• 40 homes a year, 40 full-time staff, Arviat housing factory opens to fanfare

  Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
  Date: 2026-10-16 10:00:00.0
  Tags: [National, Housing, Indigenous, Infrastructure, Labour, Economy]

  Sakku Innovative Building Solutions—the development arm of the Kivalliq Inuit Association (KIA)—has officially opened Nunavut's first Inuit-owned modular housing factory in Arviat, following a 40 per cent cost increase to a total project price tag of $70 million. Operating year-round, the facility is designed to produce 40 homes annually specifically for northern climates, beginning with an initial project of nine three-bedroom homes for Arviat by spring. The factory currently employs 15 full-time staff, 14 of whom are Inuit, and will scale up to 40 full-time employees while providing local training in carpentry, plumbing, and electrical work to address severe territorial housing shortages and overcrowding.

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• Baffinland asks judge to allow sale of assets to avoid mine closure

  Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
  Date: 2026-10-05 20:07:08.0
  Tags: [National, Mining, Economy, Resources, Labour, Indigenous]

  Debt-stricken Baffinland Iron Mines Corp. has asked the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to approve the sale of its shares, assets, or the Mary River Mine on northern Baffin Island to prevent liquidation and mine closure. As of May 14, the company owed $2.6 billion to 231 creditors—including a dozen northern businesses and organizations—following creditor protection granted in May and a subsequent $660-million loan from federal Export Development Canada. The company's financial crisis was partly driven by spending more than $1.5 billion on its failed Phase 2 railway expansion proposal, which was rejected by the federal government after opposition from north Baffin communities. The potential liquidation threatens the loss of over 1,200 jobs at one of Nunavut's largest private sector employers, with a court appearance scheduled before an Ontario judge.

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• Unions have new leverage, not less, under Liberals' new major projects bill: jobs minister

  Source: CBC Politics
  Date: 2026-09-27 08:00:00.0
  Tags: [National, Labour, Governance, Indigenous]

  The federal government introduced Bill C-39, an omnibus major projects bill proposing amendments to Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code to place guardrails around back-to-work legislation. Under the proposed changes, the minister must appoint a special mediator for a 21-day period and consider a publicly released recommendations report before issuing an order based on the national interest. Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu defended the legislation by arguing that public scrutiny of the mediator's report increases union leverage, though organized labour groups like the Canadian Labour Congress and the Canadian Union of Public Employees strongly oppose the changes. Additionally, Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse-Nepinak raised concerns over the bill's one-year timeline cap for federal project reviews, arguing it subordinates the honour of the Crown to commercial interests.

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• Carney government to study new major projects bill with tool last used in Harper era

  Source: CBC Politics
  Date: 2026-09-25 20:34:29.0
  Tags: [National, Infrastructure, Economy, Labour, Governance, Indigenous]

  The federal government led by Prime Minister Mark Carney introduced Bill C-39, a 244-page omnibus bill titled the Building Canada Strong Act designed to fast-track major economic development projects and address labour disruptions across 24 different acts and regulations. Government House leader Steven MacKinnon announced that the bill will be referred to a specialized "legislative committee"—a parliamentary mechanism last used by the federal government under Prime Minister Stephen Harper in 2012 for Bill C-11. The legislation has drawn criticism from organized labour, environmental groups, and the Assembly of First Nations over proposed alterations to consultation practices, impact assessments, and the Canada Labour Code. While opposition parties intend to scrutinize the bill and propose amendments in committee, the governing Liberals hold a majority to pass the legislation in the House of Commons.

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• AFN chief warns Carney against 'abusing' majority to pass new major projects bill

  Source: CBC Politics
  Date: 2026-09-22 18:30:50.0
  Tags: [National, Infrastructure, Energy, Labour, Indigenous, Governance]

  Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak has warned Prime Minister Mark Carney against abusing majority government powers to pass Bill C-39, the Building Canada Strong Act. The legislation shifts project reviews for major infrastructure such as pipelines and power transmission lines from the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada to the Canada Energy Regulator while also proposing amendments to the Canada Labour Code. The AFN chief criticized the federal government for limiting debate and consultations, stating that staff in the Alberta-based major projects office lack understanding of First Nations rights and demanding that leadership be permitted to bring forward legislative amendments.

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• Tree planting project creating positive opportunities in Wekweètì, says chief

  Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
  Date: 2026-09-02 15:36:49.0
  Tags: [National, Environment, Climate, Resources, Indigenous, Labour]

  The Tłįchǫ Government is advancing a regional reforestation initiative to plant 13 million black and white spruce trees across the Tłįchǫ region by 2030, backed by federal funding and implemented with the help of the contractor Let's Plant Trees. In Wekweètì, Northwest Territories, a crew of approximately 45 people flew in to plant 425,000 seedlings over a two-week period following wildfire damage. The project is injecting between $100,000 and $150,000 directly into the local economy through community culture camp rentals, boat transport, and bear guarding services, while providing daily piece-rate wages ranging from $250 to $700 for local workers.

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• New trades centre in Fort Good Hope, N.W.T., promises to bring houses, jobs to community

  Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
  Date: 2026-09-02 15:00:00.0
  Tags: [National, Housing, Infrastructure, Labour, Indigenous]

  A new trades centre has opened in Fort Good Hope, Northwest Territories, to support year-round indoor construction of modular housing and address a territorial housing shortage requiring up to 2,700 new homes according to a March 2026 needs analysis. Operating with a crew of about a dozen workers, the facility is currently constructing a duplex destined for Tulita to be delivered early next year. The centre features a built-in classroom designed to help community members pass pre-trades entrance exams, secure Red Seal certification, and build local employment experience that students like Thomas Manuel aim to apply toward future projects such as the proposed 800-kilometre Mackenzie Valley Highway supported by the federal government's Major Projects Office.

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• Helping businesses adapt, grow, create jobs through new grants

  Source: British Columbia - Government News
  Date: 2026-08-28 18:15:00.0
  Tags: [British Columbia, National, Economy, Labour, Industry, Indigenous]

  The Governments of Canada and British Columbia have launched a $2.7 million funding initiative under Phase 2 of the Rural and Remote Employment Initiatives Fund to support northern B.C. businesses and First Nations development corporations responding to global tariffs. Administered by the Northern Development Initiative Trust (NDIT), the funding is split into two programs opening for applications on September 2, 2026: the Business Diversification and Sustainability (BDS) program, which provides grants of up to $200,000 covering up to 75% of project costs for small and medium-sized businesses totaling $1.8 million, and the First Nations Business Development Capacity Building program, which provides up to $75,000 per applicant covering up to 90% of eligible costs totaling $900,000. The investment is supported by federal funding through the Canada-British Columbia Labour Market Development Agreement as part of a broader $5-million provincial response to tariffs.

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