The full length of the Mackenzie Valley Winter Road from Wrigley to Fort Good Hope could be open as soon as Saturday, according to the NWT’s Department of Infrastructure.
The section of the road from Norman Wells to Fort Good Hope opened on Friday, while the section from Wrigley to Tulita opened a day earlier, according to the DriveNWT map.
A connecting section from Tulita to Norman Wells is still being worked on and is expected to open in the coming days.
The winter road connecting the Sahtu to the all-season highway in the Dehcho is expected to be extremely busy this year.
Years-long drought and low water levels in the Mackenzie River made it impossible to run the usual supply barges to Sahtu communities over the summer of 2024.
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The barges normally provide a relatively cost-effective way to deliver critical goods to the Sahtu such as fuel, food and construction materials.
The lack of barge availability caused fuel prices to skyrocket in Norman Wells when fuel had to be flown to the town instead. The town’s council subsequently declared a state of emergency.
On Friday, infrastructure and finance minister Caroline Wawzonek stated in a press release that work is being done to support the Sahtu – including a strengthening of the winter road on which it relies.
“Additional measures include thickening ice in critical areas, fortifying portages, and widening key sections to support safer and more efficient transportation of goods and fuel,” Wawzonek wrote of the winter road preparations.
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“This proactive approach will ensure reliable resupply for Norman Wells through early 2026 and mitigate risks posed by supply chain disruptions.”
GNWT supports Imperial licence extension
In the same news release, Wawzonek addressed the series of regulatory matters involving Imperial Oil, a major Sahtu employer whose Norman Wells facility is undergoing multiple environmental assessments.
Imperial is seeking an extension of its water licence for the facility – or an emergency licence – to keep operating through those assessments. The Sahtu Land and Water Board has said it is now considering whether to take exceptional measures that would provide some form of licence.
Water licences are basic components of most industrial operations’ permitting in the NWT, governing how they use water.
Imperial Oil has previously warned that if its current water licence expires in March with no replacement, it will be forced to shut down the site. The company has said about 60 jobs would be lost – a significant number in a town of 700 people.
Echoing some of the concerns Imperial has expressed, Wawzonek said on Friday that a shutdown of the company’s Norman Wells site would mean an estimated loss of $2.25 million per month in economic activity.
“Supporting a temporary licence extension would maintain economic stability while ensuring environmental oversight and due process are respected,” wrote Wawzonek regarding Imperial’s request.
