Check Against Delivery
Good morning everyone.
Before I begin, I would first like to acknowledge that we all have the privilege of attending AME Roundup on the traditional territory of the Musqueam, Squamish, and tSLAY-wah-tooth First Nations.
The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) and Fortune Minerals signed a Socio-Economic Agreement (SEA) this morning at event that took place during AME Roundup in Vancouver.
The SEA will see Northwest Territories residents benefit from the construction and operation of the proposed NICO mine. It provides targets for local employment, local business spending, education and training. It also lays out the GNWT's commitment to provide a healthy, trained workforce from which Fortune Minerals can draw to reach those employment targets.
For the third-year running, Cabinet members, Indigenous governments, Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) officials, and Members of the Legislative Assembly will bring a shared vision of seeking economic opportunities through responsible development at the Association for Mineral Exploration’s (AME) Roundup in Vancouver, BC from January 28th – 31st, 2019 – a global mineral exploration conference.
The Government of Canada is committed to working together with provinces, territories and Indigenous communities to promote a cleaner, more reliable energy supply in rural and remote communities, reduce pollution in Canada's North and create new opportunities for social and economic development.
In spite of grey skies and rainy days, NWT Parks continued to shine through the 2018 season.
Led by a 122% increase in overnight stays in the Beaufort Delta, NWT Parks welcomed 36,526 visitors last year to campgrounds across the territory — an all-time record for territorial parks.
This is the fifth-straight year of increases in the use of NWT Parks.
The increases come on the heels of consecutive years of multi-million dollar investments by the GNWT and nearly $7 million in capital upgrades to parks in 2018-2019.
Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment Wally Schumann issued the following statement congratulating recipients of the 2nd Annual NWT Mining and Exploration (MAX) Awards.
“Responsible resource development is at the core of who we are as a territory. It drives our economy, generates billions in opportunity for local businesses, and provides thousands of residents good middle-class jobs.
Earlier this month, the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Wally Schumann tabled the 2017-2018 Grants and Contributions Report which details $17.6 million in economic development and diversification investment by the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT).
The annual report documents financial contributions made through the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment (ITI) to individuals, entrepreneurs, businesses, governments and other organizations, with initiatives supporting economic development during the 2017-2018 fiscal year.
The Department of Industry Tourism and Investment (ITI) celebrated the career of its longest-serving tourism operator last night and saluted the Northwest Territories’ 2018 Parks Hospitality Award winner.
Alex Hall’s recognition for the territories longest-service tourism operator comes as he ends a long, storied career sharing the magic of the Arctic with visitors from around the globe. He started Canoe Arctic in 1971.
Today, the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Wally Schumann announced that tourism numbers have reached record heights in the Northwest Territories (NWT) in 2017-18. For the first time, over 110,000 visitors travelled to the NWT with spending totaling just over $203 million in the process.
Check Against Delivery
Mr. Speaker, the numbers are in and I’m pleased to say that the Northwest Territories tourism sector continues to lead our territory’s march to a more diverse economy. Even on the heels of what was an extraordinary year of growth, in 2017-2018, we have, once again, seen our tourism numbers climb.
