Month In Review – Northwest Territories

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Month In Review – Northwest Territories

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LAWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Minimum Wage

Sep 1: The Government of Northwest Territories (GNWT) increased its general minimum wage by 25 cents to $17.20 per hour. That’s tied with Prince Edward Island for fifth highest in Canada. This is the fourth year under the new system basing annual minimum wage increases on the territories’ consumer price index.

Action Point: Find out how to avoid common payroll errors when adjusting to minimum wage increases.

New Laws

Sep 8: Northwest Territories will receive $405 million from the federal Arctic Infrastructure Fund (AIF) to advance the proposed Mackenzie Valley Highway (MVH) Project. A decades-old vision, the MVH will establish a continuous all-season transportation connection between Wrigley and Norman Wells, which in turn will connect with the Dempster Highway south of Inuvik.

Training

Sep 10: The GNWT announced a new funding program to help communities prepare residents for employment opportunities associated with the MVH and other major projects across the Northwest Territories. The NWT Workforce Ready Program will provide grant funding of up to $100,000 per project to Indigenous, community, and municipal governments to design and deliver skills development opportunities that respond to local workforce needs and anticipated employment opportunities, with the first intake expected to open in October.

Action Point: Find out about the rules governing whether employees are entitled to be paid for training time.

New Laws

Sep 14: The Governments of Northwest Territories, Alberta, and Saskatchewan agreed to work together to advance large-scale nuclear reactors, small modular reactors, and microreactors. The new memorandum of understanding (MOU) establishes a framework for collaboration and information-sharing on nuclear generation technologies.

New Laws

Aug 27: The Inuvialuit Community Economic Development Organization (ICEDO) will receive up to $885,225 from the Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program to create a reindeer herd agribusiness in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region. Founded in 1984, ICEDO is an Indigenous-owned not-for-profit entity that supports Inuit communities across the Region.

Drugs & Alcohol

Sep 14: The GNWT opened public consultations on proposed regulations under the new Liquor Act. Issues on the table include liquor licence classes, permits for events and gatherings, training for liquor sellers and servers, serving sizes, advertising, promotion, and where liquor can be bought. Deadline to comment: October 16.

Action Point: Find out how to implement an effective fitness for duty policy to control substance abuse at your workplace.