Business Licensing

Under the Business Licence Act, MACA issues business licences to:

  • Businesses operating outside community boundaries.

MACA also issues business licences in communities that do not issue their own business licences. This is available as an eService. These communities are:

  • Colville Lake
  • Dettah
  • Fort Good Hope
  • Fort Providence
  • Fort Resolution
  • Jean Marie River
  • Kakisa
  • Kátł’odeeche
  • Nahanni Butte
  • Sambaa K’e
  • Tsiigehtchic
  • Wrigley
  • Lutselk’e

All other NWT communities issue their own business licences, and interested businesses must obtain a business licence from the community government.

To obtain a licence for your business, you must fill out an application, pay a fee and provide proof of Worker’s Safety and Compensation Commission coverage. Under the Pawnbrokers and Second Hand Dealers Act, if you wish to open a pawnbroker’s shop or a second-hand store, there are other regulations that you must comply with in addition to those covering all other businesses.