Gwich’in lift ban on Dall sheep
A survey of Dall sheep in the Richardson Mountains, between Aklavik and Fort McPherson showed the population's numbers on the rise, which meant the Gwich'in Renewable Resources Board (GRRB) lifted its voluntary closure on hunting the animals. The board's survey showed the population had climbed from 496 in 2014 to 647 in 2017.
When the population fell below 500, the GRRB enacted a recommendation in its management plan to call for a voluntary closure of hunting dall sheep, but the survey showed the population was back in a safer range. The population had been tracked since the 1980s and appears to be cyclical. It reached a high of more than 1,200 in 1997 before steadily declining to the 2014 low.
Forest fires destroy lodge, cabins
A lodge was lost to wildfires near Pilot Lake about 50 km northeast Fort Smith, while three of four cabins burned at a trapper's camp near Piers Lake, also near Fort Smith. No one was hurt in either fire, both of which occurred on the Aug. 12 to 13 weekend. An Alberta consulting company – Dennis Quintilio and Associates – was investigating both fires and how the buildings were burned.
As of Aug, 28, just over 10,000 square kilometres had been lost to wildfires in the NWT. There were about 238 fires reported. Some firefighters were sent home for the season. The biggest fire in the territory continued to burn north of Fort Smith. Six fires actually grew together and burned about 5,000 square kilometres on its own.
New restrictions on hunting licences
Only eligible members of NWT Aboriginal organizations were permitted to obtain general hunting licences after new rules came into effect.
Hunting regulations and fees saw several changes in the Northwest Territories Summary of Hunting Regulations. The changes didn’t affect previous holders of such a licence, those would still be valid for the holder's lifetime and the new GHL would still be a lifetime licence required to be produced if a Renewable Resource Officer requested to see identification.
The regulatory change were based on the new Wildlife Act and reflected Aboriginal or treaty harvesting rights and Land Claim Agreements. Licence fees also increased for the first time in six years.
For example, tags that cost $20 in 2016 cost $22 in 2017.
August marks cruise ship season
The first of the season's cruise ships were scheduled to start arriving in Ulukhaktok by Aug. 26. Between late August and early September, five cruise ships were scheduled to stop in the NWT, with four stopping in Ulukhaktok and one in Paulatuk and Tuktoyaktuk.
The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment was working with the Inuvialuit Community Economic Development Organization to prepare each community. The department provided training in hospitality, pricing art and cruise ship readiness. ITI also invested in event infrastructure in Ulukhaktok and Tuktoyaktuk, including tents, bleachers, tables, chairs, stages, a speaker system and signage. The Inuvialuit Community Economic Development Organization was working on a cruise ship strategy for the Inuvialuit Settlement Region.
Small propane explosion destroys Hay River home
A house fire in Hay River on Aug. 16 was blamed on a propane leak. Occupants of the home had smelled and heard the leak the day prior to the fire and had apparently moved a dryer to find the leak or to stop the leak from happening. That’s when the propane ignited. Members of the Hay River
Fire Department were on scene for four or five hours, but were unable to save the home. Some of the occupants sustained minor burns and a large hole could be seen in the roof of the house after firefighters extinguished the flames. The fire prompted firefighters to issue a warning that homeowners should immediately contact either the gas company or the fire department if they suspect a propane leak and to avoid attempting to fix it themselves.
August forest fires prompt air quality warnings
Record breaking temperatures and dry ground conditions resulted in several fast-growing fires in the South Slave region and six fires in the Caribou Range merging together into one burning 3,968 square
kilometres. Southerly winds pushed smoke from these fires up to the North Slave and the communities of Yellowknife, Fort Resolution, Lutsel K'e, Fort Smith, Wekweeti, Whati and Behchoko faced air quality warnings from Aug. 11.
NWT chief medical health officer Andre Corriveau advised communities facing air quality warnings to stay indoors with windows closed and avoid strenuous outdoor activity. He added those most affected are people with chronic conditions, especially cardiovascular or lung diseases, as well as infants under the age of one.
Gwich’in Tribal Council president urges caution about statistics
Bobbie Jo Greenland-Morgan, president of the Gwich'in Tribal Council, said caution is needed when interpreting reports about the Northwest Territories.
The Conference Board of Canada on social outcomes in the territories released a report stating that 41 per cent of lone-parent families in the Northwest Territories were considered low income. It also found that about 24 per cent of Indigenous people in the territory occupy the bottom two Canadian income percentiles and more than 21 per cent of the NWT population had less than a high-school diploma. On employment, the report found Indigenous unemployment rates much higher than non-Indigenous across the board. In the NWT, around three per cent of non-Indigenous people with university credentials are unemployed, while closer to 15 per cent of Indigenous people with university credentials were unemployed. Greenland-Morgan said it’s important to be skeptical when it comes to statistics about the territory.
Parvo outbreak in Inuvik
The Town of Inuvik started offering free parvovirus vaccinations after at least 10 dogs died of the disease. There was a spike in parvovirus cases during three weeks in August. Usually the town sees two to four cases per year. The town teamed up with Arctic Paws, who purchased more than 150 vaccinations, to try to stem any future outbreaks. The virus had always been in Inuvik, but an increase in unvaccinated dogs made its spread much easier.
The vaccination wouldn’t help dogs that are already sick, but anyone with dogs that had not been vaccinated or needed a booster shot were encouraged to contact the town and schedule an appointment.
The town had performed 30 vaccinations by Aug. 14.
Fort Liard gets childcare centre
The Dezona Za Kue Childcare Centre officially opened in Fort Liard on Aug. 26. The community had been without active childcare since the community's only day home provider moved away. The preschool shut down around four or five years earlier when junior kindergarten was introduced into the school and when the day home owner moved away, it opened up a need in the community. The childcare centre, funded through the territorial department of Education, Culture and Employment, was expected to have four staff members and 12 spaces open for children ages six-months to three years.
Conservative leader visits NWT
Andrew Scheer, leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, visited the Northwest Territories on Aug. 27. When he won the leadership race, Scheer said he did not know a lot about the North but would make it a priority to learn. Scheer met with various people, including industry and social services representatives. He then had lunch at the Wildcat Cafe before arriving at a home in Old Town for a meet and greet with declared supporters and others. Other guests at the meet and greet included Industry, Tourism and Investment minister Wally Schumann, Yellowknife Centre MLA Julie Green and Yellowknife city councillors Adrian Bell and Linda Bussey.