Month In Review – Northwest Territories

LAWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

New Laws

Jan 27: The GNWT's newly signed Memorandum of Understanding with Ottawa provides for Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) funding for projects to support local communities and drive sustainable economic growth in the Northwest Territories with the focus on critical minerals and major infrastructure development.

Privacy

Jan 28: New legislation took effect to help the police investigate reports of missing persons in the Northwest Territories where no criminal investigation is underway. Under The Missing Persons Act, once a resident is established to be a missing person, police officers may request information contained in client records with an urgent demand, order for the production of records, or search warrant. The legislation also allows the RCMP to seek and gain access to information from professional partners (banks, education institutions, potential social workers, etc.) to assist with a missing persons investigation.

Workplace Violence

Jan 21: The new federal AssaultStyle Firearms Compensation Program (buyback program) began operating in the Northwest Territories. The federal government will administer the program independently while the GNWT focuses on its own police and community safety and firearms control activities.

Action Point: Find out how to implement "active shooter" response guidelines for your workers.

Drugs & Alcohol

Jan 19: The GNWT launched a new online survey inviting residents to share their perspectives on the territory's mental wellness and addictions recovery services, including the effectiveness of the 811 line, and ideas for improving them. Deadline to comment: April 24, 2026.

Action Point: Find out how to use the OHS Insider Substance Abuse Compliance Game Plan to curb drugs and alcohol at your workplace.

Workers' Compensation

Jan 1: The WSCC's Daily Meal and Incidental Allowances for injured workers in Northwest Territories in 2026 are: $19.54 for breakfast ($16.27 for travel in Canada or the US outside Northwest Territories or Nunavut), $32.58 for lunch ($20.08), $40.51 for dinner ($34.54), and $17.30 for incidentals ($17.30).

Workers' Compensation

Feb 28: That's the deadline for employers in Northwest Territories to submit their 2026 workers' compensation Annual Payroll Report to the WSCC. You should receive a mailed package from the agency well in advance of the deadline. Contact your assessment representative immediately if you haven't received the APR package.

Action Point: Find out how much each province and territory is charging for workers' compensation premiums in 2026.

Environmental

Feb 3: The GNWT reports that Northwest Territories has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 22% compared to 2005 levels and is on track to meet the 2030 target of 30% below 2005. Since 2018, GNWT-supported energy projects have reduced emissions by roughly 27.5 kilotonnes of CO2e in 2024, with reductions forecast to reach 54.6 kilotonnes annually by 2030.