2 years on, the Nunavut government is still trying to get elder mobility vans on the road

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Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-30 11:00:00.0
Tags: [National, Transportation, Seniors, Social Services, Infrastructure]

Two years after the Government of Nunavut spent $1 million purchasing five elder mobility vans for Iqaluit, Cambridge Bay, Coral Harbour, Pangnirtung, and Rankin Inlet, the vehicles remain parked and unused due to a failure to secure operational funding. The initial pilot project contract with the non-profit Northern Future Skills Development expired after the territorial government budgeted only for vehicle purchases and shipments without providing management funds. Premier John Main announced that the government has now approved $1.25 million in funding for the current year to establish an operational policy and seek new organizations to run the transportation service.

Five more public housing units open in Behchokǫ̀, N.W.T.

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-29 23:15:30.0
Tags: [National, Housing, Indigenous, Social Services, Infrastructure]

Housing N.W.T. has completed and turned over keys for five new public housing units in Behchokǫ̀, consisting of a four-unit building and a three-bedroom single-family home. The modular units were built in Hay River, shipped to Behchokǫ̀ for assembly in April, and are designed to replace older public housing units that have reached the end of their usable life. This deployment follows a territorial needs assessment released in March by Housing N.W.T. indicating that over half of households in Behchokǫ̀ face housing challenges, alongside the recent arrival of eight additional public housing units and one more duplex expected by the end of the year.

N.W.T. gov't working to reopen Yellowknife treatment centre for children with complex needs

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-26 11:00:00.0
Tags: [National, Healthcare, Social Services, Infrastructure]

The Government of the Northwest Territories' Department of Health and Social Services is working to reopen the Territorial Treatment Centre at 5218 52nd Street in Yellowknife, which has been closed since late 2021 due to staffing shortages under former operator Unlimited Potential Community Services. Three contractors have submitted bids ranging from $255,408 to $450,000 to complete necessary renovations to the nine-bedroom residential facility, including bathroom, kitchen, flooring, and furnishing upgrades. The initiative aims to provide local psychiatric and behavioural support for children aged eight to 12, thereby reducing the need to send vulnerable northern youth to out-of-territory facilities in Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan.

8 new housing units, built in Hay River, arrive in Behchokǫ̀

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-20 22:55:41.0
Tags: [National, Housing, Social Services, Indigenous, Infrastructure]

Housing N.W.T. has delivered eight new modular social housing units, constructed as four duplexes by METCAN Building Solutions in Hay River, to the community of Behchokǫ̀, with a final duplex scheduled for delivery by the end of the year to bring the total to ten units. The units are expected to be ready for occupancy by December to address a high local demand for one-bedroom social housing. This delivery forms part of a broader territorial initiative funded by a three-year, $150 million investment to construct 98 single-occupant housing units across nine Northwest Territories communities—including Behchokǫ̀, Fort Providence, Tuktoyaktuk, Inuvik, Délı̨nę, Tulita, Fort Simpson, Ulukhaktok, and Fort Smith—by March 2028.

Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin opens new family services building in Dawson City, Yukon

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-20 11:00:00.0
Tags: [National, Indigenous, Social Services, Infrastructure, Culture]

The Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation has officially opened its new family services building, named Ni’ehłyat Nidähjì’ (meaning 'Our Families, Our Future' in the Hän language), in Dawson City, Yukon. Formed around 2022 and constructed entirely by local Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in contractors, the facility is designed to provide voluntary wrap-around services—including pre- and post-natal support, cultural programs, family wellness, nutrition, and traditional parenting support—while collaborating with the First Nation's wellness and justice departments to bridge service gaps.

Construction to begin on new daycare in Dawson City, Yukon, with $2.7M funding commitment

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-08 20:43:04.0
Tags: [National, Infrastructure, Social Services]

Construction is set to begin on the Big Blue Daycare facility in Dawson City, Yukon, backed by a $2.7 million funding commitment from the territorial and federal governments through the early learning and child care infrastructure fund. The new facility will accommodate up to 32 children, replacing the existing Little Blue Daycare capacity of 20 children, and is scheduled to open by next fall. Despite the net increase of 12 spaces, local stakeholders note that child care shortages persist in the community of 2,400 following the earlier closure of the Little Critters daycare.

Health Canada outlines plans for $144.8M in N.W.T. health care

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-05 17:04:20.0
Tags: [National, Healthcare, Infrastructure, Indigenous, Social Services]

Health Canada and the Government of the Northwest Territories announced a bilateral health funding agreement totaling over $144.8 million, making the Northwest Territories the first jurisdiction in Canada to renew its ten-year national health accord. The funding includes $51.2 million under the Working Together stream directed toward physician training and recruitment, primary health-care team integration, and mental health programming over the next seven years. Additionally, $70.2 million in federal funding matched by $23.4 million in territorial funding will support 16 infrastructure projects across 12 communities, including an MRI machine space at Stanton Territorial Hospital in Yellowknife, a CT scanner in Inuvik, six health cabins in remote communities, a community wellness centre in Délı̨nę, and specialized spaces for an Indigenous clinic.

Destroyed community hall to be cleared soon, paving way for Sanikiluaq’s new recreation hub

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-03 10:00:00.0
Tags: [National, Infrastructure, Municipal, Indigenous, Social Services]

The Hamlet of Sanikiluaq, Nunavut, has signed a contract with Hardy Construction to clear the rubble of its community hall, which was destroyed by a fire in 2024 following an earlier arena fire in 2023. Senior administrative officer Robert Hedley stated that debris removal will begin in mid-October 2025, while the municipality evaluates bids for a separate construction contract to rebuild both facilities over a projected two-year period. The upgraded recreational hub will feature an expanded community hall with an increased capacity of over 300 people—up from roughly 100—alongside a year-round arena measuring just over 50 metres long and 20 metres wide.

Renovations needed before long-delayed women's shelter in Sanikiluaq opens

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-09-26 10:00:00.0
Tags: [National, Social Services, Housing, Infrastructure, Indigenous]

The opening of the $10 million Triple R Women's Emergency Shelter in Sanikiluaq, Nunavut, funded by the federal government and operated by the Municipality of Sanikiluaq, has been delayed from December 2024 to late 2026 due to critical facility design and mechanical issues. Repairs required before the seven-family facility can open include fixing a malfunctioning diesel boiler by installing a day tank, adding electrical setups for stoves in the kitchen, constructing an accessible shower, and installing four additional water tanks in the garage to support 24/7 water delivery.

Carney rallies Liberal MPs as 'crucial session' of Parliament set to resume

Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-09-18 21:18:23.0
Tags: [National, Infrastructure, Economy, Technology, Governance, Social Services]

Prime Minister Mark Carney rallied the Liberal caucus ahead of the fall session of the House of Commons, announcing forthcoming legislation including the Building Canada Strong Act to streamline major project reviews to a "one project, one review, one year" standard. The federal government also plans to introduce social media and AI regulation legislation targeting online harms, cyberbullying, and child exploitation by tech companies. Additionally, an upcoming fall federal budget will outline fiscal plans to manage spending, optimize the balance sheet, and expand social programs such as child care.

Nunavut’s first trauma and addictions centre will have Inuit-focused healing programming, says director

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-09-09 10:00:00.0
Tags: [National, Healthcare, Indigenous, Social Services, Infrastructure]

Annie Aningmiuq has been appointed as the first executive director of Aqqusariaq, Nunavut's first-ever trauma and addictions centre. The 24-bed facility, stemming from a 2019 agreement signed by Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated alongside federal and territorial governments, will feature Inuit-focused healing programming including on-the-land activities, traditional hunting tool workshops, and a cultural sewing room. While construction has faced delays and a final opening date is not yet set, the facility aims to provide localized care so Nunavummiut can access treatment without leaving the territory.

N.W.T. gov't looks to provide storage space to people experiencing homelessness

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-09-02 01:41:30.0
Tags: [National, Social Services, Housing, Infrastructure]

The Government of the Northwest Territories has issued a request for proposals seeking bidders on a $250,000 contract for its dignity through secure storage initiative. The project aims to establish a welcoming, physically accessible facility in downtown Yellowknife providing lockers and secure, confidential document storage for people experiencing homelessness. The facility is intended to operate 24/7 to safeguard essential personal items such as medications, identification documents, and cold-weather clothing.