The Department of Health and Social Services is inviting interested members of the public to submit an application to serve as a representative on the NWT Mental Wellness and Addictions Recovery (MWAR) Advisory Group.

To serve in the MWAR Advisory Group, applicants must meet the following requirements:

·       Lived / Living experience with mental wellness and addictions recovery:

o   Individuals who have lived/living experience with a mental health concern as well as experience with mental health services; and/or

To ensure the continued safe use of Fred Henne Territorial Park, including ensuring physical distancing measures are followed, the Government of the Northwest Territories, led by the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment will be monitoring the capacity of the beach and public day use areas throughout the summer. 

Additionally, in an attempt to reduce crowding in the day use and beach areas, access to the upper day use parking lot will be restricted and the number of vehicles and boat trailers in the day use area will be limited.  

The territory-wide Public Health Emergency and State of Emergency have been extended in the Northwest Territories (NWT). Both extensions will take effect as of June 24, 2020 and expire on July 08, 2020.

Minister of Health and Social Services Diane Thom extended the territory-wide Public Health Emergency under the Northwest Territories’ Public Health Act on the recommendation of Chief Public Health Officer (CPHO) Dr. Kami Kandola.

Due to very dry conditions with no forecasted rain through the weekend and into next week, the City of Yellowknife has implemented a fire ban on open air fires within the City’s municipal boundaries. The ban prohibits open fires, including the use of approved fire pits.

Effective immediately and until further notice, a fire ban is now also in place for:

•              Fred Henne Territorial Park

•              Yellowknife River Territorial Park

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) advises that travel restrictions have been updated for Highway 7 to support COVID-19 response.

Scheduled exits will now be permitted on Highway 7 at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays.

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) and the Northwest Territories Teachers’ Association (NWTTA) have reached a tentative agreement.

Both parties are pleased with the progress since negotiations started on June 2, 2020 during this unprecedented time, and are recommending ratification of the agreement to their membership and the Financial Management Board.

Details of the tentative agreement will not be publicly released until the ratification process is completed.

The territory-wide Public Health Emergency and State of Emergency have been extended in the Northwest Territories. Both extensions will take effect as of June 10, 2020 and expire on June 23, 2020.

Minister of Health and Social Services Diane Thom extended the territory-wide Public Health Emergency under the Northwest Territories’ Public Health Act on the recommendation of Chief Public Health Officer Kami Kandola.

Consumer spending is a key economic indicator of the health of the economy.

The Government of the Northwest Territories wants to hear how COVID-19 has impacted you as a consumer!

This is an opportunity for you to share your experience with the Government of the Northwest Territories to help us better respond to the impacts felt by our residents.

The voluntary 35-question confidential consumer demand survey will provide us better insight:

Effective today (June 5, 2020), a checkpoint will resume at the Northwest Territories - Alberta border at Fort Smith as part of the Government of the Northwest Territories COVID-19 response.

Public Health Officers will be present to monitor those persons entering at the border for travel within the Northwest Territories.

This is in response to concerns related to increased summer traffic.

The Government of the Northwest Territories advises that Highway 8 (The Dempster Highway) is scheduled to re-open on June 6, subject to river and weather conditions.

While Highway 8 will be open from kilometre 1 to 272, the Yukon/Northwest Territories border will remain closed to all traffic except for:

·Maintenance Vehicles

·Emergency Vehicles

·Supply Chain Vehicles

·Residents with an approved social isolation plan in place

·Persons with approved exemption from Protect NWT