YELLOWKNIFE (January 25, 2016) – Premier of the Northwest Territories and Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment (ITI) Bob McLeod will attend the 2016 Mineral Exploration Roundup in Vancouver, BC this week. The Premier will promote the importance of the resource development industry to the Northwest Territories economy, highlighting the need for continued infrastructure investment and completion of a made-in-the-North regulatory regime that facilitates responsible development in line with NWT priorities and values.

“The mining sector is the single largest private sector employer in the NWT and contributes over a billion dollars to the territory’s GDP annually,” said Premier McLeod. “The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) recognizes that maintaining the health of the sector is crucial for the wellbeing of NWT residents and the strength of the territorial economy, particularly as we face fiscal challenges at home and a difficult economic climate internationally.”

Premier McLeod is joined in Vancouver by Minister of Lands Robert C. McLeod and Minister of Health and Social Services Glen Abernethy, underscoring the GNWT’s commitment to supporting responsible and well-managed resource development that contributes to sustainable social and economic development.

On January 26, the Premier will speak to industry representatives at an NWT-hosted reception, along with Minister Robert C. McLeod and representatives of the NWT & Nunavut Chamber of Mines and DEMCo, a limited partnership focused on mining exploration and development that was established by five of the NWT’s regional Aboriginal governments to promote Aboriginal participation in the sector and facilitate development on Aboriginal-owned lands.

Echoing recommendations published by the National Aboriginal Economic Development Board last week, Premier McLeod will speak about the importance of continued investment in infrastructure necessary to support responsible resource development in the North by all levels of government, including the Government of Canada. The Premier will also address the GNWT’s ongoing commitment to create a more certain environment for development by finalizing land claims and land use plans and implementing a predictable and efficient regulatory regime that will foster economic development while ensuring the NWT environment continues to be protected.

The GNWT’s participation at this year’s event is part of its ‘Unlocking Our Potential Campaign’, a primary component of the Mineral Development Strategy to position the NWT globally as an attractive place to invest in mineral development and to strengthen the competitive advantage of the mineral and mining industry to in the NWT.  

Media inquiries:

Andrew Livingstone
Senior Cabinet Communications Advisor
Department of Executive
Government of the Northwest Territories
Tel: 867-767-9140 ext. 11092
Email: andrew_livingstone@gov.nt.ca