ECONOMY, ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Commitment 1.1.11 – We will develop and foster the knowledge economy by:
Building upon the research vision developed in the GNWT Knowledge Agenda: Northern Research for Northern Priorities, and other strategic instruments, to support the generation of knowledge (e.g. traditional and local knowledge and western science) and innovation to enhance decision making and sustainable economic opportunities.

The Knowledge Agenda supports the GNWT’s overall goal of positioning the NWT as an active leader, practitioner, partner and promoter of all forms of research, including traditional knowledge and community-based research, necessary to inform relevant, timely and effective policy, planning and legislation. Recognizing that NWT residents possess a broad range of knowledge which can be applied to solving important questions, is an important step in encouraging more NWT residents to play a role in developing the Knowledge Economy.

In June 2017, The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) released the GNWT Knowledge Agenda: Northern Research for Northern Priorities. The GNWT is developing an action plan which will enable the collection and use of traditional, local and scientific knowledge (milestones 1 and 2).

The Knowledge Agenda provides a list of clearly defined research goals established by GNWT departments. This assists the development of a Knowledge Economy by clearly communicating to external research funders and practitioners what research GNWT requires and why. The Agenda establishes the need for the use of new technology and greater participation in research by our residents in all phases of research planning which will also create new opportunities to build the Knowledge Economy.