• ‘Extremely disappointed’: N.W.T. minister on dismissal of appeal of CN Rail decision

  Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
  Date: 2026-10-30 22:48:55.0
  Tags: [National, Transportation, Infrastructure, Resources, Mining]

  The Federal Court of Appeal dismissed the Northwest Territories government's appeal of a Canadian Transportation Agency decision, upholding CN Rail's choice to discontinue and not repair a 30-kilometre rail line between Enterprise and Hay River, N.W.T. CN Rail initially announced the discontinuation in May 2024 following wildfire damage in 2023, citing that repair costs outweighed customer demand. Northwest Territories Infrastructure Minister Vince McKay expressed disappointment, noting that losing the rail connection increases transportation costs, places more pressure on highways, and threatens northern supply chains supporting critical minerals projects.

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• N.W.T. leaders press Ottawa for major projects investment

  Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
  Date: 2026-10-06 18:47:19.0
  Tags: [National, Infrastructure, Transportation, Energy, Mining, Indigenous]

  The Northwest Territories Council of Leaders, led by Premier R.J. Simpson, Tłı̨chǫ Grand Chief Jackson Lafferty, and N.W.T. Métis Nation President Garry Bailey, pressed federal ministers in Ottawa for major infrastructure investments as the territory faces the closure of major diamond mines like Ekati, Diavik, and Gahcho Kué. The delegation urged federal funding for Indigenous-led and co-managed projects, including the Arctic Economic and Security Corridor, the 800-kilometre Mackenzie Valley Highway extension to Inuvik, the Taltson Hydro Expansion, and the Inuvialuit Energy Security Program. Territorial officials highlighted that historical underfunding and high operating costs leave local governments strained in delivering essential services across 33 communities while trying to pivot their economy.

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• N.W.T. leaders press Ottawa for major projects investment

  Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
  Date: 2026-10-06 18:47:19.0
  Tags: [National, Infrastructure, Transportation, Energy, Mining, Indigenous]

  Representing the Northwest Territories Council of Leaders, Premier R.J. Simpson, Tłı̨chǫ Grand Chief Jackson Lafferty, N.W.T. Métis Nation President Garry Bailey, and other regional leaders met in Ottawa to demand federal investments in major northern infrastructure. The proposed initiatives include the Arctic Economic and Security Corridor, the 800-kilometer Mackenzie Valley Highway extension to Inuvik, the Taltson Hydro Expansion, and the Inuvialuit Energy Security Program. These investments are framed as vital economic replacements following the closures of the Ekati and Diavik diamond mines in 2026, alongside the upcoming closure of the Gahcho Kué mine in 2028. Territorial officials emphasized that these projects must proceed through co-management and shared decision-making to address both economic transition and severe community challenges such as high living costs and housing shortages.

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• Alaska port gets 1st funds from Yukon mine to study options for shipping critical minerals

  Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
  Date: 2026-09-21 11:00:00.0
  Tags: [National, Mining, Resources, Infrastructure, Transportation, Trade]

  Selkirk Copper Mines Inc., controlled by the Selkirk First Nation, has provided $200,000 US to the Municipality of Skagway, Alaska, to finance a scoping study for shipping critical mineral concentrates through the Port of Skagway. The study aims to evaluate modern, environmentally responsible shipping methods for bulk mineral concentrates from the former Minto copper-gold-silver mine, which has been inactive since 2023 and is targeting a restart in 2028. The Port of Skagway previously secured $38.6 million US in federal grants under the U.S. Department of Transportation’s port infrastructure development program to build a modern industrial dock.

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• Pause on Tibbitt to Contwoyto road shock for truckers but hunter hopes it’ll help caribou

  Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
  Date: 2026-09-16 20:24:14.0
  Tags: [National, Transportation, Mining, Resources, Environment]

  The owners of the Ekati, Gahcho Kué, and Diavik diamond mines in the Northwest Territories, alongside trucking stakeholders, have agreed not to construct or operate the Tibbitt to Contwoyto winter road for the upcoming winter season due to winding down diamond mine production. The suspension of the ice highway—which connects the end of the Ingraham Trail to the mine sites—will significantly impact northern truckers' revenues and local businesses such as Harley's Hardrock Saloon in Yellowknife. Conversely, local hunters and wildlife advocates express hope that the closure will reduce easy access for overhunting and vehicle-related caribou mortality, allowing regional caribou populations and migration patterns to recover.

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• N.W.T.’s ice road to 3 diamond mines unlikely to open for 2027 season

  Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
  Date: 2026-09-14 23:13:23.0
  Tags: [National, Infrastructure, Transportation, Mining, Resources, Indigenous]

  The Northwest Territories’ Tibbitt to Contwoyto Winter Road is unlikely to open for the 2027 operational season, marking the first closure since the ice road opened in 1982. Operated annually from February to March, the road services three diamond mines northeast of Yellowknife: the Rio Tinto-owned Diavik mine, the Ekati mine overseen by PricewaterhouseCoopers under creditor protection, and De Beers' Gahcho Kué mine. The suspension is driven by the end of commercial production and active remediation at Diavik and Ekati, alongside financial difficulties at Gahcho Kué that accelerated its closure timeline to 2028. Indigenous corporations and contractors such as Det'on Cho Logistics, owned by the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, face significant economic impacts from the loss of infrastructure maintenance and lodge operations, though winter road service is expected to tentatively return in 2028 to support ongoing cleanup efforts.

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• N.W.T.’s ice road to 3 diamond mines unlikely to open for 2027 season

  Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
  Date: 2026-09-14 23:13:23.0
  Tags: [National, Infrastructure, Transportation, Mining, Resources, Indigenous]

  The Northwest Territories' Tibbitt to Contwoyto Winter Road is unlikely to open for the 2027 operating season for the first time since opening in 1982, due to the end of commercial production and financial restructuring at three major diamond mines: Rio Tinto-owned Diavik, Ekati (overseen by PricewaterhouseCoopers under creditor protection), and De Beers' Gahcho Kué. Management committee director Howard Nowell stated that the closure decision provides early clarity for contractors, service providers, and support communities, though operations are expected to resume in 2028 to support ongoing site remediation and clean-up efforts. Marc Whitford, president of the North Slave Métis Alliance, noted the suspension will negatively impact Indigenous-owned corporations and contractors such as Det'on Cho Logistics, which rely on the winter infrastructure for seasonal employment and transport.

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