GNWT Announces New ‘NWT Community Planning Framework: Where We Live, Why We Plan’

September 3, 2025

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is announcing the release of the NWT Community Planning Framework – Where We Live, Why We Plan. The framework serves as a departmental platform and strategic approach to promoting the community planning system in the Northwest Territories. It highlights the important role of community governments, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA), and professional community planners in supporting the development of the land management tools, including community plans, zoning bylaws, and community land use plans.

Developed with support from the Northwest Territories Association of Communities (NWTAC), the framework emphasizes how effective land management is achieved through the regular review, administration, and implementation of community planning tools. These tools help engage residents, build local capacity, and support development goals taking into consideration relationships in economic development, climate change, housing, healthy communities, and reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.

Community land use planning is a foundational and operationally important activity. The process focuses on how community governments use land and how this aligns with the goals and strategies of other community plans and initiatives, including housing development, climate adaptation, and securing land for public infrastructure.

Community governments advancing their own planning efforts directly support MACA’s mandate to foster capable, accountable, resilient, and self-directed community governments that provide safe, sustainable, and healthy communities for their residents.

To facilitate implementation of the Framework, MACA has developed a series of guides and resources, which will be released in phases for use by community governments and planners. The framework and guides will be available on our website. Currently, there are six completed guides and one in development:

1. Accessibility and Age-Friendly Design Considerations
2. Archaeological Site Management and Protection
3. Best Practices for Municipal Public Engagement
4. Understanding the GNWT’s Duty to Consult
5. Community Civic Addressing
6. Climate Change and Land Use Planning
7. Land Development & Capital Planning (in development)

Quote:

“Community land use planning empowers communities to shape their future by making informed decisions about how land is managed and developed. It plays a vital role in supporting housing, building climate resilience, and fostering healthy, vibrant communities, while advancing reconciliation by recognizing Indigenous rights, knowledge, and leadership throughout the planning process.”

• Vince McKay, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs

Quick facts

• The GNWT has legislation called the Community Planning and Development Act and regulations that provides the legislative framework for the process and tools that guide community land use planning and development.
• All NWT communities either have land use planning tools in place or are actively developing them to inform land management decisions.
• Community governments in the NWT are responsible for initiating and funding the review of their land use planning tools through their capital planning process.
• Municipalities across the NWT are engaging with Indigenous governments during the review of their community plan bylaws.
• Recent community plans increasingly incorporate climate change considerations, as community governments work with professional planners to update and develop their planning documents.

Related links

A “What We Heard” report and presentations from the Community Planners Forum, held in Yellowknife in March 2024, helped inform the development of the framework, and are available on the NWTAC website at the link below:

• Community Planning in the NWT
• What We Heard Report from 2024 Community Planners Forum
• What We Heard Report – Appendix D – Forum Presentations

For media requests, please contact:

Alice Twa
Intern, Communications
Department of Municipal and Community Affairs
Government of the Northwest Territories
alice_twa@gov.nt.ca
(867) 767-9162 ext. 21036

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