Community Government Learning and Development

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The Community Government Learning and Development (CGLD) program in the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA) supports community government staff and elected officials in developing the organizational knowledge, attitudes, skills, and habits needed in their workplaces.

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Getting support in your region

Regional Learning and Development Advisors (LDA) are located in each MACA regional office.They provide relationship-based support to identify and respond to individual and organizational learning needs. LDAs provide learner-centered supports and practical learning solutions tailored to each community government’s priorities through:

  • Advisory services
  • Learning planning and coaching
  • Navigation of learning and development options

Regional LDA contacts:

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On-demand learning and resources

Through the CGLD program, MACA provides a range of on-demand learning and resource materials that community government staff and elected officials can access at any time. These resources support just-in-time learning, skill refreshers, and practical problem-solving. They may be used independently or alongside support from a regional LDA.

  • Online courses
  • Micro-learning modules and short videos
  • Toolkits, templates, and job aids
  • Recorded webinars or learning sessions
  • Governance and operational learning resources
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MACA coordinated courses and learning events

MACA coordinates and delivers structured learning opportunities for community government staff and councillors in the Northwest Territories (NWT) on a regular basis. These include council orientations, competency-based courses and territory-wide learning events that support consistent standards and shared learning.

Council Orientations

Council orientations are offered after every community election. Contact your regional LDA for more information on scheduling and delivery.

Courses

Contact your regional LDA to find out when these CGLD-coordinated courses are offered in the NWT and how to register. LDAs can also advise on additional learning options available through external providers or other learning pathways, as needed.

  • Recreation courses offered through Alberta Recreation Facility personnel
  • Public works courses such as Solid Waste Management, Small Systems Water Treatment, and Water Treatment Classes I and II.

Learning Conferences

MACA organizes learning conferences as part of the CGLD program to create space for subject matter experts and industry professionals to come together and share knowledge, skills, and experience. These conferences are an important way for community government staff to network and collaborate in one place.

Contact your regional LDA to find out when these conferences are offered and to register:

  • CGLD Public Works Conference
  • CGLD Administrative Professionals Conference
  • CGLD Finance Conference
  • CGLD Recreation Facilities Conference
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Strategic learning projects

Through CGLD, MACA leads strategic learning projects that respond to emerging needs, legislative changes, and long-term capacity priorities across community governments. These initiatives evolve over time and may involve developing or modernizing learning pathways, piloting new approaches, coordinating territory-wide initiatives, or creating shared tools and resources to support governance, operations, and workforce readiness.

Examples:

  • Governance, leadership, or role-clarity initiatives
  • Workforce development and competency frameworks
  • Safety, compliance, or regulatory readiness projects
  • Standardized toolkits, templates, or job aids
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Quick learning resources

Through CGLD, MACA provides short micro-learning courses and explainer videos that can be accessed directly through this website—no registration or sign-in required. These resources support just-in-time learning, quick refreshers, and easy sharing for community government staff and elected officials.These resources focus on common questions, emerging issues, and practical topics related to community government roles and responsibilities. New resources are added over time as priorities evolve. All resources are also available through the Local Government Administrators of the NWT (LGANT) Community Government Learning Portal for learners who prefer to track progress or access them alongside other courses.

Governance

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NWT Community Government Learning Portal resources

In partnership with LGANT, the CGLD program also supports access to a broader set of learning and development resources through the NWT Community Government Learning Portal. These resources are available to registered users.

  • Toolkits, templates, and job aids to support workplace learning and program delivery
  • Recorded webinars or learning sessions on relevant northern and community government topics
  • Online courses and learning series that support skill development and service delivery
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Finding the right resource

Community governments can use both self-serve resources and supported learning options depending on their needs. Regional LDAs can help identify relevant resources, recommend learning pathways, and support the use of learning materials in the workplace.

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