Cumulative effects and governance in the Yukon: honouring the treaty relationship

Abstract

While cumulative effects to Indigenous lands and communities are a significant issue across Canada, little has been done within the cumulative effects literature to understand the role of governance in addressing such issues. We argue that attention to governance arrangements, particularly those involving Indigenous and non-Indigenous authorities, are in fact critical to cumulative effects management in Canada and other countries where Indigenous-government relations are important. To better understand this relationship, we draw on examples from the Yukon to explore the ways in which modern treaties have shaped co-governance approaches to cumulative effects in the territory. These examples demonstrate the gap between expectations established through modern treaties, and implementation of those expectations on the part of territorial and federal authorities. Key governance challenges are highlighted, which raise important questions for non-Indigenous authorities engaged in co-governance arrangements for addressing cumulative effects.