Month In Review – Northwest Territories

LAWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

New Laws

Feb 9: The GNWT concluded its initiative to gather public feedback on a tentative plan to extend its current Immigration Strategy and identify new priorities and actions for improvement.

Workers Comp

Feb 29: That’s the final day for employers in the Northwest Territories to submit their workers comp Annual Payroll Report listing their actual payroll costs for 2023 and projected payroll expenses for 2024. Late filing may result in late fees, interest and penalties.

Environmental

Feb 6: The GNWT approved a plan to suspend the carbon tax on diesel home heating fuel in the Territories. Effective April 1, consumers will receive a point-of-purchase rebate on all diesel home heating fuel oil they purchase in the Northwest Territories until March 31, 2017.

CASES

Industry Challenges: WSCC Charges Diamond Mine with 4 Safety Violations

The WSCC charged Diavik Diamond Mine with 4 Mine Health and Safety Act violations stemming from a 2023 incident resulting in serious injuries to a worker. The agency provided no details about what happened. In an unrelated incident that occurred 2 weeks ago, a plane carrying workers to the Diavik mine crashed, killing 2 flight crew and 4 employees of the company that owns the mine, Rio Tinto [Diavik Diamond Mine, WSCC Press Release, February 2, 2024].