The Compendium of Research in the NWT is an annual publication that offers a summary of research licences/permits that were issued in the Northwest Territories. The information contained in this book is a product of collaboration between the Aurora Research Institute (ARI), the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre (PWNHC), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). The Compendium series began in 1986.
Licensing in the NWT
Under territorial legislation, all research in the NWT requires a licence/permit from one of four agencies, depending on the type of research being conducted:
- Archaeology research - Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT);
- Wildlife research - Department of Environment and Natural Resources, GNWT;
- Ocean, fish and marine mammal research - Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Government of Canada;
- All other research in the NWT - Aurora Research Institute, GNWT.
Through the licensing process, researchers are informed of appropriate organizations, communities and other licensing/permitting agencies that should be contacted prior to conducting studies. Licensing ensures research activities are communicated to interested parties and provides opportunities for the exchange of information.
The compendium provides a summary of all licences/permits issued in the NWT by all four licensing/permitting bodies. As each research project is represented by a short abstract, the reader is encouraged to contact the researcher or the Aurora Research Institute library for additional information and results.
There is also a Northwest Territories Research Database, which offers an opportunity to explore GNWT-issued permits and licences for research from 1974 to present date. This online database offers search tools, a researcher and organization directory, and the ability to see data presented on a dynamic map of the Northwest Territories. There is also an option to export search results into an Excel spreadsheet. The NWT Research database can be found at http://data.nwtresearch.ca