Economic Sectors

With a wide gamut of products, services and infrastructure, the NWT has plenty of growth potential for investors and business people, no matter what industry they represent.

Film

Ice Road Truckers (Original Productions Ltd.) was the first reality television series filmed in the NWT. In 2007, 3.4 million viewers tuned in for the series premiere which made it the most-watched original telecast in the History Channel’s 12 year history.

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Transportation

Highways, ice roads and airlines cover the vast expanse of the Northwest Territories, from the north edge of Alberta to the Beaufort Sea.

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Retail and Wholesale Trade

In 2009, the NWT had the highest retail sales per capita in Canada, at $15,968, some 30 percent higher than the Canadian average of $12,312.

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Tourism

Tourism is the largest single renewable resource based industry in the NWT, and a major economic motivator with $111m in expenditures in 2010/2011.

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Manufacturing

Products include wood and metal fabrication for the mining and exploration industries, boats, and concrete and home products. Can mineral processing be next?

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Fur, Agriculture and Fisheries

Agriculture, fisheries, trapping and commercial game harvesting generate income and employment for many NWT residents.

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Construction

Most NWT construction firms start small with little more than a tool box and a pickup truck. Some have grown considerably, expanding into southern Canada and abroad.

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Energy

In the Northwest Territories electricity is generated in three ways: hydropower, diesel fuel and natural gas. Future options include geothermal, biomass and wind power.

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Oil and Gas

The NWT has world-class deposits, including an estimated 8.2 billion barrels of oil and 97 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves.

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Mining

Mining is the largest economic sector in the Northwest Territories, with the diamond mines generating approximately $1.7 billion in export sales.

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Looking for Business Opportunities? Consider the Northwest Territories

Whether you're an entrepreneur looking to explore the untold natural resources of the Northwest Territories, or you're seeking a partnership opportunity to develop a sustainable business or industry in Canada's north, InvestNWT can help you make the right connections and enhance your profits. Look here for expert advice on subsidies, incentives, tax breaks, and our highly trained workforce. From the capital, Yellowknife, to the Arctic Ocean, the NWT's wealth of oil and gas, energy, mines and minerals, diamonds and furs are excellent investments. Joint venture with Aboriginal partners and increase your opportunities for success in this fast growing economy.

Yellowknife, capital of the Northwest Territories, sits directly under the Auroral Oval and is the best possible place to view the Aurora between September and April.

Approximately, 700 people still make their living trapping - contributing an estimated $1.4 million to the economy (2005/06).

Expansion of the Talston River Hydro facility has the potential to replace 114 million litres of diesel and 320 kilotonnes of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions annually.

In 2009, the GDP was $3.279 million – $76,000 per capita.  The NWT GDP per capita is two times the Canadian average of $35,000 and is significantly higher than $46,000 per capita of Alberta.

Nahanni National Park was established in 1978 and was the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in Canada.

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NWT Overview

The Northwest Territories is a land of remarkable beauty and tremendous economic opportunity. An abundance of resources support a thriving economy; diamonds, gold and other minerals, oil and...

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More news

Recent News

June 11, 2013
Celebrating the Importance of Industry during NWT Mining Week

Held this year from June 10-15, NWT Mining Week is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the crucial role that mining plays in our daily lives. The mining...

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June 3, 2013
N.W.T. planning for fibre optic link up Mackenzie Valley

The N.W.T. government plans to start construction on the fiber optic link up the Mackenzie Valley next winter.

Finance Minister Michael Miltenberger says it will make...

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