Leaders discuss plans for NWT’s vacant community learning centres

NWT communities are beginning to discuss what to do with their now-vacant community learning centres.

Aurora College announced it would close its community learning centres (known collectively as CLCs) earlier this year, citing low enrolment numbers.

On June 19, those centres shut down for good.

In mid-June, Indigenous leaders from across the territory met with leaders from the territorial government in part to start planning how to use the empty infrastructure the CLCs leave behind in many communities.

A spokesperson for the NWT’s education department said it had committed back in March to working with Indigenous governments, community organizations and MLAs “to ensure that planning around the future of GNWT CLC infrastructure reflects the unique needs and priorities of each community.”

While there are no concrete plans yet for the buildings, the education department indicated there has been interest in continuing to use at least some CLCs for community-driven education and training, or to meet other local needs.

Plans for future use are expected to be finalized by the late summer, said the territorial government – though Boyd Clark, general manager of the Fort Liard-based Acho Dene Koe First Nation, said the territory’s engagement letter to the First Nation about repurposing the buildings did not specify a timeline.

Clark said his chief and council haven’t had time to discuss plans yet – they were busy hosting the Dehcho Annual Assembly – but are concerned about the fallout from the CLCs closing and had criticized Aurora College’s handling of the closures.

“In terms of consultation that the GNWT has been trying to build up with Indigenous governments, that messaging didn’t get relayed to the board of directors at Aurora College,” Clark said of the college board’s decision to close the CLCs without, in his view, any obvious engagement.

“That same relationship wasn’t experienced in this situation, which was expressed by a number of leaders in the meeting,” he said. “In the future, it’s critical this type of situation doesn’t arise again.”

Clark said some of the impacts to small communities like Fort Liard – home to just under 500 people – extend well beyond simply the community learning centre closing.

For example, in Fort Liard, the CLC instructor’s partner was the housing manager. When the instructor lost their job, he said, the community lost two skilled workers as they moved away to find work elsewhere.

Those job losses, which amount to dozens of positions, have been followed by news that the college also plans to leave vacant a number of Fort Smith-based instructor positions.

Clark hopes the GNWT will meaningfully consider feedback from communities on the future of the CLC buildings.

“They may have already formalized their own options and what we suggest might not see the light of day – but at least they are providing the option to provide feedback,” he said.

Fort Good Hope Chief Collin Pierrot indicated the community is considering continuing to use its CLC for education and as a meeting space.

The Tłı̨chǫ Government said it is working with the GNWT and Tłı̨chǫ Community Services Agency to come up with plans.

Other Indigenous governments in attendance at the June meeting did not respond before publication.