N.W.T. Housing Corp. 'exploring all options' as contractor fails to build modular homes on time

by Alex Brockman

The minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation says 11 of 19 modular duplex units that were supposed to be delivered to N.W.T. communities this summer haven’t been built and it’s unclear if the contract will be able to complete the order.

Federal committee to hear from 9 N.W.T. groups today about Indigenous land claims

The standing committee on Indigenous and Northern affairs has been meeting with groups across the country in response to the auditor general's 2016 report on First Nations specific claims.

Step aside, YouTube: Inuktitube a 'one-stop-shop' for online Inuktitut videos

'The idea is to put all the Inuktitut videos in one place,' says the website's founder. It's like the Inuktitut version of YouTube.

New Arctic coast highway has Tuktoyaktuk residents both 'excited' and 'concerned'

by Briar Stewart

By mid-November, a 137-km all-season road will permanently connect Tuktoyaktuk to Inuvik, opening up the isolated hamlet in a way it never has been before.

Analysis Are Yukon's Liberals on a 'march of folly' with the Public Airports Act?

by Nancy Thomson

Premier Sandy Silver promised Yukoners would 'be heard' by his government, but now a small spot fire of controversy over 'consultation' has grown into a serious conflagration.

'Heartbreaking': Animator shed tears working on Gord Downie's Secret Path film

by Paul Tukker

Justin Stephenson, who grew up in Yukon, remembers an emotional roller-coaster working on the project with the late Gord Downie.

Fly-in work and family stress: Researchers explore the pitfalls for remote workers

Researchers Susanna Gartler and Gertrude Saxinger wrote 'The Mobile Workers Guide' after travelling to remote mining camps in Yukon. Workers 'should know what comes up, and think about it.'

Your North: Best reader photos for the weeks of Oct. 9, Oct. 16

Snow has hit the ground across the North, but the inevitable turn to winter hasn't slowed down your incredible shots from across the territories. Enjoy your best shots of the last two weeks from across Nunavut, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories.

'I hope that it will carry on': Cree artist hopes Canada 150 project connects youth to carving

by John Robertson

Alberta Cree artist Leo Arcand is working on the final installation for Canada 150 project along Edmonton's Capital Boulevard. He also hopes his work will lead younger members of his community to the art form of sculpture.

Survivors wait for next steps in effort to preserve 'horror stories' of residential schools

by Tom Parry

The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled residential school survivors must decide whether their accounts of abuse should be preserved or destroyed. Plans are now being drawn up to contact survivors and ask them their wishes.

High Arctic man of mystery: Special constable identified in minutes on social media

by Priscilla Hwang

How social media helped solve the identity of this 'unknown' special constable from vintage photo.

Search for missing hunters in Northern Quebec continues after 1 found dead

by Julia Page

Search and rescue teams have been dispatched to Waskaganish, Que., where members of a hunting expedition went missing Tuesday. One man was found dead on the shores of Rupert Bay on Thursday, three others are still missing.

Profile Passing of Barnabus Arnasungaaq, first-generation Inuk carver, marks end of era

by Levon Sevunts

Arnasungaaq began carving in the early 1960s, soon after settling in the newly created permanent Inuit settlement of Baker Lake, Nunavut. He died on Sept. 21 at the age of 93.

Mock vote to give students in Nunavut chance to have their say in territorial election

by Sara Frizzell

Students in grades 4 to 12, who are too young to vote in Nunavut’s general election, will instead get the chance to cast their ballots in a mock election at their schools on Oct. 30.

Friday October 20, 2017

A remote First Nation is going to use drone delivery to cut the cost of groceries

Groceries in remote Moose Cree First Nation cost 45 per cent more than they do in comparable communities to the south. So it's launching a drone delivery service for groceries.

Blog Loosening offshore drilling rules is a risky proposal

by Bob McDonald

The Trump administration is proposing a bill to roll back restrictions on oil drilling in offshore waters along its coast. That includes the Arctic, where a spill could be devastating, Quirks & Quarks host Bob McDonald warns.

Snowmobile mystery: Photo shows 1 sled down, 2 human tracks coming out of water

A scene of what appears to be a snowmobile plunging into ice, and human tracks crawling back to shore, was a topic of discussion in Cambridge Bay Thursday.

More demand than supply for Hay River soup kitchen

by Kirsten Murphy

Heavily frequented local charity continues to struggle to keep stoves lit and shelves stocked, but is thankful for recent influx of donations.

3 people arrested, cocaine and handgun seized in Yellowknife

Yellowknife RCMP seized cocaine, cash and a handgun from a downtown apartment and vehicle this week.

Arctic refuge drilling closer as U.S. Senate moves to open site

A budget measure approved by the Republican-controlled Senate allows Congress to pursue legislation allowing oil and gas exploration in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge on a majority vote.

Yellowknife hearings for MMIWG national inquiry postponed

The hearings in Yellowknife for the national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG) will now be in January 2018.

Video 'I don't think it was a witch hunt': Justice minister still supports midterm reviews

N.W.T. cabinet minister Louis Sebert says one issue that has plagued him is the slowness with which government moves. 'I think that caused some frustration with the regular members.'

Iqaluit's Discovery hotel to block off rooms for boarding home patients, new owners say

by Sara Frizzell

Nova Hotels, owner of Iqaluit’s medical boarding home, has bought the Discovery hotel from Tower Arctic.

Hay River highrise owner fined $10K for building code violations

by Katherine Barton

Satdeo Inc. has one year to pay a fine for not complying with an order to upgrade its 'deteriorating' balconies and other building code violations

Seniors housing project on hold because of site contamination, Yukon government says

The site chosen by the Vimy Heritage Housing Society needs remediation, and nothing can happen until it's dealt with, says minister responsible for housing.

'Huge victory' for North Slave Métis Alliance in court battle with gov'ts, says president

A federal court judge ruled Thursday that federal and territorial governments failed to properly consult the North Slave Métis Alliance while negotiating a land claim with another Métis group in the territory.

Police upgrade murder charge in Carmacks homicide

27-year-old Tyler Aaron Skookum is now one of two men facing first-degree murder charges in connection with the death of Wilfred "Dickie" Charlie last June.

Former Norman Wells mayor faces drug possession, impaired driving charges

by Kate Kyle

'I'm still in a state of shock,' says Nathan Watson of the Oct. 6 charges, which came just over a week before council was dissolved. 'I'd like to apologize to everyone.'

Members named to committee to review complaints against mayor, councillor

Yellowknife city council voted Thursday to appoint six members — including two councillors — to a committee struck to deal with duelling complaints filed by Coun. Niels Konge and Mayor Mark Heyck.

One man killed in Alaska Highway collision near Rancheria, Yukon

RCMP say the man was driving an SUV that appears to have collided with a tractor trailer, Wednesday afternoon. The highway was closed to traffic overnight.

Mike Smith, early champion of Yukon land claims, has died

As a young lawyer, Smith pushed for land claim agreements for Yukon First Nations, and continued to fight for their implementation through his life. 'A great leader,' his family says.

A 'monster' discovery: Tiny translucent crustacean a 1st in Canada's Arctic

by Bryce Hoye

What has eight hairy legs, one eye, no mouth and haunts the frigid waters below the frozen ocean? A speck of a creature you'd never know exists in Canada's Arctic, were it not for one researcher's accidental discovery off the shores of Cambridge Bay, Nunavut.

Dogs test positive for drugs in Iditarod race for 1st time

Several dogs in last winter's Iditarod race tested positive for an opioid pain reliever, the race's governing board says. The musher, though, has not been named.

22-year-old woman in stable condition after being shot by police in Puvirnituq, Que.

Quebec's independent investigations bureau is investigating after a 22-year-old woman was shot by an officer from the Kativik Regional Police Force in Puvirnituq early Thursday morning.

Baffinland mine ramps up production, ships record amount, minor spills also increase

by Sara Frizzell

In its third shipping season, which ended on Monday, Baffinland’s Mary River iron mine, shipped a record amount of 4.1 million tonnes of iron ore.

Medical travel options won't accommodate pregnant mom's family plan

by Kirsten Murphy

A woman in Norman Wells, N.W.T., is calling on the health department to change the way it handles medical travel for pregnant women so she can deliver her baby in Fort Smith.

Oil company proposes Arctic drilling from artificial island

Within a few years, America could be extracting oil from federal waters in the Arctic Ocean, but it won't be from a remote drilling platform.

We need a Cannabis Act of the Yukon, says justice minister

by Nancy Thomson

Justice Minister Tracy-Anne McPhee says it's likely distribution will initially be handled by the territorial government, with 'phased-in' plans for retail sales.

'Not a pleasant place': Whitehorse skateboarders say park obsolete

by Dave Croft

Members of the the Skate for Life Alliance are asking the City of Whitehorse to take over maintenance of the Riverdale skate park. 'We deserve a skate park just as much as a basketball court really, or a soccer field — it's kind of in the same spectrum.'

Justice Minister Louis Sebert survives vote to oust him from N.W.T. cabinet

by Priscilla Hwang

Justice Minister Louis Sebert will keep his job in cabinet after a vote to oust him was unsuccessful at the Legislative Assembly Wednesday.

Radon testing will be mandatory for Yukon daycares, a 1st in Canada

Health Minister Pauline Frost says the territory is 'leading the way' by making radon testing a licencing requirement for child-care facilities. Radon exposure is a leading cause of lung cancer deaths in Canada.

N.W.T. environment department failing on climate change file, says Auditor General's office

by Alex Brockman

The Northwest Territories is experiencing some of the most dramatic effects of climate change in Canada, but the territorial government department supposed to lead the fight has not done so, according to a new report.

Alleged conflicts of interest prompts gov't to dissolve Norman Wells town council

by Katherine Barton

The N.W.T. government's decision to appoint an administrator to handle Norman Wells’s business was a 'long time coming,' according to one councillor whose position has been dissolved.

#Metoo campaign can be triggering for victims, say N.W.T. women

by Melinda Trochu

A global campaign to raise awareness about sexual assault and sexual harassment has had a triggering effect on some women in the Northwest Territories.

First Nations to develop land use plan for Yukon's Southern Lakes region

Representatives from Carcross/Tagish First Nation, the Ta'an Kwäch'än Council and the Kwanlin Dün First Nation recently held a signing ceremony in Carcross.

Baker Lake candidates plan to harness mining revenue to spur change in constituency

The two candidates campaigning to represent Baker Lake, Nunavut, at the territorial level both want to harness the economic potential of mining to improve infrastructure and education.

Iqaluit-Sinaa candidates look to tackle housing crisis

by Nick Murray

Candidates in the riding of Iqaluit-Sinaa point to housing as the pressing issue in their constituency.

'Is it worth it?' Yellowknifer petitions city to ban Styrofoam food containers

A Yellowknifer has started a petition asking the city to consider banning food vendors and restaurants from using Styrofoam products.

U.S. Democrats slam Arctic drilling plan as 'polar payout' to Big Oil

Democrats and environmental groups denounced a Republican plan to allow oil and gas drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, saying it would defile a crown jewel of U.S. wilderness to promote oil exports to China and other nations.

Whitehorse's 'The Kid' headed to world hockey championships

by Dave Croft

Dylan Cozens, 16, will play for one of three Canadian teams at the 2017 World Under-17 Challenge in B.C. next month.