Lisa Iesse

A number of municipal buildings in Fort Smith show elevated levels of lead in water, according to initial testing results announced on Friday. It is unclear how many buildings are affected but offiicals said more information would be made public in the coming days. “We would like to inform residents that recent water testing at Town facilities has found lead levels that require follow-up and action,” read a message posted by officials on the town’s site.

The territorial government says another three school sites showed elevated levels of lead in drinking water after testing earlier this month. With 32 tested school results announced to date, 26 have tested positive for elevated levels of lead in some of their drinking water fixtures.

YWCA NWT is in the planning phases for a new multi-purpose space that would include more than 20 family-sized affordable housing units, along with affordable daycare. Alayna Ward with the YWCA said the new facility is planned to be similar to Gotı̨ li Kǫ̀ in Yellowknife, a multi-use facility with family housing units the YWCA opened in 2023. The organization wants to build the proposed multi-use facility on the lot by Boston Pizza where the daycare was planned to open this spring.

“As this mine closes, our message to workers is simple: you are not on your own,” says Minister Caitlin Cleveland. On Tuesday, the Diavik Diamond Mine processed its last truck of ore. More than 1,100 workers from the N.W.T. were employed at the mine in operation for over 20 years. About 200 workers will continue their roles on site as part of active closure in 2026.

At a presentation to city council on Wednesday, Jeremy Flatt requested that the city endorse a resolution calling for a proportional representation model for federal elections. If city coucnillors decide to support the request, Yellowknife could become the first city in Canada to endorse the alternative federal voting system. Flatt said that some have called it a “more democratic” system.

After more than two decades of operations the Diavik diamond mine announced that it has officially closed production. The mine in operation for over 20 years northeast of the city of Yellowknife processed its last truck of ore on Tuesday.

A new pilot program will connect fluent Indigenous languages speakers to interpreter roles at the N.W.T Legislative  Assembly. The pilot program will run from May 2026 to March 2027, with one applicant selected for each of the N.W.T.’s official Indigenous languages: Dene Kǝdǝ́ (North Slavey), Dëne Sųłıné (Chipewyan), Dene Zhatıé (South Slavey), Dinjii Zhuʼ Ginjik (Gwich’in), Inuinnaqtun, Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun andTłı̨chǫ.

A school in Behchokǫ̀ is the latest to receive test results showing elevated levels of lead in some water fixtures. So far, 28 tested school results have been announced to date, 23 have tested positive for elevated levels of lead in some of their drinking water fixtures. Robin Ferguson, Acting Assistant Deputy Minister at the Department of Infrastructure has said the GNWT plans to test more public buildings once school testing is completed.