Nunavut wants Canada to lift Arctic drilling moratorium, premier says
XLE•Nunavut Premier John Main said the territory wants Canada to lift its Arctic offshore oil and gas exploration moratorium before its current review expires in 2028. Federal estimates put Nunavut’s natural gas resources at more than 180 trillion cubic feet.
1. Nunavut seeks earlier decision
The Nunavut government wants the decade-long federal moratorium lifted to reduce its dependence on Ottawa and help fund public services, Premier John Main said. He said the federal government could change the policy before its current version expires in 2028; the moratorium has been in place since 2016 and is reviewed every five years.
2. Development would face reviews
Main said potential drilling proposals would still require regulatory reviews, environmental assessments and engagement with Indigenous governments and communities. Inuit communities in the Western Arctic signed a 2023 accord with the federal government addressing their role in resource development, including management, regulation and revenue-sharing. Nunavut has no commercial oil or gas production.
