Land Lease Rents and Fees

Pause of Collections on Recreational-Type Leases

On August 28, 2023, with the tabling of the Response to Motion 77-19(2): Review of Territorial Land Lease Policy and Procedures, the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) committed to the following:

«Effective immediately, the GNWT will also pause collections action on any outstanding arrears for lease fees from Indigenous recreational lease holders where their lease is in an area where they also have an asserted or established Aboriginal and/or Treaty right to harvest.»

Who is eligible?

You may be eligible for the pausing of collection actions if: 

  • You are an Indigenous person with a recreational-type lease, and your lease is in an area where you have asserted or established Aboriginal and/or Treaty rights to harvest.

 and

  • You have existing lease rent arrears.

What is a recreational-type lease?

Recreational-type leases are the following types: 

  • recreational use lease, including seasonal use
  • hunting and fishing lease
  • hunting lease
  • fishing lease
  • traditional use lease
  • cabin lease

What does this “Pause of Collections” mean?

If you are behind on your lease rent payments that means you are in arrears.  Arrears means a debt is owed to the GNWT and the GNWT may take collections actions to recover that debt. Note that accounts are sent to a collections agency after 90-days.

To have collections actions paused on an eligible recreational-type lease, ECC requires an applicant complete an Application for the Pause of Collections on Recreational-Type Leases (form NWT9247) and submit it to the ECC’s Regional Land & Water Office, a Government Services Office, or ECC’s Land Management and Administration Office in Yellowknife.

Please note the following:

  1. The completed Application for the Pause of Collections on Recreational-Type Leases (form NWT9247) must be submitted by the 15th of the month to have collections paused for the following month (e.g., to have collections paused for the month of October, a NWT9247 form must be submitted by September 15th). 
  2. Only lease rent arrears on recreational-type leases are eligible for the pause in collections.  Other lease types are not eligible for a pause of collections.
  3. If a recreational-type lease is jointly held by more than one individual, any individual named on that lease who is eligible for this pause of collections can apply on behalf of all lessees listed on the lease.
  4. One NWT9247 form is required for each recreational-type lease.

Limitations of Program

  • A pause of collections does not mean that the lease arrears amount is deleted or forgiven. The arrears are still a debt due to the GNWT.  There is no interest charged on recreational lease rent arrears.
  • Property tax arrears are not eligible for the pause of collections.
  • You as an applicant are not eligible to assign, renew or surrender your recreational-type lease until your lease arrears are paid in full.

How to apply

To have collections actions paused on an eligible recreational-type lease an applicant is required to complete an Application for the Pause of Collections on Recreational-Type Leases (form NWT9247)  and to submit it to either an ECC Regional Land & Water Office, a Government Services Office, or ECC’s Land Management and Administration Office in Yellowknife.

One NWT9247 form is required for each recreational-type lease.

For more information on the application process, please read the Applicant’s Guide:  Pause of Collections of Arrears for Eligible Recreational-Type Lease Holders. 

How will the information I provide in the Form be protected?

The information you provide in the NWT90247 Form is required for the purpose of assessing your application. The personal information you provide in this Form is being collected under the authority of Section 40(c)(i) of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.  Your personal information is also subject to the protection and disclosure provisions of this Act.

If you have any questions about the collection of your personal information contact Director, Land Management and Administration by phone at 1-855-698-5263, by email at LMA-GAT@gov.nt.ca, or by mail at P.O. Box 1320, Yellowknife, NT X1A 2L9.

Who do I talk to if I still have questions?

If you have questions about the Pause of Collections that you are applying for, please contact Land Management and Administration at:

Email: LMA-GAT@gov.nt.ca
Phone: 1-855-698-5263

Resources: