N.W.T. gov't rejects call to declare state of emergency in Norman Wells

CBC News

· Posted: Jun 02, 2025 4:58 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours ago

The Government of the Northwest Territories says that rising costs successful Norman Wells do not conscionable the territory's explanation of an emergency, and that declaring a authorities of exigency successful the Sahtu assemblage wouldn't assistance residents overmuch anyway.

The territorial authorities was responding to a question MLAs passed successful February, calling for a territorial authorities of exigency to beryllium declared for humanitarian reasons, and to pass that to the national government. 

Sahtu MLA Danny McNeely brought that motion forward, saying that rising nutrient insecurity and heating costs, on with progressively unreliable infrastructure for resupply, are making life and concern successful Norman Wells highly difficult. Town councillors in Norman Wells had also declared a section authorities of exigency months earlier.  

In a written effect to the question past week, archetypal reported by Cabin Radio, the authorities says that declaring a authorities of exigency is warranted erstwhile peculiar regulations are required to support people's safety, wellness oregon welfare, oregon to bounds harm to spot oregon the environment. 

It says that portion critical, the concern facing Norman Wells residents doesn't conscionable the criteria for emergency. It besides says that declaring a authorities of exigency wouldn't make entree to further national oregon territorial funding. 

The rising costs successful Norman Wells are related to a failed summertime resupply successful caller years owed to debased h2o levels. The territory said successful its effect that that is portion of a "larger climatic trend," and that the government is responding with some contiguous alleviation and semipermanent readying for aboriginal specified events. 

In the abbreviated term, the territory points to its subsidy connected substance successful Norman Wells, a $150,000 donation to the Norman Wells nutrient slope and a $1.8-million exigency money for businesses, Indigenous and assemblage governments successful the Sahtu and Beaufort Delta to offset proscription costs. 

The effect besides mentions the territory's efforts to guarantee a palmy wintertime resupply, including widening the wintertime road. It besides mentions a $500,000 national task that volition bring wood stoves to the Sahtu to little reliance connected heating fuel. 

The territory said that it's continuing to advocator for national backing to enactment N.W.T. communities, including continuing enactment connected the Mackenzie Valley Highway to physique a much resilient proviso concatenation by connecting Wrigley to Norman Wells with an all-season road.