Applications for a water licence must be submitted to the NWB on the prescribed application form, along with the applicable supplementary questionnaire and the application fee. Subject to applicable requirements for land use planning and environmental assessment, the licensing process begins once the Licensing Administrator deems the application complete. Essentially, the NWB process follows the principles of administrative justice based on natural justice and procedural fairness:

• As soon as an application is deemed complete, the NWB will give public notice of the application and will invite interested persons to make representations within a specified period. The NWB will not act upon an application until at least thirty days after the public notice has been given, unless, in the opinion of the NWB, there are urgent circumstances that justify the NWB acting in a shorter period.
• If a public hearing is required, the NWB will process the application once the land use planning process and environmental assessment are finished. In such cases, the NWB will give public notice of the hearing at least sixty days before the date of the hearing and will make available to the public all information in relation to the application within a reasonable period of time before the hearing. After the hearing, the NWB will issue a licence, and the Minister will have forty-five days to approve or reject the licence.
• If no public hearing is required, the NWB will review all submissions received during the specified period and will provide the applicant and interested persons the opportunity to respond to other persons' submissions, and the applicant will be given the final opportunity to reply.
• The NWB will then review all submissions and issue a Type B licence.

License Process

Nunavut Water Board Water Licence Process