The Northwest Territories (NWT) is one of Canada's three territories, along with the Yukon and Nunavut, and covers an area of approximately 1.14 million km². The NWT borders the Arctic Ocean and the mainland is completed by 94 islands of the Arctic Archipelago.
The population of these territories is relatively small. It will be approximately 45,000 in 2021, with the majority living in the capital city of Yellowknife. The low population density of less than 0.01 people/km² is due to the extreme weather conditions that prevail for almost three quarters of the year.
The NWT government recognizes 11 official languages, most of which are spoken by Aboriginal peoples.
The proportion of Francophones living in the Northwest Territories is relatively small. According to Statistics Canada's 2016 census data, it was 2.5%, or about 1,125 people, living primarily in Yellowknife. The Francophone community is active here, with schools, associations and cultural events to promote the French language and culture in the region.
As of 2019, the Premier is Caroline Cochrane. The Northwest Territories has a unique system of government, largely due to its relatively small population and geographic remoteness. It has devolution agreements with the federal government, which transfer certain powers and responsibilities from the federal government to the territorial governments. This devolution was designed to give the Northwest Territories greater control over its own governance and to better meet the needs of its unique population.
The NWT has a small but diverse economy. It is important to note that the NWT economy is influenced by factors such as geography, climate, and population size, which can make economic growth more difficult than in more populated areas of the country. As a result, it is highly exposed to the volatility of commodity prices (such as hydrocarbon, non-metallic mineral, and diamond prices) and is therefore largely dependent on government subsidies.
The Government of the NWT is committed to supporting economic growth and diversification and wants to strengthen the development of the NWT labour pool. To this end, theCanada-Northwest Territories Agreement on the Territorial Nominee Program was created toaccelerate the process of access to Canadian permanent residence for eligibleforeign nationals. The agreement has two components: one to address the specific needs of employers and the other to focus on businesses.
The economy of the Northwest Territories is dominated by extractive industries such as mining, oil and gas, and commercial fishing.
Mining is an integral part of the economy of the Northwest Territories. The Northwest Territories also has significant oil and gas resources . In 2020, mining and oil/gas extraction accounted for 14.4% of total GDP while the public administration sector accounted for 20.4% of total GDP. Diamonds are the primary commodity and account for 87 percent of mining and 17.9 percent of the territories' GDP.
Tourism is also an important industry in the Northwest Territories, with attractions such as the Northern Lights, national parks, lakes and rivers for fishing and outdoor activities. The towns of Yellowknife, Inuvik and Hay River are popular destinations for visitors. The NWT also has manufacturing businesses, including construction, food processing and energy production.
Finally, the Government of the Northwest Territories is the largest employer in the region, providing services such as health, education and social services to the population.
Raw material extraction is the most important industry in the Northwest Territories. The subsoil in the region is extremely rich and diverse. There are many rare and/or valuable mineral resources, the most important of which is diamond. The region also has significant deposits of gold, silver, iron, tungsten, lead and zinc.
Major mining companies in the region include Arctic Canadian Diamond Company, De Beers Canada and Diavik Diamond Mines.
The oil and gas sector is a major economic driver in the NWT with companies such as Imperial Oil, Shell, ExxonMobil and MGM Energy.
The territories hold 37% of Canada's marketable light crude oil resources and 35% of Canada's natural gas resources. There are active oil fields at Norman Wells and Tulita.
The Northwest Territories has a challenging climate with short growing seasons and extreme winter temperatures. However, despite these challenges, agriculture and aquaculture are growing in the region.
The most common crops grown are hay, wheat, barley and canola, which are primarily for local and regional consumption, although some are exported to neighbouring provinces. Local producers have also begun experimenting with new crops such as flax and camelina.
In addition,trout and salmon farming is being developed in the NWT. Fish farms are generally located near rivers or lakes to facilitate water circulation and fish feed. These farms produce primarily for local markets, but some fish are also exported to neighbouring provinces.
Tourism is an important industry, particularly in national parks such as Wood Buffalo National Park, Aulavik National Park and Nahanni National Park. These parks attract visitors from around the world who want to experience the natural beauty of the region. The NWT also offers some of the best, if not the best,northern lights viewing opportunities in the world in both fall and winter.
Nahanni National Park is one of the most spectacular and remote national parks in Canada. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its unique geology and archaeological sites of the Dene culture. The park covers an area of over 30,000 km², making it one of the largest parks in the country. It is named after the Nahanni River, which flows through the Mackenzie Mountains and numerous canyons up to 1200 meters deep. The river plunges from a 90 metre cliff to form Virginia Fallstwice as high as Niagara Falls.
The bilateral relationship with France is not very significant. Exports to France in 2016 represented 41,000 Canadian dollars (mainly art objects), while imports from France were nil.
The presence of French groups in the territories is limited for the moment. Foraco Drilling LTD is a drilling and mining subsidiary headquartered in Marseille and present in 22 countries including Canada, in Yellowknife.