Question Period Note: CanNor Accomplishments & Recent Investments Supporting the Northwest Territories

CanNor Accomplishments & Recent Investments Supporting the Northwest Territories

All Territories:
• Between April 2025 and March 2026, across the Territories, CanNor invested more than $147.9 million towards 141 projects fostering short and long-term economic development and sector diversification. These investments are estimated to create more than 1200 jobs across the Territories.

NWT:
• In the Northwest Territories, CanNor provided over $40.0M across 38 projects in 2025-26.

• Of these projects supported in the NWT, over $25.2M was allocated to 24 projects led or majority-led by Indigenous recipients.

Background:
• CanNor’s investments attracted more than $126M in investments from private entities, other governments and other government departments

• Of these, $39.2 million was provided through CanNor’s flagship IDEANorth program, supporting capacity and skills development and economic infrastructure.

• Additionally, this fiscal year, CanNor has allocated over $65.8 million in funding across more than 89 projects to Indigenous-led organizations.

• The North is not a distant frontier; it is central to Canada's security, economic resilience, and long-term prosperity. The territories sit at the heart of Arctic sovereignty, climate resilience, and nation-building. As Canada's regional development agency for the North, CanNor plays a critical role in strengthening the economic foundations that support Canada's presence and preparedness in this pivotal region.

• The Northwest Territories faces ongoing economic pressures related to an aging population, outmigration of skilled labour, declining mine production over the long term, and comparatively low levels of private investment; however, significant opportunities remain through investments in enabling infrastructure such as roads and power systems, growing interest in critical minerals development and associated supply chains, and the territory’s role in supporting broader federal priorities related to Arctic security, trade diversification, and defence-enabling infrastructure following recent large-scale federal Arctic and defence investment announcements.

• CanNor continues to invest in key areas with significant potential to contribute to economic growth, including:
o a skilled northern workforce;
o major infrastructure projects;
o sustainable development of the mining and energy sectors; and
o economic diversification and innovation.

Examples:
• CanNor is investing $1.5M over three years with the Tłı̨chǫ [klee-cho] Government to conduct geophysical and geochemical mapping within the Tłı̨chǫ [klee-cho] region. This work will identify potential sites within the region to promote new resource development to the Northwest Territories.

• CanNor invested $500,000 to the Northwest Territories Tourism to advance marketing efforts into other international markets, and Indigenous tourism marketing.

• CanNor invested $1.2M to Black Spruce Education to develop the Black Spruce Education Centre in Norman Wells, NT, through the construction and renovation of facilities to support training, small business incubation, and community programming.