Northwest Territories devolution

The Government of Canada has made the devolution of northern governance a key pillar of Canada's Northern Strategy with the goal of providing Northerners with more control over their own economic and political destiny.

On April 1, 2014, the Northwest Territories became the second territory to take over land and resources responsibilities, as the final major step in the territory's devolution process. On that date, based on the Northwest Territories Devolution Agreement between the federal government, the Government of the Northwest Territories and signatory Aboriginal groups, parts of the Northwest Territories Devolution Act came into effect.

Devolution places more control over land and resources into the hands of Northerners. Through a unique revenue sharing plan, it also ensures that Northwest Territories' residents and Aboriginal groups directly benefit from the responsible development of the region's resource potential.

In an important parallel initiative, the regulatory regime governing resource development in the NWT has also been modernized. This will help to attract investors, facilitate responsible resource development, bring new opportunities and increase prosperity in the region. Some of the regulatory changes are now in effect. The rest will be phased in gradually over the next few years, between now and Spring/Summer 2016.