Watch the full video of the Territorial Address on YouTube

The Government of the Northwest Territories announced mandate highlights today in the second Premier’s Territorial Address.

Annual traffic at the Yellowknife Airport (YZF) reached over 618,000 passengers in 2025, marking a 2% increase in recorded traffic compared to 2024.

This growth was driven by increased regional travel, expanded airline routes, more flight frequencies, and heightened interest in tourism and business opportunities in the area. These statistics reflect the continued strength of air travel in the Northwest Territories and the airport’s role as a vital hub for northern connectivity.

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) has released the 2024-2025 Energy Initiatives Report, outlining progress made over the past fiscal year to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, stabilize energy costs, and support long-term energy security across the Northwest Territories.

Celebrate Indigenous Languages Month with this year’s theme: Languages Work! Throughout the month, residents are encouraged to recognize the important role Indigenous languages play in the workplace and how they contribute to rewarding and successful careers.

The Missing Persons Act and its supporting regulations and forms have come into force. The new legislation has been put in place to provide additional tools to assist police in investigating reports of missing persons in the Northwest Territories.

The Arctic Bioenergy Summit and Tour: Sustainable Bioenergy for Northern Communities: Reliable. Affordable. Local. starts today in Yellowknife and runs until January 28.

Hosted by the Arctic Energy Alliance and the Wood Pellet Association of Canada, this in-person event replaces the 2026 edition of the Northwest Territories Biomass Week and brings together energy leaders, policymakers, and practitioners from across Canada to explore sustainable bioenergy solutions for northern and remote communities.

Funding for the Interim Resource Management Assistance (IRMA) Program is being boosted by the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT). The is an effort to strengthen Indigenous governments and Indigenous organizations’ capacity to participate meaningfully in land and resource management processes.

The IRMA Program supports Indigenous governments and Indigenous organizations without settled land and resource agreements to engage in a broad range of activities, including engagement and consultation, and capacity development.

The Acho Dene Koe First Nation (ADK FN) Chief Eugene Hope and Minister Responsible for Housing Northwest Territories (Housing NWT) Honourable Lucy Kuptana have signed a Memorandum of Agreement on housing between ADK FN and the Government of the Northwest Territories.

This Memorandum of Agreement formalizes cooperation between Housing NWT and ADK FN. This agreement builds on past partnerships to guide joint work on housing priorities. 

Two new, high-value data products are now available through the Northwest Territories Geological Survey (NTGS), offering a level of information that has never been accessible in the Northwest Territories. The Permafrost Database Project and the Pine Point Geophysical Survey will directly support mineral exploration, research and land-use planning across the territory.

AME Roundup attendees are invited to connect with NTGS staff at the NWT booth on the tradeshow floor for demonstrations of the new datasets and to learn more about how they can be used to advance exploration.

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) has clarified its role in relation to the federal Assault‑Style Firearms Compensation Program (the buyback program). The program will be administered by the Government of Canada in the Northwest Territories. The GNWT's priority remains focused on community safety and effective policing.