A new management plan for supporting recovery of the Bathurst caribou herd is now in-place.

The Bathurst Caribou Management Plan, developed by the Bathurst Caribou Advisory Committee, provides guidance for the recovery and sustainable management of the Bathurst caribou herd. The Bathurst Caribou Advisory Committee is made up of representatives from 14 public and Indigenous governments and Indigenous organizations.

Many GNWT employees returning from travel outside the Northwest Territories will be required to work from home for the first three days after returning to the NWT. This applies to the first three calendar days after their arrival, not just weekdays. If an employee is not scheduled to work within the first three days of their return, this will not apply to them. This is intended to help keep communities and GNWT worksites safe.

Ministerial Activities Advisory for the week of December 21, 2021 – January 10, 2022

Ministerial Travel

Please note that travel schedules may change with little or no notice. This schedule is accurate as of December 20, 2021

There is no travel scheduled for this time period.

Meetings and Appearances

Please note that event organizers may have attendance restrictions­­­ for their event. Contact organizers for more information.

Population estimates were obtained for five of the NWT’s barren-ground caribou herds in 2021.

ENR obtains new population estimates for the Tuktoyaktuk Peninsula, Cape Bathurst, and Bluenose-West herds every three years. Due to the continued declines in Bluenose-East and Bathurst herds, ENR had planned to obtain new estimates for these two herds in 2020, only two years since the last estimates. However, 2020’s survey was delayed until 2021 due to COVID-19.

As anticipated, the Omicron variant of concern has been confirmed in the Northwest Territories.

The Omicron variant is quickly becoming the dominant COVID-19 strain across Canada, replacing the Delta variant.

The Office of the Chief Public Health Officer (OCPHO) announced a new Public Health Order (PHO) that will go into effect at 12:00 pm today.

Some of the highlights of the new PHO include:

Minister R.J. Simpson and British Columbia (BC) Minister of Education Jennifer Whiteside are pleased to announce that the Northwest Territories (NWT) will partner with BC for the renewal of the Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 (JK-12) school curriculum and assessments. This decision is the result of extensive research, analysis, and more than 40 consultation and engagement sessions with Indigenous governments, education bodies, the Northwest Territories Teachers’ Association (NWTTA) and educators.

With an expected increase in travel and out of town visitors expected this holiday season, the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) will be expanding the COVID-19 At-Home Student Screening Program.

Schools that volunteered and opted into the program will send students home with five (5) COVID-19 self-test kits before the holiday break begins. It is recommended that parents, guardians, and caregivers test their child the day before returning to school in the new year. The rest of the tests can be used by anyone in the household at any point over the break. 

The Government of Northwest Territories is developing Meat Safety Regulations for locally produced meat and meat products from privately raised livestock, to NWT consumers. The regulations will set out requirements for production, distribution, and sale to ensure that meat and meat products are handled and prepared using safe methods.

Minister of Health and Social Services Julie Green released an update on the Quality Improvement Plan Progress for Child and Family Services (CFS) today. This update is part of the Department of Health and Social Services’ commitment to transparency related to the actions the GNWT is taking to better meet the needs of children and youth. These actions align with the recommendations of the Auditor General of Canada and the Federal Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth, and families. CFS  supports families so they can care for children and youth in their community.