The Government of the Northwest Territories recognizes how important it is for residents to be able to access information about COVID-19 in a single location, and has made some changes to address that need.

Information is power in the collective response to COVID-19 in the Northwest Territories – and now, it’s a whole lot easier to find. That’s because the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) has launched a new, standalone, cross-government website bringing all the information and resources about the territory’s pandemic response under one roof.

Today, Minister of Finance Caroline Wawzonek announced that the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) will allocate $8.7 million in funding to support Northwest Territories’ (NWT) passenger-based airlines who offer scheduled service during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today, the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE), R.J. Simpson announced the exemption of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and the Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) for Income Assistance (IA) clients. These benefits would normally be counted as unearned income and would affect a client’s IA benefit amount.

The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment (ITI) is contributing $86,000 to Northwest Territories (NWT) Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDC)  to allow them to defer loan payments for their clients in the same way that the Business Development and Investment Corporation has done.

The one-time contribution by the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) will cover the interest costs that would otherwise be incurred by these organizations.

Providing supports for those experiencing homelessness and addiction has been a focus throughout the COVID-19 response in the Northwest Territories.

Today those support options have grown with the opening of the new Yellowknife Women’s Centre individual housing suites and the return of regular programming at the Yellowknife Day and Sobering Centre.

Yellowknife Women’s Centre Transitional Housing

Shane Thompson, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR), announced new funding today to support recycling depots and processing centres during the COVID-19 state of emergency.

This financial support will help offset costs directly associated with loss of income to operators since the closure of recycling depots on March 19, 2020 due to COVID-19.

For processing centres, a one-time payment of $5,000 will be provided while staff and operators explore federal funding opportunities.

On April 30th 2020, Northwest Territories (NWT) residents will receive their second NWT Cost of Living Offset payment in the amount of $52.00 per adult and $60.00 per child under the age of 18. For example, a family of two adults and two children will receive $224.00. For a child in shared custody each parent will receive one-half of the benefit for the child.

The NWT Cost of Living Offset (COLO) is a benefit paid to individuals and families living in the NWT to help offset the cost of the NWT carbon tax. The benefit is tax-free to NWT residents and families.

Targeted changes have been introduced to keep residents safe, and keep COVID-19 contained in the NWT. 

Effective immediately, essential service workers and those supporting them; infrastructure workers employed by the GNWT, Municipal Governments, Indigenous Governments and Organizations; and corrections officers returning to the NWT are subject to new restrictions.

The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment (ITI) is now accepting funding applications from Northwest Territories (NWT) businesses and artists interested in manufacturing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as well as other non-medical products.

ITI will consider proposals that demonstrate a business case for the development of PPE and cloth face masks within the NWT.

Products include:

The Government of the Northwest Territories has opened a second intake of applications for low interest loans to support NWT businesses through the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Applications will be accepted and reviewed on an ongoing first-come-first-served basis.

Working Capital Loans of up to $25,000 (or more if need is clearly addressed) are available from the Government of the Northwest Territories, through the NWT Business Development and Investment Corporation (BDIC).