Services and Supports for Evacuees

Back to Public Safety Page

 

Back to top

Health Services for Evacuees

For up to date health services information for NWT evacuees, visit www.nthssa.ca/wildfire

Prescription Refills

For information on prescription refills, click here.

Lost or missing NWT health care cards

For information on lost or missing NWT health care cards, click here.

Back to top

School updates

Q&A: Wildfire Evacuations - School start dates and supports for staff and families

The start of the 2023-24 school year was interrupted in many communities due to evacuation orders. The safety of students, staff and families is the priority.

It was up to education bodies to decide when each school and community would start school, once it was deemed safe to return home.

  • Yellowknife Education District No. 1 (YK1), Yellowknife Catholic Schools (YCS) and Commission scolaire francophone Territoires du Nord-Ouest (CSFTNO) returned to school on September 14, 2023.
  • Kaw Tay Whee School in Dettah and K'álemì Dene School in Ndılǫ reopened on September 18.
  • The following South Slave Divisional Education Council schools returned on September 25:
    • Fort Smith: Joseph B. Tyrrell Elementary School (JBT), Paul W. Kaeser High School (PWK), 
    • Hay River: Princess Alexandra School, Harry Camsell School, and Diamond Jenness Secondary School 
  • Kakisa Lake School opened on September 11.
  • École Boréale in Hay River opened September 25.
  • Chief Sunrise Education Centre on the Kátł’odeeche First Nation opened September 27.

You can find more information on supports for students, families and staff here: https://www.ece.gov.nt.ca/en/wildfire-evacuations-school-information

Back to top

Mental Health Supports 

Being evacuated from your home community is stressful. Checking in with a mental health and counselling resource can help provide strategies, advice, and resources to deal with this difficult situation. 

Many remote supports are available:

Back to top

Child and Family Services

  • Residents of Fort Smith who have evacuated and who are not in Yellowknife can access on-call support at 867-621-1122. 
  • Residents of Hay River who have evacuated and who are not in Yellowknife can access on-call support at 867- 875-7012. 
  • For anyone who cannot reach their local on-call support and who is in need of Child and Family Services supports please contact the Yellowknife Child and Family Services 24 hour Intake line at 867-445-1092.
Back to top

Driver and vehicle services for wildfire evacuees

  • Residents can get a 90-day extension for General Identification Cards, driver’s licences and vehicle registrations that have expired or will expire while they are out of the territory due to wildfire evacuation.
  • Evacuees who have expired or lost General Identification Cards or driver’s licences, or who have an expired vehicle registration, can contact the Registrar of Motor Vehicles at DVLicensing@gov.nt.ca.
  • Read the full PSA here.
Back to top