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

Effective June 8^th, 2020, Northwest Territories residents must bring their own non-medical masks to their flights in order to comply with Transport Canada regulations.

Supplies of masks provided to airlines operating out of Yellowknife by the Department of Health and Social Services as a courtesy will soon be depleted.

Today, the Northwest Territories Teachers’ Association (NWTTA) and the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) jointly announce the commencement of negotiations towards a new collective agreement. 

While negotiating a new collective agreement can be difficult under even ideal conditions,  the NWTTA and the GNWT are optimistic that by working together in good-faith, a fair and reasonable agreement will be reached that will balance the interests of both parties.