The Public Health Order directed at mineral and petroleum resource (MPR) industry remote camp workers is being amended  to ensure workers residing in the Northwest Territories (NWT) are afforded the same relaxed measures implemented for Phase Two of the Emerging Wisely Plan.

The NWT Business Development and Investment Corporation (BDIC) is extending its three month Payment Deferral/Reduction initiative.

The initiative was introduced in March as part of the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) initial response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The option of deferring or reducing loan payments was provided to all BDIC clients including those who applied for and received low-interest Working Capital Loans as part of the GNWT’s initial COVID-19 relief efforts.

Northwest Territories businesses making investments to align with the Government of the Northwest Territories’ (GNWT) Emerging Wisely Plan can now apply to the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment (ITI)’s Support for Entrepreneurs and Economic Development (SEED) Program for funding.

As restrictions are eased by the Chief Public Health Officer, and in keeping with the spirit of flexibility, the SEED program can now be accessed to cover costs to businesses such as:

·       Structural changes required to protect employees (i.e. plexiglas shields);

The NWT has implemented a checkpoint  at the NWT-Alberta border in the Fort Smith area, to maintain protections for COVID-19 in the NWT while respecting deep ties between communities on either side.

The system includes passes for residents from the NWT and Alberta representing various situations and activities commonly shared between Fort Smith, Fort Fitzgerald, Smith’s Landing, and other nearby communities.

NWT residents from outside of Fort Smith are also able to access this system – opening up staycation possibilities for NWT residents.

YELLOWKNIFE (June 12, 2020) - The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) announced today that it will allocate $2.944 million to airlines and rotary wing operators in the Northwest Territories.

The GNWT is providing this funding directly to airlines and rotary wing operators during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that these companies can continue to provide connections into communities, providing essential goods, like food and medical supplies, through June 30, 2020.

The GNWT will allocate the funding as follows:

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) has moved to Relaxing Phase Two of Emerging Wisely – the territory’s plan for relaxing the COVID-19 public health restrictions,  and made amendments to the territory’s travel restrictions.

In phase two, outdoor gathering limits increase, more businesses and organizations will be able to open indoors with precautions in-place, and offices will be able to have a maximum of 25 people per floor as long as they are set up for physical distancing of at least two metres.

Mr. Speaker, increasing the number of affordable homes and reducing core housing need is a priority of this government. The difficult times that we are emerging from highlight that safe and secure housing is one of our highest needs.  The delivery of housing services became more challenging given our need to stay healthy in preparation of COVID-19 through physical distancing.

Agreement on Protection for the Subsurface of Edéhzhié has been Achieved.

Premier Caroline Cochrane and Dehcho First Nations (DFN) Grand Chief Gladys Norwegian are pleased to announce today that the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is indefinitely extending a subsurface land withdrawal for the Edéhzhíe Protected Area. The extended withdrawal will complement this culturally and ecologically important region’s future designation as a National Wildlife Area.

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is pleased to announce a new online application system for the NWT Nominee Program effective today.

Minister of Justice Caroline Wawzonek released a third-party program evaluation and social return on investment (SROI) study on the Integrated Case Management Pilot Program in Yellowknife.