park. In December 2023, the Minister responsible for Parks Canada accepted the Board’s decision.
Cooperation with Partners on Land and Resource Management Issues
The NWMB cooperates with Regional Wildlife Organizations, Hunters and Trappers Organizations, Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, government departments, and other Nunavut institutions of public government on land and resource management issues affecting Nunavut. In 2023-2024, the NWMB took the following related actions:
• In March 2023, the Government of Nunavut, Department of Environment requested a Board decision on a polar bear credit request by the Pangnirtung Hunters and Trappers Organization. The NWMB considered the submission and conducted its review under the section 5.7.2.1 of the Nunavut Government’s Harvest Administration and Credit Calculation System. The Board informed the Nunavut Government that the Regional Wildlife Organization approval was sufficient, and that any conservation concern was best resolved between them. The NWMB further stated that the Nunavut Government should continue to work with its partners on the administration of polar bear harvest.
• The Board supported and participated in Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.’s Tuktulirnik Symposium that was held in Rankin Inlet in September 2023.
• At the Board’s November 2023 meeting, the Government of Nunavut and the Cambridge Bay Hunters and Trappers Organization submitted a request to the NWMB concerning caribou mortalities that occur due to collaring research. After reviewing the submissions and listening to its co-management partners, the Board informed the Minister on December 18, 2023 that it agreed that research-related mortality should not be deducted from available harvest levels for caribou herds that have a Total Allowable Harvest in place. The Board felt that research-related mortality did not fall under the definition of Total Allowable Harvest in section 5.1.1. of the Nunavut Agreement. The Board further encouraged the Nunavut Government to work with Inuit Organizations to develop a Nunavut-specific collaring policy for caribou. The Minister of Environment agreed with the Board’s decision
Shared Wildlife Stocks (Inter-Jurisdictional and International)
The NWMB participates in inter-jurisdictional and international consultations on shared wildlife stocks or populations. The NWMB also works with administrative agencies and aboriginal peoples from other land claims areas concerning shared wildlife stocks or populations. In 2023-2024, the NWMB took the following related actions:
• On June 19, 2024, the NWMB informed the Nunavik and Eeyou Marine Region Wildlife Boards that it would not sign the Southern Hudson Bay Polar Bear Subpopulation Coordinated Hearing Memorandum of Understanding The Memorandum of Understanding contemplated a new management system specific to the Southern Hudson Bay subpopulation. The NWMB determined that it would be inappropriate to consider a new management system for a single sub-population of bears given that the current Boardapproved Nunavut Government polar bear management plan applies equally to all Nunavut subpopulations
Designations of Wildlife Species (At Risk, Rare, Threatened or Endangered)
The NWMB has discretionary authority under Section 5.2.34(f) to approve or not approve the designation of wildlife species. In 2023-2024, the NWMB received the following requests to approve the listing of wildlife species under the Species at Risk Act:
• For the Board’s March 2024 meeting, Environment and Climate Change Canada requested that the Board approve an amendment to the Species at Risk Act, with proposed listings of the Hoary Bat and the Eastern Red Bay. The Board informed the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada on April 11, 2024 that it exercised its discretion not to make a decision on the listing due to the infrequent occurrence of these bats in Nunavut.
Government Legislation, Regulations and Policies
The NWMB works closely with government and Inuit to ensure that legislation and policy affecting Nunavut wildlife recognizes and respects land claims agreements and the jurisdictions of land claims bodies. The NWMB also has some implementation responsibilities regarding relevant aspects of that legislation and policy. The NWMB provided relevant information to various working groups to ensure that procedures respect the Board's role in co-management of marine resources, according to the Nunavut Agreement. In 2023-2024, the NWMB participated in the following:
• Narwhal Working Group
• Cumberland Sound Beluga Working Group
• Nunavut Fishery Regulation Working Group
• Polar Bear Technical Committee
• Polar Bear Administrative Committee
• Eastern Arctic Groundfish Stakeholders Advisory Committee
• Northern Shrimp Advisory Committee
• Eastern Arctic Refuges Engagement Strategy
• Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat
• Canada-Nunavut Fisheries and Marine Mammal Cooperation Committee
• Nunavut Marine Council
Research
Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Research Fund
The NWMB’s Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Research Fund (IQRF) is intended to ensure that research based in Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit is available to inform wildlife management decisions and to ensure that all research projects funded by the NWMB incorporate Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit. In 2023-2024, the NWMB conducted the following activities under this program:
• The NWMB funded two Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Research Fund projects. The total funds dispersed was $53,760.00.
• This funding supported local initiatives including youth researchers collecting Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit from elders to preserve for future generations, and Baffin Island caribou research
Nunavut Wildlife Studies Fund
The NWMB’s Nunavut Wildlife Studies Fund (NWSF) is intended to encourage Inuit and community-based organizations to undertake and lead research projects that directly address community needs and concerns related to the management of wildlife in Nunavut. Such research is needed to ensure that wildlife resources are harvested in a knowledgeable and sustainable way so that Nunavummiut can continue the hunting and fishing that is so essential to their way of life. In 2023-24, the NWMB conducted the following activities under this program:
• The NWMB funded two NWSF projects. The total funds dispersed was $60,000.00
• This funding supported community-led research investigating the health of Arctic char in the Coppermine River and surrounding area
• The funding also supported Cumberland Sound whale tagging initiatives.
External Funding Groups
The NWMB may participate in external funding groups to offer wildlife-focused expertise when considering research initiatives across Nunavut. In 2023-2024, the NWMB conducted the following activity:
• Participated in the Northern Environmental Contaminants Committee, which annually reviews funding requests submitted to the wider Northern Contaminants Program
Community-Based Monitoring Network
The NWMB’s Community-Based Monitoring Network (CBMN) relies on harvesters recognized by their communities as highly skilled and accomplished hunters to record wildlife observations and catch data into a mobile application while out on the land. In 2023-2024, the NWMB conducted the following activities under this program:
• October 2023 marked three years of data collection in the community of Naujaat. This initiated the transition of Naujaat from a core community to a satellite community, as per the CBMN policy. Staff travelled to Naujaat to assist in the transition. They reviewed the data with each harvester. A participant feast was held to celebrate the efforts from the past three years. Recognition awards were disbursed to participants, and two grand prizes were awarded. Another core community will be selected in 20242025.
• NWMB staff and Liaison Officers met bimonthly to provide program updates and workshop new ideas to advance the program. In October 2023, Liaison Officers joined NWMB staff in Iqaluit for annual technical training.
• The community of Arviat rejoined the CBMN in 2023. They originally participated in between 2012-2015. About 40 active harvesters currently contribute data to the program. The first annual review of data collection for Arviat was completed in February 2024. Staff travelled to Arviat to review the data with each harvester. A participant feast was held to celebrate the efforts from the past year. Recognition awards were disbursed to participants, and one grand prize was awarded.
• In March 2024, NovaSila Wildlife Consulting attended the SMART Conservation Software Global Congress in Namibia. The Congress was the first ever worldwide meeting for conservation practitioners using SMART, the software the CBMN uses to collect and manage data. NovaSila presented about SMART solution for knowledge sharing and data engagement in the Canadian Arctic.
• On March 25, 2024, the NWMB established a new casual staff position, Regional Liaison Officer, within the CBMN program. The Regional Liaison Officer is responsible for promoting the CBMN within their region and supporting the Community Liaison Officers in administering the program in their individual communities.
• Monthly gas incentives were distributed to eligible participants. Two grand prizes were awarded to participants in the satellite communities.
• Throughout the year, NWMB staff met with other organizations and researchers who are currently leading or are interested in starting community-based monitoring initiatives in the North to discuss common goals and best practices.
Research Project Contributions
Every year, the NWMB evaluates and funds government research proposals through the Nunavut Wildlife Research Trust. In 2023-2024, the NWMB took the following related actions:
• The Trustees approved 18 government-led research projects for a total sum of $1,317,763.
• The Trustees supported 8 Department of Fisheries and Oceans projects, 9 Government of Nunavut-Department of Environment projects and one Environment and Climate Change Canada project.
Conservation Education
The NWMB is committed to pursuing and implementing conservation education initiatives. In 2023-2024, the NWMB took the following related actions:
• The NWMB partnered with several organizations (Makigiaqta, Canadian Space Agency, SHAD Canada, Pinnguaq, and Actua) to facilitate a successful five-day STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) camp. The camp took place at the Canadian High Arctic Research Station in Cambridge Bay. Around twenty students from five Nunavut communities Cambridge Bay, Clyde River, Kugaaruk, Pangnirtung, and Qikiqtarjuaq participated, all of whom were in grades 9-12.
• At the camp, NWMB staff led three activities based on the CBMN program. During these activities, students learned about different research methods employed in Nunavut and developed practical on-theland navigation, research, and mapping skills.
Promotion of Education and Employment in Wildlife Management
Under Article 5 of the Nunavut Agreement, the NWMB is mandated to promote higher education and employment in wildlife and wildlife management in Nunavut. In 2023-2024, the NWMB took the following related actions:
• The NWMB supported four Nunavut students with the Jorgen Bolt Memorial Scholarship. Each student received $5,000 to attend postsecondary education in wildlife management. Jorgen Bolt was a past Board member who was dedicated and active in supporting Inuit youth interested in wildlife and Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit.
• The NWMB sponsored ArcticNet that was held in Iqaluit. It was ArcticNet’s first conference in a northern community.
NUNAVUT WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT BOARD FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
MARCH 31, 2024
Independent Auditors' Report
To the Board of Directors of the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board
Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board (the Board), which comprisethestatement of financial positionas at March31, 2024,andthestatements of operations,changes in fund balances and cash flows for the year then ended, and a summary of significant accounting policies and other explanatory information.
In our opinion, the accompanying financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Board as at March 31, 2024 and its financial performance and its cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with Canadian accounting standards for not-for-profit organizations.
Basis for Opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditors' Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements section of our report. We are independent of the Board in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in Canada, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
Other Information
Management is responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information includedintheAnnualReport,butdoesnotincludethefinancialstatementsandourauditors'reportthereon.
Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.
In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that thereis a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard.
Responsibilities of Management and Those Charged with Governance for the Financial Statements
Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements in accordance with Canadian accounting standards for not-for-profit organizations, and for such internal control as management determines is necessary to enable the preparation of the financial statements that are free of material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the financial statements, management is responsible for assessing the Board’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless management either intends to liquidate the Board or to cease operations, or has no realistic alternative but to do so.
Those charged with governance are responsible for overseeing the Board’s financial reporting process.
Auditors' Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditors' report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
As part of an audit in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards, we exercise professional judgment and maintain professional skepticism throughout the audit. We also:
• Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.
• Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Board’s internal control.
• Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by management.
• Conclude on the appropriateness of management’s use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the Board’s ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditors' report to the related disclosures in the financial statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditors' report. However, future events or conditions may cause the Board to cease to continue as a going concern.
• Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the financial statements, including the disclosures, and whether the financial statements represent the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation.
We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.
We also provide those charged with governance with a statement that we have complied with relevant ethical requirements regarding independence, and to communicate with them all relationships and other matters that may reasonably be thought to bear on our independence, and where applicable, related safeguards.
Iqaluit, Nunavut
Chartered Professional Accountants July 17, 2024
Lester Landau Accounting Professional Corp.
REVENUES
NUNAVUT WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT BOARD STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 31, 2024
EXCESS REVENUES
NUNAVUT WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT BOARD STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN FUND BALANCES FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 31, 2024
NUNAVUT WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT BOARD STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AS AT MARCH 31, 2024
Commitments (Note 8)
(Note 4)
APPROVED BY THE BOARD:
6,884,378
Operating Activities
NUNAVUT WILDLIFE
MANAGEMENT BOARD STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 31, 2024
Excess revenues (expenses) $ 589,030 $ (609,939) Items not requiring cash:
(581,921)
Cash provided by (used for) changes in non-cash working capital:
(103,236)
Investing Activities
Purchase of property and equipment (7,304) (79,570) Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 1,136,462 (1,473,190)
NUNAVUT WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT BOARD
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 31, 2024
1.
NATURE OF THE ORGANIZATION
The Nunavut Wildlife Management Board (Board) is an institution of public government established pursuant to An Agreement Between the Inuit of the Nunavut Settlement Area and Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada, also known as the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement. The Board is the main instrument of wildlife management and the main regulator of access to wildlife in the Nunavut Settlement Area (NSA). In addition, the Board identifies research requirements, funds research and carries out research in order to help maintain an effective system of wildlife management in the NSA. The Board also exercises an extensive advisory authority in the marine environment adjacent to the NSA.
The Board is exempt from income taxes under Sec. 149(1)(c) of the Income Tax Act.
2. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
The financial statements were prepared in accordance with Canadian accounting standards for not-for-profit organizations and include the following significant accounting policies:
(a) Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with Canadian accounting standards for not-for-profit organizations requires management to make estimates and assumptions that effect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the year. Significant items subject to such estimates and assumptions include the valuation of accounts receivable, the estimated useful life of property and equipment, and estimated employee severance and leave accruals. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
(b) Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents are comprised of bank account balances net of outstanding cheques and short term highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to cash.
(c)
Revenue Recognition
The Board follows the deferral method of accounting for contributions. Restricted contributions are recognized as revenue in the year in which the related expenses are incurred. Unrestricted contributions are recognized as revenue when received or receivable if the amount to be received can be reasonably estimated and collection is reasonably assured.
(d) Expense Allocations
Expenses which are wholly attributable to a particular project are charged directly to the appropriate project. Where expenses are not wholly attributable to a specific project these expenses are allocated amongst the applicable projects based on management's estimates of the time, effort and resources required to support these activities.
(e) Financial Instruments
The Board initially measures its financial assets and financial liabilities at fair value. The Board subsequently measures all its financial assets and financial liabilities at amortized cost, except for derivatives and equity securities quoted in an active market, which are measured at fair value.
Financial assets measured at amortized cost include cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable and due from Nunavut Wildlife Research Trust. Financial liabilities measured at amortized cost include accounts payable and accrued liabilities.
It is management's opinion that the organization is not exposed to significant interest, currency or credit risks arising from these financial instruments unless otherwise noted.
(f)
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment is recorded at cost. Depreciation is provided annually at rates calculated to depreciate the assets over their estimated useful lives as follows:
Computer hardware
Translating equipment
Office equipment
Automotive equipment
Furniture and fixtures
30% declining balance
20% declining balance
20% declining balance
30% declining balance
20% declining balance
Leasehold improvements Straight-line over the term of the lease
One-half of annual depreciation is recorded in the year of acquisition.
ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT
5.
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE AND ACCRUED LIABILITIES
Included in accounts payable and accrued liabilities is $27,357 (2023 - $20,545) government remittances payable to the Receiver General, and $158,630 (2023 - $120,448) in severance pay to employees based on one week's pay for each complete year of continuous employment, or partial year of employment, to a maximum of 30 weeks pay. 6. ECONOMIC
DEPENDENCE
The Board receives the majority of its funding from the Government of Canada. Without the continuing support of the government, it is unlikely the organization could continue its operations.
7. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
The Board pays for all overhead expenses pertaining to the operations of The Nunavut Wildlife Research Trust, a related party whose Trustees are also board members of the Board. There are no inter-organizational charges made for these services and their magnitude has not been established. Amount due from the Nunavut Wildlife Research Trust bears no interest.
8. COMMITMENTS
The Board has a commitment under a lease agreement for office premises. The agreement expires April 2027. The Board has also committed to a general IT support agreement ending June 30, 2025. The commitment for these payments is as follows:
9. OPERATING CONTRIBUTION CARRY FORWARD
The Government of Canada, through Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC), budgets funds allocated for the use of the Board for periods of 10 years during which all allocated funds must be spent or they may be retained by the Government. The current period expired on March 31, 2021 and has been extended for two more years to March 31, 2023 with an extra one-year period to expend the surplus, subject to certain conditions. As at March 31, 2024 amounts totaling $ 5,140,674 are considered surplus. NWMB and CIRNAC are in discussion regarding a new ten-year agreement and have yet to determine whether the surplus will need to be repaid. It is anticipated this surplus will be rolled into the new agreement in some format.
NUNAVUT WILDLIFE RESEARCH TRUST
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
MARCH 31, 2024
Independent Auditors' Report
To the Board of Trustees of the Nunavut Wildlife Research Trust
Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of the Nunavut Wildlife Research Trust (the Trust), which comprise the statement of financial position as at March 31, 2024, and the statements of revenue and expenses, changes in net assets and cash flows for the year then ended, and a summary of significant accounting policies and other explanatory information.
In our opinion, the accompanying financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Trust as at March 31, 2024 and its financial performance and its cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with Canadian accounting standards for not-for-profit organizations.
Basis for Opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditors' Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements section of our report. We are independent of the Trust in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in Canada, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
Responsibilities of Management and Those Charged with Governance for the Financial Statements
Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements in accordance with Canadian accounting standards for not-for-profit organizations, and for such internal control as management determines is necessary to enable the preparation of the financial statements that are free of material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
Inpreparingthefinancialstatements,managementisresponsibleforassessingtheTrust’sabilitytocontinue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless management either intends to liquidate the Trust or to cease operations, or has no realistic alternative but to do so.
Those charged with governance are responsible for overseeing the Trust’s financial reporting process.
Auditors' Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditors' report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
As part of an audit in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards, we exercise professional judgment and maintain professional skepticism throughout the audit. We also:
• Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.
• Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Trust’s internal control.
• Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by management.
• Conclude on the appropriateness of management’s use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the Trust’s ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditors' report to the related disclosures in the financial statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditors' report. However, future events or conditions may cause the Trust to cease to continue as a going concern.
• Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the financial statements, including the disclosures, and whether the financial statements represent the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation.
We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.
We also provide those charged with governance with a statement that we have complied with relevant ethical requirements regarding independence, and to communicate with them all relationships and other matters that may reasonably be thought to bear on our independence, and where applicable, related safeguards.
Iqaluit, Nunavut
Chartered Professional Accountants July 17, 2024
Lester Landau Accounting Professional Corp.
REVENUES
NUNAVUT WILDLIFE RESEARCH TRUST STATEMENT OF REVENUES AND EXPENSES FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 31, 2024
EXPENSES
NUNAVUT WILDLIFE RESEARCH TRUST STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 31, 2024
NET ASSETS, BEGINNING OF YEAR $ 24,103,061 $ 25,036,564
revenues (expenses) 535,502 (933,503) NET ASSETS, END OF YEAR $ 24,638,563 $ 24,103,061
NUNAVUT WILDLIFE RESEARCH TRUST STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AS AT MARCH 31, 2024
LIABILITIES
APPROVED BY THE TRUSTEES: Trustee Trustee
Operating Activities
NUNAVUT WILDLIFE RESEARCH TRUST STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 31, 2024
Investing Activities
NUNAVUT WILDLIFE RESEARCH TRUST
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 31, 2024
1.
PURPOSE AND NATURE OF THE ORGANIZATION
In 1994, pursuant to A Contract Relating to the Implementation of the Nunavut Final Agreement, the Government of Canada provided the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board (NWMB) with a single payment of eleven million dollars for the establishment of a Wildlife Research Fund. Its intended purpose was to provide funding for territorial and federal government departments to carry out wildlife research approved by the NWMB.
Upon that basis, the NWMB established the Nunavut Wildlife Research Trust, which was designated a Registered Charity in 1996. Its Trustees are the members of the NWMB. Since 1997, the Trust has provided an annual funding allocation, exclusively available to government departments. That allocation is administered by the NWMB, in order to address wildlife research priorities as identified by the NWMB.
The Trust is exempt from income taxes under Sec. 149(1)(f) of the Income Tax Act.
2.
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
TheaccountingpoliciesfollowedbytheTrust are in accordancewith Canadian accounting standards for not-for profit organizations and include the following significant accounting policies:
(a)
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with Canadian accounting standards for not-for-profit organizations requires management to make estimates and assumptions that effect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the year. Significant items subject to such estimates and assumptions include the valuation of accounts receivable and marketable securities. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
(b)
Fund Accounting
The Nunavut Wildlife Research Trust follows the restricted fund method of accounting for contributions.
(c)
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents are comprised of bank account balances net of outstanding cheques and short-term highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to cash.
NUNAVUT WILDLIFE
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
(d) Revenue Recognition
TRUST
(continued)
Revenue consists primarily of investment income which includes interest income, dividends and realized capital gains. This revenue is recognized as earned.
(e) Financial Instruments
The Trust initially measures its financial assets and financial liabilities at fair value. The Trust subsequently measures all its financial assets and financial liabilities at amortized cost, except for derivatives and equity securities quoted in an active market, which are measured at fair value.
Financial assets measured at amortizedcost includecash andcash equivalents andaccounts receivable. Financial assets measured at fair market value are marketable securities. Financial liabilities measured at amortized cost include accounts payable and accrued liabilities and due to Nunavut Wildlife Management Board.
The Trust is exposed to market risk with respect to its marketable securities. Market risk is the risk of a financial loss resulting from adverse changes in underlying interest rates, foreign exchange rates, and equity prices. 3.
MARKETABLE SECURITIES
The investment in marketable securities is used to fund research. The cost of these securities at March 31, 2024 is $ 24,140,562 (2023 - $ 24,194,581).
4. RISK MANAGEMENT
The Trust manages its market risk through an independent investment manager with oversight from the Trustees.
5. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
The Trust receives administrative services at no charge from the NWMB. The amount of these services has not been quantified.
PROJECT NAME
NUNAVUT
WILDLIFE RESEARCH TRUST
RESEARCH CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 31, 2024
Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Foxe Basin bowhead telemetry, photo-id, and biopsy collection
Resolving Contributions to Harvest of Discrete Stocks in the Cambridge Bay Arctic Char Fishery
Community-based research on walrus distribution and stock structure
Pond Inlet Arctic Char Fishery Development Research Program 2023-24
Admiralty Inlet narwhal tagging and drone work
Ecology and demography of killer whales in the eastern Canadian Arctic
A team-based approach to investigate and increase the understanding of Char and Cod declines in adjacent waters to Kugluktuk, NU
High Arctic Cetacean Survey 2023
Government of Nunavut - Department of Environment
Emerging infectious Diseases in High Arctic Ungulates
Central Ellesmere Island Peary Caribou and Muskox Distribution and Abundance Aerial Survey
Grizzly bear DNA mark-recapture sampling in the Bathurst Inlet area, Kitikmeot Region, Nunavut
A Calving Ground Abundance Survey of The Beverly Subpopulation of Mainland Migratory Barren-Ground Caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) in the Vicinity of The Queen Maud Gulf, Nunavut
May 2023 Southampton Island Caribou Abundance Survey
Line-transect sampling: Abundance estimate for the Dolphin and Union caribou herd (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus x pearyi) - Fall 2023
NEM Caribou Herd Telemetry Based Monitoring
Baffin Island Regional Aerial Survey
Baffin and Wager Bay Caribou Health Monitoring 2023
Environment and Climate Change Canada
Regional and range-wide causes of decline of shorebirds of the Kivalliq
$ 435,150
832,613
50,000 1,317,763 Contributions repaid to NWRT (153,338) $ 1,164,425