ECONOMY, ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Commitment 1.2.7

We will expand tourism options and provide high quality public facilities by:

• Expanding and modernizing our parks infrastructure and signage

Expanding and Modernizing Parks Infrastructure and Signage

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is working and investing to provide and maintain modern, high quality public tourism facilities.

The Department of Industry, Tourism, and Investment (ITI) is responsible for 35 territorial parks, including 14 wayside parks.  Wayside parks are maintained by ITI and usually consist of a parking area, picnic tables and toilet facilities.  These are established to provide for the enjoyment and convenience of the traveling public and around scenic points of interest.

Tourism numbers reached record heights in the NWT in 2016-17. For the first time, visitor spending surpassed the $200 million mark and over 100,000 visitors travelled to the NWT.

The GNWT invested over $3.7 million in parks infrastructure in the 2017-2018 fiscal year, and will invest the same in 2018-2019.

Investing in our parks system is an important part of our tourism sector and to the enhanced quality of life and enjoyment parks offer to residents.

Related Mandate Commitments:

• 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.
• Commitment 1.2.8 - We will increase exports by working with the tourism, diamonds, and traditional economy sectors to promote NWT products to international markets.
• Commitment 1.2.9 - We will attract direct foreign investment, and cross-promote minerals, furs, fish, forest products, and tourism to investors and markets.