ECONOMY, ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Commitment 1.1.13

We will support small communities by enhancing job-creation programs, building community capacity and supporting new economic opportunities, by:

• Implementing the Economic Opportunities Strategy

Economic Opportunities Strategy

The Economic Opportunities Strategy (EOS) is a partnership of the NWT’s key economic stakeholders: the NWT Chamber of Commerce, the Northern Aboriginal Business Association, the NWT Association of Communities, and Canada’s Northern Economic Development Agency.

The EOS was introduced in October 2013, followed by the release of the EOS Implementation Plan in October 2014. The EOS Implementation Plan details planning, implementation and monitoring recommendations to achieve the vision of the EOS. The Government of the Northwest Territories releases annual EOS Progress Reports detailing work undertaken by EOS partners, and has begun reporting annually on performance measures (milestones 1 and 3).

The EOS is considered to be a ten-year strategy.  It has four themes:

1. Climate for growth 
2. Building on success
3. Regional diversification
4. People and opportunity readiness

The EOS includes 117 recommendations identified to realize seven target areas:

1. Stimulate investment
2. Encourage residency
3. Expand our potential
4. Enhance our connections
5. Build sectors using regional strengths
6. Establish a positive entrepreneurial environment
7. Prepare NWT residents for employment

Related Mandate Commitments:

• Commitment 1.1.9 - We will develop a long-term strategy to attract oil and gas development in the territory.
• Commitment 1.1.12 - We will support the growth of Aboriginal business development corporations and the capacity of Aboriginal governments, through the completion and implementation of memoranda of understanding that reflect the economic opportunity objectives found in modern land claims.
• Commitment 1.2.1 - We will expand the agricultural sector by:
  • Implementing the Agriculture Strategy
  • Improving access to agricultural land
  • Updating agricultural funding programs
  • Supporting training for commercial farmers
• Commitment 1.2.2 - We will invest in artist-to-market and product-to-market opportunity chains, with a particular emphasis on making investments that enable the showcasing of art and increase sales at the regional level.
• Commitment 1.2.3 - We will support the film industry to further develop the skills and competencies of NWT film producers, build infrastructure, assist below-the-line crew and support services, and help develop marketing and communications plans for films made in the NWT.
• Commitment 1.2.4 - We will finalize and implement the Commercial Fisheries Revitalization Strategy to increase fish production, encourage and mentor new entrants to the Great Slave Lake fishery, negotiate an agreement with the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation to access markets outside of NWT, seek federal funding to build a new fish processing plant in Hay River, and work with the Tu Cho Co-Operative to promote and market fish caught in Great Slave Lake.
• Commitment 1.2.7 - We will expand tourism options and provide high quality public facilities by:
  • Expanding and modernizing our parks infrastructure and signage.
  • Improving road side facilities along remote highways.
  • Building new parks such as Doi T'oh Territorial Park in the Sahtú Region.