Government of Canada Opens Northern Project Management Office

Minister Chuck Strahl announced the opening of the Northern Project Management Office in Yellowknife (story here).  This office is part of Canada's Action Plan, and it's core program within the new Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency.

CBC.ca

Strahl unveils northern regulatory revamp ‎ CBC.ca - 16 hours ago Indian and Northern Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl told a Yellowknife luncheon on Monday that the regulatory overhaul will result in "no loss of ... Government of Canada Launches an Action Plan to Improve Northern ...‎ - Marketwire (press release) Feds promise reform to Arctic development‎ - Toronto Star

Backgrounder - Northern Project Management Office

The Northern Project Management Office (NPMO) has been established as a core program within the new Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor).  The government is committed to regulatory improvement in the North and the Northern Project Management Office is an essential component of its new approach.

The NPMO is responsible for providing government-wide leadership in developing a systematic approach for managing northern resource projects and for ensuring the government meets its obligations to consult.

The NPMO will be responsible for federal coordination, project management, project tracking and coordination of consultations for natural resource projects in the three territories. The main functions will be to:

• Assist project clients navigate through the regulatory review and consultation process with clear direction
• Coordinate the work of federal regulatory departments and agencies during the environmental assessment and permitting phases 

The mandate of the NPMO dovetails with that of the Major Projects Management Office (MPMO) within Natural Resources Canada, which deals only with projects south of 60 while the NPMO will deal with projects north of 60.  Because of the differences and complexities of the northern regulatory environment, Ministers agreed to proceed with northern regulatory improvement as a separate initiative.

The NPMO will be centred in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, with staff in each of the other two territories and a unit in Ottawa that will coordinate its work with that of the MPMO, support the Major Projects Deputy Ministers committee, and report periodically to Ministers on northern projects.

Regional offices will coordinate the early engagement of all federal players in resource development, working  with territorial governments and boards, and coordinate federal Aboriginal consultation efforts.