The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) has released a What We Heard Report following public engagement on the development of an Indigenous Procurement Policy.

Public engagement was conducted in April and May 2025, targeting feedback from NWT businesses and business organizations. Feedback was gathered through individual and public meetings, an online survey, and written submissions. 

Reminder: Emergency Evacuation Relief Program Applications
The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is reminding residents from Whatì and Fort Providence to apply for the Emergency Evacuation Relief Program (EERP).

The program provides $800 per adult and $400 per dependent under 18 years old to residents who left their community because of the recent evacuation orders. 
The fastest and easiest way to apply is through the online application portal.

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) has issued a revised Interpretive Bulletin (IB-4) to provide greater clarity on how the Business Incentive Policy (BIP) is applied in GNWT procurement. These updates ensure consistent application across all GNWT procurement opportunities and reflect the GNWT’s commitment to reducing barriers for businesses and enhancing accountability in procurement.  

Yellowknife (July 10, 2025) – The community of Colville Lake will hold a public vote to determine if residents support restricting the amount of alcohol people can bring into or possess within the community. 

Minister of Finance and Minister Responsible for Strategic Infrastructure, Energy, and Supply Chains Caroline Wawzonek and Premier R.J. Simpson, represented by MLA Denny Rodgers, delivered keynote remarks last week at the 2025 Arctic Development Expo in Inuvik. Both speeches emphasized a shared message: Arctic security begins with strong, sustainable Northern communities—and securing the Arctic requires urgent, coordinated investment from the Government of Canada.

Good morning — Drin Gwiinzii (drin gweezee), Ullukkut (oo-LAH-kkut).

It’s a real pleasure to be here in Inuvik today. Thank you for the opportunity to speak on behalf of the Government of the Northwest Territories.

I want to acknowledge the many leaders in the room—elected leadership as well as those who are leaders in communities and in business.

I want to start with a quote from the Northwest Territories chapter of the federal government’s Arctic and Northern Policy Framework, launched back in 2019, that I’ve repeatedly gone back to and still find relevant:

Yellowknife (June 16, 2025) - Minister of Finance Caroline Wawzonek today recognized the invaluable contributions of public servants across the Northwest Territories in honour of National Public Service Week, June 16 to 20, 2025.

“National Public Service Week is a special time to celebrate the dedication, professionalism, and hard work of public servants who serve Northerners every day,” said Minister Wawzonek. “Their commitment helps build stronger, healthier communities and supports the wellbeing of all residents across the Northwest Territories.”

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is improving access to training opportunities for Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) as part of its commitment to strengthening the non-profit and charitable sector in the territory.

By creating access to available GNWT trainings, the GNWT aims to support capacity building and organizational development for NGOs that are providing critical services to residents across the territory. Available topics include:

Check against delivery

Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today to talk about how the Government of the Northwest Territories is making improvements when it comes to our technology systems and online services. Our main goal is simple, we want to make government services easier to access, and safer to use. We want people to be able to securely access services, like applying for a permit, or accessing a marriage, birth or death certificate, no matter where they live in the Northwest Territories.

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) continues to make meaningful progress in its efforts to improve Indigenous representation in the public service through the Indigenous Recruitment and Retention Framework, launched in 2022-2023.