13 March 2026
(Yellowknife, NT – March 13, 2026) – The NWT & Nunavut Chamber of Mines welcomed the Government of Canada’s announcement of major new investments in northern infrastructure and the referral of key Northwest Territories and Nunavut projects to the federal Major Projects Office.
The federal initiative forms part of a broader national plan to strengthen Canada’s Arctic sovereignty, improve northern transportation and energy systems, and unlock the economic potential of the North. The announcement includes significant new investment in northern defence and civilian infrastructure as global competition and strategic interest in the Arctic intensifies.
The Chamber is encouraged by the federal government’s decision to advance several transformative northern infrastructure projects through the Major Projects Office, including:
• Mackenzie Valley Highway – an all-season transportation corridor connecting communities along the Mackenzie Valley and linking northern supply chains to southern markets.
• Grays Bay Road and Port – a strategic Arctic deep-water port and mineral transportation corridor that could enable responsible development of major mineral deposits in the Nunavut portion of the Slave Geological Province and strengthening Canada’s presence across the Arctic.
• Arctic Economic and Security Corridor – a proposed all-season road through the Northwest Territories’ portion of the Slave Geological Province to the Nunavut boarder, connecting the Grays Bay Road to the national highway system.
• Taltson Hydro Expansion Project – a 60 megawatts addition that will double the Northwest Territories’ hydro capacity.
These projects are widely recognized as nation-building infrastructure that could unlock globally significant critical mineral resources while improving connectivity for northern communities and supporting Canada’s security in the Arctic.
“The Northwest Territories and Nunavut sit atop some of the most prospective critical mineral deposits in the world,” said Tim Syer, President of the NWT & Nunavut Chamber of Mines. “But without roads, ports, and energy infrastructure, these resources remain stranded. Strategic investments like these are essential to unlocking the North’s potential for the benefit of Northerners and all Canadians.”
The Chamber emphasized that the North holds critical minerals needed for clean energy technologies, defence systems, and advanced manufacturing along with other minerals. With global demand for critical materials accelerating, Canada must ensure its northern resource potential can be developed responsibly and competitively.