The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is concluding the temporary On-the-Land Camp Initiative on January 17, 2025, to shift full focus to the development of sustainable, long-term housing solutions.

Yellowknife’s shelters faced critical capacity challenges during Summer 2024, leaving more individuals without access to indoor housing options. The GNWT launched the On-the-Land Camp Initiative on November 12, 2024, as a short-term response to an urgent need, providing critical support for residents experiencing homelessness during the winter.

A new collection of 133 rare Northern photographs depicting early airplanes, sternwheelers, and people and places throughout the Northwest Territories (NWT), Yukon, and northern Alberta from the 1900’s to 1950’s is now publicly available.

The photographs are from the Bishop Arthur Henry Sovereign fonds, which were transferred to NWT Archives from the Museum and Archives of Vernon. They were created and collected by the Anglican Bishop Sovereign through his term as Bishop of Athabasca.

The North continues to experience climate warming at a faster rate than the rest of Canada, adversely impacting our Northern ecosystems, infrastructure, and supply chains.  At the same time, the Northwest Territories (NWT) is facing the combined effects of energy price volatility and a longstanding infrastructure deficit, which impact energy affordability and security.

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is introducing the Indigenous Employment Policy (IEP) and will rescind the Affirmative Action Policy on March 31, 2025. The Indigenous Employment Policy which will come into effect on April 1, 2025 reflects the GNWT’s commitment to reconciliation by prioritizing the recruitment, retention, and career advancement of Indigenous persons, as outlined under subsection 35(2) of the Constitution Act, 1982.

Health and Social Services Minister Lesa Semmler announced today that as of December 16, 2024, the NWT Health and Social Services Leadership Council will be replaced with a Public Administrator.

The increasing challenges and pressure on the health and social services system across the Northwest Territories, and in particular the operational challenges faced by the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority (NTHSSA), highlight the need for enhanced strategic direction.

An environmental site assessment has been completed at Tin Can Hill, the proposed location for Aurora College’s new North Slave campus, to:

The Government of the Northwest Territories has committed $445,000 annually to a new partnership in Hay River that delivers life-changing support to vulnerable residents. Since October 1, 2024, the Hay River & Area Métis Local #51 has successfully taken over operations of the Hay River Homeless Shelter. With funding and training support provided by the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT), the shelter continues to provide essential emergency services to people in need.

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) announced a $48 million dollar subsidy of $12 million per year over four years to the Northwest Territories Power Corporation (NTPC) to mitigate power rate increases for residents of the NWT.

This subsidy, in direct response to escalating power costs across the NWT, will offset impacts of rate increases proposed in NTPC’s General Rate Application (GRA), lowering the proposed rate increase from 24.8 percent to 15 percent.    

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) has released the first NWT Climate Change Risks and Opportunities Assessment, called "Informing Our Resilience to a Changing Climate in the NWT". The Assessment explains the biggest climate change challenges that people and communities in the NWT will face over the next 10 years.  It also highlights where working together and sharing resources can help everyone adapt and prepare for the environmental changes.

Premier R.J. Simpson is announcing changes to the senior management team of the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT).

Eleanor Young, President of Housing NWT, will be retiring after a distinguished career in public service. Ms. Young has been a driving force in housing policy and program delivery across the territory, with a strong focus on building community capacity. Throughout her career, she prioritized establishing positive relationships with Indigenous and community governments to better support residents across the Northwest Territories.