Check against delivery

Thank you, MP McLeod - and thanks for joining us today, everyone.

On first blush, this may seem like an odd time to make an agriculture announcement; especially in the Northwest Territories.

The reality is that by the time the weather warms up and people like you and I start thinking about planting and growing, the folks that make up Canada’s commercial food sector - even here in the NWT - will already be wildly busy.

The Governments of Canada and the Northwest Territories are investing over $400,000 to increase the production of fresh, healthy and locally-grown food in the NWT’s agriculture sector.

The investments, delivered under the Canadian Agriculture Partnership (the Partnership), will support three projects in Hay River.

The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment (ITI) is expanding its training investment to help tourism operators maximize their digital presence. 

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) has launched an independent review of its procurement policies and practices.

Through interviews, written submissions, targeted engagement opportunities and online surveys, Indigenous Governments and Organizations, elected leaders, the business community, stakeholders and residents will all have an opportunity to share their perspectives and ideas in support of the GNWT’s mandated priority to: Ensure government procurement and contracting maximizes benefits to residents and businesses. 

The Government of the Northwest Territories’ inaugural NWT Manufacturing Innovation and Technology Contribution has been awarded to Poison Graphics in Hay River.

The $100K investment will support the purchase of a HP R200 Latex Printer.

Introduced in the Northwest Territories Manufacturing, Strategy (2019), the contribution is designed to support manufacturers investing in technology aimed at reducing costs or improving productivity and resulting in increased local employment. This is the first year that the contribution has been awarded.

Northwest Territories (NWT) businesses can now apply to the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment (ITI)’s Support for Entrepreneurs and Economic Development (SEED) Program for funding to get their financial books in order.

Up to $7,500.00 is available to individual businesses that need completed bookkeeping and/or financial statements to advance economic recovery or to apply for government funding. The total amount of funding available for this initiative is $400,000

For the first time in 15 years, the Great Slave Lake Winter Fishery opened yesterday.

It is anticipated that seven commercial fishing businesses will participate in this year’s winter fishery. They will be supported by a pilot program introduced by the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment (ITI).

YELLOWKNIFE (December 21, 2020 ) – The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment (ITI) has waived tourism insurance requirements and licensing fees for the 2021-22 fiscal year as COVID-19 impacts on tourism operators continue.

Under the Tourism Act, all tourism operators providing tourism services in the NWT are required to have a valid Tourism Operator Licence (TOL) with prescribed support documents including proof of insurance.

The Growth and Recovery by Investing in Tourism (GRIT) Fund will see approximately $3 million invested in the tourism industry in the NWT to help operators and businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Funded in partnership with the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor), the GRIT Fund was introduced in August 2020 to respond specifically to the needs of the tourism industry post COVID-19.     

The fund was both extended and increased before closing in October.

An additional $100K is being invested in four exploration projects supported by the Mining Incentive Program (MIP).

The new funding is consistent with the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT)’s commitment to increase mining incentive programs by 50% over the next four years in order to attract and support both early-stage and advanced exploration projects.

Along with the new funding, $20K from an earlier-funded project which did not proceed has also been re-distributed.