The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is completing the final year of its program to remove hazardous waste stockpiles from solid waste sites in communities across the Northwest Territories (NWT).

Since the program started in 2022, nearly one million kilograms of hazardous waste have been removed from 20 communities in the NWT. Nahanni Butte, Jean Marie River, Aklavik, Inuvik, Délı̨nę, Łutsel K’e and Fort Resolution will be the final communities to have hazardous waste removed from their solid waste sites as part of this program.

In the past, it was common to leave hazardous waste, scrap metal, and other complicated waste types at community solid waste sites. This, combined with the logistical and transportation challenges of moving hazardous waste to proper designated sites in the South, led to large stockpiles of waste in these communities.

Starting in 2010, communities attempted to address hazardous waste removal by utilizing funding opportunities and their own budgets. However, due to limited resources, only partial amounts of the stockpiles could be cleared. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA) applied on behalf of interested Community Governments for the Federal Investing in Canada's Infrastructure Program (ICIP) funding, which covered 75% of the project costs, totalling $5.75 million. Community Governments are responsible for the remaining 25%, which amounts to approximately $2 million. Community Governments have also provided equipment such as loaders and chains, as well as operators and labourers for the project.

The program coordinated regionally with communities. Communities selected for hazardous waste removal in a given year were chosen based on their geographical proximity and employed the same contractor for the entire program. The community of Behchokǫ̀ also allowed the contractor to use its jack stand for hazardous waste clean up in Hay River’s and Enterprise’s solid waste sites.

Quote

“The success of this program demonstrates the effectiveness of regional cooperation. The GNWT will continue to support communities facing logistical challenges in waste removal and promote systemic waste diversion to prevent future stockpiles. Building on the progress made in removing hazardous waste, our next steps will focus on clearing scrap metal from community solid waste sites throughout the NWT.”

• Vince McKay, Minster of Municipal and Community Affairs

Quick Facts

• One million kilograms of hazardous waste has been removed from 20 communities in the NWT since the start of the program.
• Hazardous waste removal and scrap metal depollution has been completed in Nahanni Butte, Jean Marie River, Aklavik, Inuvik and Délı̨nę in 2025.
• GNWT staff and the contractor are currently completing hazardous waste removal in Łutsel K’e and they will head to Fort Resolution in late August
• The program was funded using the Federal Investing in Canada’s Infrastructure Program (ICIP), which covered 75% of the project costs ($5.75 million). Community Governments are responsible for the remaining 25% ($2 million)

Related Links

• Solid Waste Management | Municipal and Community Affairs

For media requests, please contact:
Alice Twa
Intern, Communications
Department of Municipal and Community Affairs
Government of the Northwest Territories
Alice_Twa@gov.nt.ca
867-767-9162 ext. 21036