Harvester’s Wildfire Damage Assistance Program

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Description

The Harvester’s Wildfire Damage Assistance Program provides financial assistance to renewable resource harvesters in the Northwest Territories for damage or loss resulting from wildfire.

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Overview

The program supports harvesters in re-establishing their livelihood or way of life after a wildfire. It is not intended to fully reimburse or compensate for all losses.

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Available Funding

Maximum assistance available: Up to $40,000.

  • Assistance will not be made available for losses due to carelessness or poor judgement.
  • Assistance will not be provided for labour costs for the applicant.
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Eligibility

To be eligible, applicants must:

  • Be a resident of the Northwest Territories.
  • Harvest under a land claims or self-government agreement, a treaty or other Aboriginal right, or hold a General Hunting License under the NWT Wildlife Act.
  • Have generated at least 25% of their gross income from harvesting 

Definitions:

  • Harvesting: Includes hunting, fishing, trapping, and gathering.
  • Gross income: Earnings based on the current value of country food and income from all sources, excluding Employment Insurance and Social Assistance. The GNWT determines the current value of country food.
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Eligible Items

Fur Harvest Area Establishment

  • Up to $15,000 to establish a fur harvest area similar in size to what was lost, including:
    • Cost to build or re-establish a trapline at $50/km.
    • Transportation costs up to $5,000 for equipment and materials.
    • Transportation costs up to $3,000 to assess new areas.

Cabin Replacement

  • Up to $10,000 to replace a usable cabin lost to wildfire.
  • Up to $10,000 to build a new cabin if relocating to a new harvesting area. Cabins in disrepair, deteriorated, or abandoned are not eligible.

Equipment and Other Items
Maximum assistance for essential items (no depreciation applied):

  • Snow machine: up to $8,000
  • 4-wheeler ATV: up to $8,000
  • Boat (aluminum or fiberglass): up to $5,000
  • Outboard motor: up to $3,000
  • Canoe: up to $1,000
  • Communications equipment (e.g., satellite phone, GPS): up to $500
  • Generator: up to $1,000
  • Approved traps: up to $3,000
  • Fish nets: up to $1,000
  • Auxiliary harvesting equipment (e.g., tents, toboggans, stoves, chainsaws): up to $2,000
  • Building material for storage/tent frame: up to $3,000
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How to Apply

Contact your local ECC Regional Office to start the application process.

  • Applications are accepted up to two years from the date of the wildfire.
  • ECC Regional Offices will help complete applications and submit them to the Local Harvesting Committee for review and recommendation.
  • The Regional Superintendent forwards applications to the Director of Forest Management for final approval or denial.

Required Supporting Documents

  • Affidavit of Loss: Legal document detailing the loss of property or equipment.
  • Confirmation of Gross Income: Proof of harvesting income and an application for funding.
  • Evidence of Loss: Photos of property/equipment before the wildfire. Pre-registration of assets with ECC’s Forest Management Division is encouraged as the preferred method of loss verification.
     
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