Minister of Justice Jay Macdonald announces appointment of new Public Trustee

News Releases

Minister Jay Macdonald has announced that Yanik D’Aigle has been appointed as the Public Trustee of the Northwest Territories, effective June 9, 2025.  Mr. D’Aigle takes over from Ms. Erin Wagner, who served in the position since last year.

The Public Trustee serves a wide range of clients and protects and manages the legal and financial interests of vulnerable residents of the Northwest Territories.  The Public Trustee manages property for children, those that have become incapable of handling their financial affairs and administers estates of deceased persons when there is no one else to do so.

Mr. D’Aigle brings with him extensive experience in estate administration, risk management, trust accounting, powers of attorney, compliance oversight and asset protection for people of all ages.  He has held several senior management positions in bank branches in Yellowknife and is also a Justice of the Peace in the Northwest Territories.

Quote

“The Public Trustee remains an incredibly important office, and one which protects vulnerable residents of all ages. Mr. D’Aigle has extensive knowledge and experience in estate administration, and I am confident he will serve the people of Northwest Territories well. I would also like to thank Ms. Wagner for her contributions to the Office of the Public Trustee.”

- Jay Macdonald, Minister of Justice


Quick facts

  • The powers and duties of the Public Trustee are set out under the Public Trustee Act, the Guardianship and Trusteeship Act, the Powers of Attorney Act, the Rules of Court, the Estate Administration Rules, and other legislation, as well as judge-made law.
  • The Public Trustee provides the following services to NWT residents:
    • Administers estates and makes personal decisions on behalf of disabled adults who are not capable of making decisions independently.
    • Administers the estates of people who have granted a Power of Attorney to the Public Trustee.
    • Administers the estates of people who have died in the NWT with no one else capable or willing to act as administrator or executor.
    • Administers trust money on behalf of people who are under 19 years of age, or under a legal disability.

For media requests, please contact:
Ngan Trinh
Senior Communications Advisor
Department of Justice
Government of the Northwest Territories
Email: ngan_trinh@gov.nt.ca
Phone Number: 867-767-9256, ext. 82083