The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) has received follow-up lead testing results for École William McDonald Middle School and Range Lake North School. These results are part of an ongoing assessment of lead in school drinking water systems being conducted by engineering and environmental consulting firm Stantec, which began earlier this spring following initial concerns about water quality. A final report summarizing the findings and next steps is expected shortly.

The Minister of Health and Social Services, Lesa Semmler, met with the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority (NTHSSA) Public Administrator and health system leadership in Yellowknife to discuss progress and shared priorities for the year ahead.

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment Caitlin Cleveland and Minister of Health and Social Services Lesa Semmler issued the following joint statement today on recent changes to Jordan’s Principle:

“Across the Northwest Territories, children and families are being impacted by recent administrative changes to Jordan’s Principle. As territorial Ministers—and as Northerners—we are deeply concerned about the unintended consequences of these changes, and we are urging swift federal action to protect the progress that’s been made.

The Department of Environment and Climate Change (ECC) has confirmed two cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), otherwise known as bird flu, in a raven and a ring-billed gull in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories . ECC will continue to conduct additional testing on any potential cases of HPAI should they occur. There have been 9 confirmed cases of HPAI in birds in the Northwest Territories since 2022.

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is pleased to announce the three recipients of the 2025 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 providing this update to ensure residents are informed of the most recent developments regarding concerns over lead levels in school water supplies.

Over the past few days, additional resources have been mobilized and expert support engaged to better understand the situation. While a comprehensive investigation is still underway, the GNWT believes it is important to share what is currently known so families, school staff, and the broader public have the facts and a clear understanding of next steps.

The GNWT has released the results of its 2024 Mental Wellness and Addiction Recovery (MWAR) Survey, which gathered feedback from northerns about their experiences with related services and supports.

The Office of the Chief Public Health Officer (OCPHO) is declaring an end to the 21-day exposure and monitoring period linked to the confirmed case of measles reported in Yellowknife earlier this month. The last public exposure occurred on May 2, 2025. No secondary cases have been identified.

The Government of the Northwest Territories thanks local public health teams and residents for their quick action and participation in response efforts.

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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to update this House on the work being done by the Health and Social Services system on Cultural Safety and Anti-Racism, one of my top three priorities as Minister.

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Mr. Speaker, making health care accessible to every NWT resident is a core mandate priority of this government. People across the NWT access our medical travel program, whether they are travelling to access health services in a regional centre, in the capital, or in the south. This means that a reliable medical travel program is vital to NWT residents and to achieving this mandate priority.