Northwest Territories gets $1.5M for Indigenous-led mining project

The evolving mining landscape in Canada's Northwest Territories is creating fresh opportunities for Indigenous communities and northern businesses to participate in resource development.

At the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention recently, Minister Rebecca Chartrand announced $1.5 million in federal funding for the Tłı̨chǫ Government's three-year mineral exploration initiative. The investment, provided through the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor), will support comprehensive exploration activities including aerial surveys, ground-based prospecting, and geological data analysis across the Tłı̨chǫ Region.

The exploration project aims to attract private investment in Northwest Territories resource development by generating up-to-date geophysical and geochemical data on mineral deposits, particularly within Tłı̨chǫ traditional territories. Additionally, the initiative will provide skills development opportunities for Tłı̨chǫ citizens, building local expertise in minerals exploration and assessment.

As global demand for critical minerals continues growing, the mining sector remains essential to northern economic development and Canada's resource security. Strategic investments in Indigenous-led exploration support employment, business development, and community-controlled economic growth in the Tłı̨chǫ Region.

Key statements

Minister Chartrand emphasized that "Natural resources play an important role in the Canadian economy, and it is essential that the benefits of mining are felt first and foremost in the communities where this work takes place. Through this initiative, the Government of Canada is supporting Indigenous-led mineral exploration that creates jobs, strengthens local capacity, and helps build a strong northern and Canadian economy."

Grand Chief Jackson Lafferty of the Tłı̨chǫ Government noted that "Tłı̨chǫ lands are home to world-class under-explored mineral potential, and mining is part of our vision for Tłı̨chǫ economic self-sufficiency. Our lands are open for exploration, and we are here to help investors and partners work with us to maximize value for Tłı̨chǫ citizens and protect our lands and culture."

Northwest Territories MP Rebecca Alty highlighted that "This project will help the Tłı̨chǫ Government identify new mining opportunities across the Tłı̨chǫ Region. Building this kind of capacity is vital as the northern economy continues to evolve. It will help identify future areas of growth, strengthen community-driven planning and ensure that development in the territories remains northern and Indigenous led, and rooted in regional priorities."

Project details

The funding flows through IDEANorth, a program supporting economic infrastructure development, sector growth, and capacity building to help northern communities benefit from Canada's innovation economy. Over the past five years, CanNor has invested more than $13.3 million across 41 mining-related projects throughout the North.

The Tłı̨chǫ government governs a 39,000-sq.km region north of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, serving approximately 3,000 residents. Mining remains one of the North's largest economic sectors.