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Emergency Management in the NWT

For the latest, most accurate emergency information, check the GNWT Public Safety Page

For general information about emergency management in the NWT, see information below.

 

Contents

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Overview

Emergency management in the NWT is everyone’s responsibility - individuals, local authorities (community governments), Indigenous governments, non-government organizations and the private sector, Government of the Northwest Territories and other emergency management partners.

The Northwest Territories Emergency Plan establishes a coordination and planning framework for emergencies that may affect all or part of the NWT.

The NWT Emergency Plan outlines how emergency management partners (all levels of government, critical infrastructure providers, non-government organizations, the private sector, and Indigenous governments) work together to respond to widespread, large scale and complex emergencies, ultimately helping to ensure the safety and security of residents and visitors.

The NWT Emergency Plan, developed under the authority of the Emergency Management Act, describes the emergency management framework in the NWT, and the roles and responsibilities of departments and partners during emergencies. It includes:

  • a description of the NWT emergency management system,
  • a framework for relationships with other departments, governments, and non-government agencies in preparing for and responding to emergencies, and
  • procedures for the coordination of responses to territorial emergencies and in supporting Local Authorities during emergencies where their capacity has been exceeded and assistance has been requested.
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Comprehensive Emergency Management

The Plan outlines the Comprehensive Emergency Management (CEM) structure adopted by the GNWT.  CEM guides the NWT to establish emergency management programs that are based on risk analysis and cover all four pillars of emergency management, and to develop a response system based on an incident command system that is supported by training and exercising.

Emergency management in the Northwest Territories considers four pillars:

  • Prevention/Mitigation - actions taken to eliminate a hazard or to reduce the probability and the effect, should the disaster occur
  • Preparedness - arrangements to ensure that if an emergency occurs the services and resources including human resources needed to cope can be efficiently mobilized.
  • Response - actions taken to save lives and property during an emergency.
  • Recovery - actions taken to return a community to normal or near-normal conditions.

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Incident Command System

Guided by CEM, the Plan adopts the Incident Command System (ICS), which is an incident management tool designed as a standardized and coordinated approach to manage emergencies. The Plan provides an understanding of ICS roles and responsibilities important for all those involved in response activities, to ensure inter-operability and that all first responders are working with common understanding of the command system.

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Emergency Response Priorities

The Plan identifies eight emergency response priorities that guide all decision making throughout any response. These priorities are in line with global best practice:

  1. Provide for the safety and health of all responders

  2. Save lives

  3. Reduce suffering

  4. Protect public health

  5. Protect critical infrastructure

  6. Protect property

  7. Protect the environment

  8. Reduce economic and social losses

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Response Structure

The Plan articulates escalation of emergency management responsibilities starting with individuals and families and outlines the procedures for the coordination of responses to emergencies.

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2024 Updates to the NWT Emergency Plan

The 2024 updates to the NWT Emergency Plan include changes to the document format, the location of where information can be found in the document, and text has been added to provide clarity and more fully articulate roles and responsibilities.

The updated Plan also:

  • Revises language to better reflect the purpose of the Plan, which is to establish a coordination and planning framework for emergencies and outline how emergency management partners work together;
  • Clarifies roles and responsibilities for Local Authorities as lead for emergency management and response coordination as well as how Indigenous governments, non-government organizations, and the GNWT can support;
  • Clarifies GNWT department and agency specific roles and responsibilities in supporting community governments when their capacity has been exceeded;
  • The Evacuation and Hosting Guidelines annex was revised to clearly state what response and hosting costs community governments can seek GNWT reimbursement for in the event the Disaster Assistance Policy is applied to a disaster event. This is in response to requests from community governments for greater clarity and more information; and
  • The Emergency Communications Protocol annex was revised to better articulate the GNWT’s approach to emergency related communications and outlines the tactics that will be used to communicate emergency related information to the public. 
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2023 Emergency Response After-Action Review

In 2023, the Northwest Territories faced the worst wildfire season in its recorded history. Nearly 70% of the population was evacuated at some point, with residents in many communities forced to leave their homes multiple times, often with less than 24 hours' notice. Response efforts involved collaboration across community, territorial, federal, and Indigenous governments.

As part of its standard practice, the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) initiated an independent after-action review of its emergency response to the 2023 wildfire season. Reviews are necessary to document the event, analyze outcomes, and recommend changes and updates to existing plans and processes. This review was separate from the independent review of wildfire operations.

The GNWT awarded Transitional Solutions Inc. (TSI) the contract to conduct the after-action review. Feedback was collected through interviews, community sessions, and survey responses during summer and fall 2024. The final independent review was provided to the NWT Council of Leaders, the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight, and the GNWT on May 14, 2025.

After-Action Review: Northwest Territories 2023 Wildfire Season

GNWT Response to the 2023 After-Action Review Recommendations
 

After several seasons of major floods and wildfires, the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is outlining the actions underway to strengthen emergency response and better protect residents and communities.

As previously announced, the formal response to the 2023 Emergency Response After-Action Review (AAR) is now available. The 2022 Emergency Response and Recovery AAR Report. which was delayed due to the widespread emergencies and evacuations of 2023, is also being released. Both AARs make recommendations for stronger community support, clearer roles and training for responders, improved communication systems, updated evacuation planning, and expanded mental health supports.

Many of the recommendations from both reviews have already been implemented, including:

  • Updates to the NWT Emergency Plan to clarify roles and responsibilities

  • Launch of DriveNWT, a modern travel information site to improve public safety

  • Delivery of Community Emergency Planning Workshops and tabletop exercises in 21 NWT communities

  • Enhanced public readiness tools, including the annual “Be Ready” campaign and a new online emergency pre-registration system

  • Implementation of surge capacity protocols to ensure more resources are available during major emergencies, with 137 GNWT staff on the surge capacity list

  • Expanded training on the Incident Command System for GNWT staff

  • Staffing of regional emergency coordinator positions to provide direct support to community governments

Work is also underway to review the Emergency Management Act with Indigenous and community governments, and to align the Disaster Assistance Policy with updated federal disaster recovery programming.

The GNWT recognizes Indigenous governments, community governments, emergency responders, non-governmental organizations, and partner organizations across the territory for their dedication and support throughout each emergency season.

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2022 Emergency Response and Recovery After-Action Review

The 2022 Spring Flood event started on May 6, 2022, impacting the Town of Hay River, the K’atł’odeeche First Nation Reserve, and surrounding areas. Over 4,000 residents were impacted by the flood event, which resulted in damages to approximately 500 homes, businesses and community infrastructure.

Recovery efforts began immediately after the active response activities were completed. Since the beginning of recovery, there have been 509 registrations for individual and small business disaster assistance, and two community claims for emergency response and recovery of community infrastructure damage. The total cost for the 2022 Flood response and recovery is estimated at $93.6 million and is expected to take up to five years to complete.

In late 2022, MACA engaged Stantec Consulting Services Inc. (Stantec) to lead an independent assessment of the preparedness, response, and recovery activities associated with this event. This assessment took over two years to complete. Data on preparedness and response was collected in the months following the event, while data on recovery was collected more than a year later, allowing time for recovery activities to take place. The data collection, assessment and report were also impacted by the emergency events and multiple evacuations that occurred in 2023.

2022 Emergency Response and Recovery After-Action Review

The GNWT has released its formal response to the 2022 independent AAR of emergency response and recovery activities in relation to the flood in the Town of Hay River and Kátł’odeeche First Nation Reserve.

GNWT Response to the 2022 After-Action Review Recommendations

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Important Emergency Management Resources

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