The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is seeking input from residents in Tulita on the Fish and Fish Habitat Offsetting Plan for the Great Bear River Bridge project. A meeting will be held in Tulita where the GNWT will provide an update on the project and discuss the Fish and Fish Habitat Offsetting plan. This meeting will also provide an important opportunity for residents to provide feedback. Door prizes and dinner will be provided.

When:             Wednesday, August 16, 2023

                        6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) has completed interim reporting on enhanced water quality monitoring on the Slave River at Fort Smith that began on March 2, 2023 after the GNWT was informed of two spill incidents near the Kearl Oil Sands Mine in northern Alberta.

Enhanced monitoring was done in collaboration with the Fort Smith Métis Council, the Town of Fort Smith, and Smith’s Landing First Nation.

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is proposing amendments to the Disease Surveillance Regulations to create additional registers, as well as update the Schedules and reporting requirements for reportable diseases, conditions, and tests.

These amendments reflect best practice and will assist the Department of Health and Social Services in dealing with emerging diseases in a timely manner to ensure the health of residents is protected.

Proposed changes will:

Current fire bans for all public and private lands in both the North Slave and South Slave Regions have been extended.

These bans are effective through August 11, 2023 and may be extended if necessary. They apply to following communities and on the land:

North Slave:

• Behchokǫ
• Dettah
• Gamètı̀
• łutselk’e
• N’dilǫ
• Wekweètı̀
• Whatı̀
• Yellowknife

South Slave:

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is proposing amendments to the Immunization Regulations that make changes to the collection of information, and update which immunizations are reported to the Chief Public Health Officer (CPHO).

These amendments reflect best practice and will assist the Department of Health and Social Services in dealing with emerging diseases and immunizations in a timely manner to ensure the health of residents continues to be protected.

These changes will:

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is seeking feedback on how contaminated sites are remediated across the territory.

The draft Environmental Guideline for Contaminated Site Remediation reflects the GNWT’s expanded scope of responsibility post-devolution, including current methodologies for contaminated site remediation and updated remediation criteria for some parameters.

The draft Guideline:

The current fire ban has been extended for all public and private lands in the South Slave Region – from the west of the Slave River at Fort Smith through Fort Resolution and stretching to the east to the border with the Dehcho Region.

This is effective through August 4 and may be extended if necessary. 

A fire ban is in place for all public and private lands in the North Slave Region. Affecting the following communities:

• Behchokǫ
• Dettah
• Gamètı̀
• łutsel k’e
• N'Dilo
• Wekweètı̀
• Whatı̀
• Yellowknife

This is effective through August 4 and may be extended if necessary. 
A map is attached showing the extent of the area these restrictions apply. They apply both in communities, and on the land.

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is seeking input on a post-secondary education institution application to deliver a diploma-granting program in the territory. Aurora College is applying to provide a General Studies Diploma program within the Northwest Territories starting September 2024. 

Green-blue algae found in Yellowknife Bay has been tested and is not a risk to residents’ health.

On Wednesday, July 18, the Department of Environment and Climate Change (ECC) received a spill report of an unidentified, green-blue substance on Great Slave Lake near Negus Point on Yellowknife Bay.

An ECC inspector, along with a Coast Guard officer, observed the spill area and determined there was no fuel discharge.