The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) has partnered with the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) to provide additional funding support for exploration projects being led by the territory’s mineral resources industry.

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

Today the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) released the Report of the Procurement Review Panel providing recommendations for GNWT’s procurement policies and practices.

Produced by an independent three-person panel, the report provides 50 procurement recommendations, incorporating input collected over a four-month period from public engagements with stakeholders including industry groups, business communities and residents.

The panel’s recommendations have been grouped into four themes:

1.           Establish a strategic approach to procurement;

As of November 30th, 2021 the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) will require employees who interact with vulnerable members of the public to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The GNWT is committed to protecting the health and well-being of GNWT employees, NWT residents, and communities. As such, the new policy will apply to those who provide service to vulnerable members of the public in the healthcare, education and corrections sectors, and employees travelling to remote communities on duty travel.

Today the Government of Northwest Territories (GNWT) announced that Northwest Territories (NWT) businesses impacted by recent public health measures can now apply to GNWT’s Support for Entrepreneurs and Economic Development (SEED) Program for assistance with ongoing operational costs.

The Northwest Territories (NWT) Arts Council has added two new members to the council following its first public call for nominations in May 2021.

The new council members began their two-year terms with the NWT Arts Council effective September 9, 2021. The new members are:

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is providing additional support funding for tourism operators and tourism related businesses with assistance from the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor).

The Northwest Territories’ (NWT) Tourism Restart Investment Program (TRIP) will provide one-time funding for eligible applicants to support:

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT), in conjunction with the Canadian Red Cross and the City of Yellowknife, is temporarily using the Yellowknife Community arena to provide essential day and overnight services to Yellowknife’s underhoused population.  This action was taken due to the significant number of COVID-19 cases within Yellowknife’s underhoused population and staff at the 50th street Day Shelter and Sobering Centre.

The NWT Arts Strategy 2021-2031 was released today by the departments of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) and Industry, Tourism and Investment (ITI). The new strategy provides the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) with renewed priorities for the continued growth and prosperity of the creative sector for the next decade.

ECE and ITI work closely to support and promote artists and the arts in the Northwest Territories (NWT).

In recognition of the 100th anniversary of the signing of Treaty 11, the historic document has returned to the Northwest Territories (NWT) and is on display for public to view at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre (PWNHC) Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. until late October.

This is the first time the document has been in the north since traveling by river to the nine signatory communities in 1921 and 1922 when it was signed by representatives of the Dehcho, Tłı̨chǫ, Sahtu and Gwich'in and the Government of Canada.

The recent Court of Appeal decision in A.B. & Commission Scolaire francophone (CSFTNO) v. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) has affirmed the decisions of the former Minister of ECE regarding access of non-rights holders to French First Language education.

The Court of Appeal’s decision of September 1, 2021 confirms that the Minister’s decisions regarding the entry of non-rights holders into NWT francophone schools in 2018 were reasonable and reinstates both ministerial decisions.