The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is allocating up to $14 million to implement the Support Assistants Initiative for the 2025–26 school year, ensuring students continue to receive the in-class support they need despite recent changes to federal funding.

The temporary initiative is a direct response to recent changes in federal funding under Jordan’s Principle – a program that has long provided vital supports to Indigenous students in schools throughout the Northwest Territories (NWT).

As the new school year begins, the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is providing an update on drinking water safety at three Yellowknife Education District No. 1 schools: École William McDonald Middle School, Range Lake North School and N.J. Macpherson School.

Mitigation measures are being implemented at all three schools based on expert guidance and proven best practices. These steps are designed to ensure long-term drinking water safety.

At École William McDonald Middle School:

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) has received follow-up testing results confirming elevated lead levels in the drinking water at N.J. Macpherson School.

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) released a critical path outlining how it will continue to support access to quality education and employment programs following the closure of Aurora College’s Community Learning Centres (CLCs) earlier this year.

The critical path highlights immediate and medium-term actions to ensure residents across the territory can continue to access adult learning and training opportunities.

Key actions include:

In response to the rising cost of living, the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is permanently increasing subsidy rates and expanding eligibility criteria for its Senior Home Heating Subsidy program.

These changes follow input from the Standing Committee on Social Development, which has consistently highlighted the importance of reviewing subsidy rates and income thresholds to better support seniors with home heating costs.

Starting this year, the Senior Home Heating Subsidy rates will increase in all communities.

The Apprenticeship, Trade and Occupation Certification Board is seeking applications for an Employee Representative to serve a three-year term.

The Board advises the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment on matters related to the training and certification of apprentices, trades, and occupations. It is made up of seven members representing the public, employers, and employees working in designated trades and occupations across the Northwest Territories.

The Government of the Northwest Territories is now accepting applications for Early Learning and Child Care Scholarships for the 2025-26 school year. 

Yellowknife (August 6, 2025) – As the new school year approaches, École William McDonald Middle School and Range Lake North School will implement new measures to improve drinking water safety and address concerns about lead. While the exact source of lead in these schools has not been confirmed, the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is taking precautionary steps to remove potential sources and ensure students and staff have safe drinking water.

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment Caitlin Cleveland issued the following statement today following the public release of the third-party investigation into elevated lead levels in school drinking water systems:

“As a parent, a lifelong resident of Yellowknife, and the Minister of Education, I want to begin by acknowledging how difficult and distressing this situation has been for families, students, and staff. I understand the frustration and concern that many are feeling.

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) continues to take action to address concerns about the presence of lead in water in some Yellowknife schools. Since our last update, which shared preliminary testing results, we have received Stantec’s final reports, which confirms preliminary findings and have also completed an internal review to understand why initial action was delayed when the water testing initiative first rolled out in 2025, and to identify ways to improve.