The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is pleased to announce the three recipients of the 2026 Accessibility Impact Awards. This event is an opportunity for the Government of the Northwest Territories, the NWT Disabilities Council, and the NWT Human Rights Commission to recognize and celebrate the outstanding people and businesses advancing accessibility and inclusion of persons with disabilities in the territory.

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is advising residents that applications are now open for the Extended Health Benefits benefit year that starts on September 1, 2026.

This applies to residents who have a valid NWT health care card and do not have benefits from another program, employer, or private insurance provider. Seniors 60 and older who are already enrolled in Extended Health Benefits do not need to reapply. Residents eligible for Non-Insured Health Benefits or Métis Health Benefits are also not impacted.

Northwest Territories residents who receive health care in Alberta are now able to access a MyHealth Alberta Account, giving them online access to records related to the care they receive within Alberta.

This is an important step forward for NWT residents, many of whom travel to Alberta for specialized health services that are not available in the territory. In 2025, approximately 8,400 NWT residents received health care services in Alberta, with nearly 95,000 health system encounters over the past 13 months.

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) has signed a new two-year Non-Insured Health Benefits agreement with Indigenous Services Canada covering the 2025-26 and 2026-27 fiscal years.

The agreement provides short-term funding stability for the continued administration of NIHB-related services in the Northwest Territories and helps ensure eligible First Nations and Inuit residents can continue accessing the benefits they rely on.

The Minister of Health and Social Services, Lesa Semmler, is seeking nominations for vacancies on the Regional Wellness Councils for the Beaufort-Delta, Dehcho, Fort Smith, Hay River, Sahtu and Yellowknife regions.

The role of the Regional Wellness Council is to ensure residents from across the Northwest Territories have an opportunity to provide input into the territorial health and social services system. The councils help inform policy and programming decisions across the territory.

Effective July 1, 2026, patients waiting in hospital for long-term care placement will pay the same accommodation fee they would pay in a long-term care facility.

Patients who are designated as Alternate Level of Care and have been assessed and approved for long-term care will be required to pay the long-term care accommodation fee while they wait for placement.

Alternate Level of Care patients no longer need hospital-level treatment but remain in acute care because a more appropriate care setting is not yet available.

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is updating how medical travel benefits are administered for residents who have a valid NWT health care card and do not have medical travel coverage through another program, employer plan, or private insurance.

Beginning September 1, 2026, medical travel benefits for this group will be administered under the Extended Health Benefits program. Coverage and supports will remain the same, but affected residents will need to apply for Extended Health Benefits before they can access medical travel benefits after September 1.

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) recognizes June 15 as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Acknowledging and openly discussing elder abuse and neglect in our communities can be challenging, but it is essential to protecting the safety, dignity, and well-being of elders—who have the fundamental right not only to be safe, but to feel safe

The Government of the Northwest Territories has released the Primary and Community Health Care Framework, setting a long-term direction for primary and community health care across the territory.

Lesa Semmler, Minister of Health and Social Services, issued the following statement in response to the Auditor General’s report on Child and Family Services and recent public discussion about the findings:

“Over the past several days, there has been significant public discussion about the Auditor General’s report on Child and Family Services.

I want to speak to families, frontline staff, Indigenous governments, communities, and everyone who cares about the safety and well-being of children in the Northwest Territories.