1.2.9

Description: 
We will attract foreign direct investment, and cross-promote minerals, furs, fish, forest products, and tourism to investors and markets.
Lead Dept: 
ITI
Priority: 
1.2
Status: 
Fulfilled
Restructured COC: 
Economy and Environment
Number: 
9
Deputy Minister Committee: 
Economy and Environment
Background Information: 

ECONOMY, ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Commitment 1.2.9

We will attract direct foreign investment, and cross-promote minerals, furs, fish, forest products, and tourism to investors and markets.

Minerals

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is working to increase awareness, knowledge and understanding of the NWT's world-class resource potential with a view to attracting investment.

The NWT faces strong and well-funded competition for investment from other Canadian and international jurisdictions.

Under the Unlocking Our Potential brand, the Department of Industry, Tourism, and Investment (ITI) is increasing awareness, knowledge and understanding of the NWT’s world-class mineral potential and profiling our partnerships with Indigenous and community governments.  Also under this brand, ITI has been successful in expanding and increasing the presence and profile of the NWT at key mineral industry events, conferences and trade shows (milestones 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6).

Work has begun on a new Mineral Resources Act that will serve to increase certainty for potential investors.

Furs

The industry partnership between the GNWT, American Legend Cooperative, Fur Harvesters and Saga Furs continues to realize benefits including international exposure, positive recognition of the Genuine Mackenzie Valley Fur brand and convenient access to the world fur markets.

Fish

GNWT is moving forward with designing and constructing a new fish processing plant in Hay River to allow us to brand Great Slave Lake fish for export to southern and foreign markets.  ITI is also leading a marketing strategy for Great Slave Lake fish. 

Tourism

Through Northwest Territories Tourism, ITI invested close to $4 million 2017-2018 to develop the tourism sector and promote the NWT to potential visitors around the world. This includes funding dedicated to promoting and marketing initiatives specific to each of our regions.  Visitor spending in 2016-2017 surpassed the $200 million mark and over 100,000 visitors travelled to the NWT.

With a small domestic market, we are reliant on trade to advance growth opportunities in sectors such as arts, fisheries, forestry, manufacturing, tourism and traditional harvesting.

Trade agreements allow NWT governments to procure resources and goods more affordably, thereby saving tax payer dollars.

Film

Through Take One: Northwest Territories Film Strategy and Action Plan, the GNWT supports the NWT film industry.

Investments in the NWT film industry and incentives provided to national and international film projects serve to support the indirect promotion of NWT products in the creation of NWT-based television and film productions worldwide (milestone 3).

Related Mandate Commitments

  • Commitment 1.1.8 - We will support mineral exploration and the mining sector, by implementing the Mineral Development Strategy, capturing opportunities to build transportation infrastructure that enables resources to get to market, closing the skills gap in the mining sector, implement the Mining Incentive Program, developing and proposing a Mineral Resources Act, and supporting Aboriginal governments to build capacity in dealing with mining-related activities.
  • 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.
  • 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.