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. 

Further to the May 2021 announcement of the Polar Bear Diamond™ rebranding, the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) today announced that Diamonds de Canada (DdC) has been awarded the Polar Bear Diamond™ license, allowing them to bring the iconic trademark back into the market with a renewed look and feel. 

Infrastructure projects play a significant role in the economic activity of the Northwest Territories. These Estimates inject money into the economy and provide business and employment opportunities for residents, while delivering the critical infrastructure the NWT needs to provide important programs and services.

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) has approved a project under the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Grant Program for Governments that will see a liquefied natural gas tank installed for the Inuvik power plant.

Premier Caroline Cochrane will be in Ottawa this week to meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and members of the federal Cabinet to discuss Northwest Territories (NWT) priorities and advance Northern interests.

The social and economic challenges that existed before the COVID-19 have only been accelerated as a result of the pandemic. Premier Cochrane will be discussing these economic and social challenges that impact our territory, such as infrastructure, roads, broadband, cleaner sources of energy, and affordable housing.

The Therapeutic Community is an innovative approach taken by the Government of the Northwest Territories’ Corrections Service to support people in custody to be successful in their rehabilitation and reintegration. Today, Minister of Justice R.J. Simpson celebrated the opening of the South Mackenzie Correctional Centre Therapeutic Community.

The Department of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) has released a What We Heard Report that presents the findings from an engagement and consultation process into the renewal of the Northwest Territories (NWT) Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 (JK-12) school curriculum and possibilities for a western provincial partnership. These findings will help to inform decisions made about the NWT JK-12 school curriculum and future partnerships.

This fall, the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) partnered with the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) to provide additional incentive funding for advanced mineral exploration projects in the Northwest Territories (NWT).

In August 2021, CanNor confirmed new funding of $500,000 to support a second winter call for Mining Incentive Program (MIP) applications in 2021-22. This increased the total program budget for the current fiscal year to $1.5 million.

The Department of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) has released a What We Heard Report that presents the findings from the first round of engagement on modernizing the Northwest Territories (NWT) Education Act.