YELLOWKNIFE (March 6, 2013) The deadline to provide written submissions on the NWT Economic Opportunities Strategy has been extended to March 31. NWT residents and organizations can submit their feedback on the economic opportunities and barriers they see in their communities and regions via the Strategy website.

Minister of Industry Tourism and Investment David Ramsay says grassroots input is critical to ensuring that the Economic Opportunities Strategy reflects the needs of all regions and sectors in the NWT.

“Our goal is a strategy that will serve as a launch pad for maximizing economic opportunities across the NWT,” the Minister said. “To do that, it will need to be responsive to changing circumstances in the North and contain tangible recommendations for investments and decisions that will advance and sustain our territory’s economy at the local and regional level.”

The Economic Opportunities Strategy for the NWT being developed in partnership by the NWT Chamber of Commerce, the Northern Aboriginal Business Association, the NWT Association of Communities,Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) and the Government of the Northwest Territories’ Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

An Advisory Panel tasked with hearing from residents, the private sector, governments and other key stakeholders recently concluded its scheduled engagements with key stakeholders and will also be contributing its findings and recommendations to the development of the new strategy.

Panel Chair Joe Handley says the its work will help to identify economic opportunities throughout the territory and build a common understanding of what barriers need to be addressed.

Between December and February the NWT Economic Opportunities Advisory Panel hosted eight public forums across the NWT and met and heard from 81 different NWT governments, groups and organizations. A report of what they heard is expected to be released in May.

For more information:

Drew Williams
Manager, Communications and Engagement
NWT Economic Opportunities Strategy
Tel: (867) 873-7272
Email: drew_williams@gov.nt.ca