Check against delivery.

Mr. Speaker, in the fall of 2024, our government launched the Drive Safe campaign to strengthen road safety awareness across the Northwest Territories. Today, I am pleased to provide an update on that work and how it continues to support safe communities and travel for Northerners.

There are nearly 27,000 licensed drivers in the Northwest Territories. Our roads connect communities, support essential services, and enable the movement of goods, fuel, and supplies. Many of these roads include long and isolated stretches, limited services, and sometimes challenging conditions that demand careful planning and responsible driving.

Mr. Speaker, since its launch, the Drive Safe campaign has evolved into a year-round program that reflects how people travel in the North. Seasonal mini-campaigns focus on winter driving, winter road resupply, back-to-school safety, new driver and youth safety, impaired and distracted driving, wildlife on highways, ATV and snowmobile safety, and the importance of getting home safe.

This approach recognizes a simple reality. Road safety in the NWT looks different than it does elsewhere, and conditions can change quickly at any time of year. Wind, snow, ice, fog, wildfire smoke, winter roads made of packed snow, ice, and gravel roads all affect how safely people can travel. These risks exist year-round and require drivers to plan ahead, slow down, stay alert, and adjust to the conditions in front of them.

Mr. Speaker, road safety is not something government can deliver on its own.

While our government is responsible for maintaining infrastructure, providing timely information, and supporting enforcement and education, every driver has a responsibility to be prepared before they travel. That means checking road and weather conditions before heading out, planning fuel and rest stops, carrying emergency supplies, and driving with caution.

As part of this work, we continue to promote DriveNWT.ca as the trusted source for road and highway information. DriveNWT.ca provides up-to-date details on road conditions, winter roads and ice crossings, construction zones, weight restrictions, closures, and weather impacts. This tool helps support safer decision-making for anyone travelling on our highways.

Mr. Speaker, public education remains a critical part of keeping people safe on roads and highways. The Drive Safe campaigns bring together GNWT departments, enforcement partners, and community organizations to deliver one consistent message throughout the year. This coordination ensures that road safety messaging is clear, recognizable, and relevant, whether it is aimed at experienced drivers, commercial operators, youth, or new drivers.

One way we are supporting safer driving is by reaching youth and new drivers early, recognizing that habits formed early can last a lifetime. One example is a keychain provided to new drivers that uses humour to deliver a serious message about making safe choices behind the wheel. These kinds of tools are designed to stay top of mind and spark conversations about responsibility and risk.

In the North, the consequences of unsafe driving can be especially severe due to distance, isolation, and limited access to emergency services. That is why our messaging continues to focus on everyday choices. Planning ahead, staying focused, driving sober, slowing down, watching for pedestrians and cyclists, and wearing a seatbelt every time.

Mr. Speaker, road safety is a shared responsibility. By preparing before we travel and driving with care, we can reduce collisions, protect our communities, and ensure our roads continue to serve as safe and reliable lifelines across the Northwest Territories.

Because at the end of the day, there is a lot on the line, and we all want the same thing: to get home safe.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.