News

Yellowknife has become the first city in Canada to endorse a proportional representation model for federal elections. On Wednesday, council voted unanimously in support of the motion put forward by Councillor Tom McLennan and seconded by Councillor Rob Foote. Mayor Ben Hendriksen said that it is important to look at ways of “refreshing” the democratic systems as council.

The Northwest Territories department of Infrastructure has closed the Wekweètì and Gamètì winter roads for the season.

Western Arctic Moving Pictures is celebrating National Canadian Film Day with three screening tonight at the Capitol Theater in Yellowknife.

The territorial government say community engagement meetings on the Mackenzie Valley Highway project are taking place in the coming weeks but will be accessible in-person only. The Mackenzie Valley Highway is a proposed all-season transportation corridor that would run through the central and northern Mackenzie Valley, from Wrigley to Norman Wells and to Inuvik.

A Monday message from the GNWT said water testing at more schools, this time in Acho Dene Koe and Sachs Harbour, “confirmed” lead levels above Canadian drinking water guidelines. Officials say testing at three other schools in Ndılǫ, Nahanni Butte and Tuktoyaktuk showed lead levels considered acceptable according to the guidelines. According to the latest reports,

NWT Species at Risk says the threats faced by barren-ground caribou are “unprecedented.” Their first ever progress report on the barren-ground caribou was released Thursday. The five year review includes eight distinct caribou herds from those in stark decline, like the Bathurst and those that appear to be increasing, like the Beverly herd. Some barren ground caribou herds listed in the report are more at risk than others, each having separate management plans.

Housing NWT has completed construction on a new three-bedroom duplex in Paulatuk, adding two new social housing to the community, helping to replace homes which are reaching the end of their service life.  

Diabetes Canada has launched a fundraising challenge, where your training ground is the kitchen — it’s a cooking challenge, not a 10K. With Aprons in Action, participants build confidence, cook healthy meals, raise funds, and compete for a chance to cook live with celebrity chefs on World Diabetes Day Nov. 14 in Toronto.

Changes to the Genuine Mackenzie Valley Fur Program announced earlier this year by the Government of the Northwest Territories have now come into effect.