The Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Paulie Chinna extended the State of Emergency in the City of Yellowknife through December 8, 2020, under the s.14 of the Emergency Management Act. 

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) continues its ongoing efforts to protect the health of the residents of the Northwest Territories. This State of Emergency has been instated to address the need for additional shelter space as the capacity limitations is adding to health concerns during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The Government of the Northwest Territories requests all its residents to follow the orders and advice from the Chief Public Health Officer to stay safe and healthy. 

It has also been mentioned that this State of Emergency will be extended for as long as it is required for safe health of all its residents.

Two new programs to support harvesters and families going out on the land in 2020-2021 are now taking applications.

1) Take a Family on the Land Program: As per this program, families engaged in outdoor learning experiences to spread the Northern values and perspectives will be provided up to $10,000 as funding.

Applications for this program are being accepted from NWT Indigenous governments and organizations, community governments and not-for-profit associations.

2) The COVID Regional Training, Mentorship and Support Program: As per this program, funding will be provided to support community-led opportunities for harvesting mentorship, on-the-land training and skills development, and supply of country foods into communities.

Regional Indigenous governments can apply for two streams of funding:

• COVID Harvest Subsidy: up to $10,000
• Community Training and Knowledge Exchange Program: up to $25,000

Applications for the above two programs will be received till November 20, 2020, till 5 pm. The funding provided for these programs must be spent by March 31, 2021, and activities should be done between October 2020 and March 2021. 

Alongwith the above two programs, there is another program announced for 2020-2021, The Pilot Trapper Mentorship Program, applications for which will be opened in November.

All application guidelines and forms are available online at www.enr.gov.nt.ca.

A tariff application for new business and residential Internet packages with an unlimited data option has been submitted by Norwestel to CRTC for approval. If approved, it will be available to order after November 2, 2020, via online or through the customer service channels. If the application gets approved, Internet plans with unlimited data will be available in Carcross YT, Fort Nelson BC, Fort Smith NWT, Hay River NWT, Norman Wells NWT, Whitehorse YT, and Yellowknife NWT.

Northwestel plans on offering unlimited data on three residential Internet plans: Internet 250, Internet 125, and Internet 50. These internet plans will allow customers to use unlimited internet for only $10 more per month.