The GNWT says it remains in the early stages of exploring options for the future of the Hay River fish plant, with no decisions made yet.
Originally, the Tu Cho fishers’ cooperative was going to manage the new plant. However, by the time the plant opened in 2024, a Crown corporation named the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation – which ran the town’s old plant – had been named the manager of the new one.
The FFMC was contracted by the NWT government to run the plant for its first three years, with a longer-term objective of transitioning the plant to Tu Cho if the territory judges the cooperative to have made enough progress on a set of 27 recommendations for improvement.
So far, it’s not clear if that transition will happen any time soon. The picture is complicated by Ottawa’s decision to sell the FFMC, a process that is ongoing.
This month, a spokesperson for the NWT’s Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment told Cabin Radio the territory has begun preliminary work to better understand potential paths forward.
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That includes hiring a consultant and talking to people with an interest in the plant, as well as Indigenous governments around Great Slave Lake, to gather “interests, opportunities, and potential impacts for those involved in the fisheries sector.”
“At this stage, the work is focused on scoping and information‑gathering rather than decision‑making,” the spokesperson said in an email.
“The plant plays an important role in the commercial fishery, and the department recognizes that any future direction needs to be informed by those who rely on the facility as part of their livelihoods and economic activity. These conversations are helping to ensure that a range of perspectives are understood early in the process.”
The department said it has not reached any conclusions and is still in the initial stages of its review – working to build a clearer picture of the facility, its operating conditions and the wider fisheries sector before deciding on next steps.
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Commercial fishers remain a key focus throughout the process, the department added.
“The Hay River fish plant provides important downstream support to the fisheries sector by offering processing capacity, market access, and operational stability. The department recognizes that any significant changes to the plant could have implications for harvesters and for the broader value chain,” the email continued.
“The priority for ITI is for the plant to remain a support to the sector and to continue operations that provide a steady and reliable outlet for commercial fishers. Maintaining that downstream support is also closely tied to the objectives of the Great Slave Lake Commercial Fishing Strategy, which focuses on the long‑term sustainability and growth of the fishery.”
Town senior administrative officer Glenn Smith told Hay River councillors last month that the GNWT had started contacting people locally to discuss the possible “divestment of the Hay River fish plant.”
Smith said a consultant is expected to meet with the town, Indigenous governments and other community organizations to gather input on fish processing and the broader fishing industry.
The Tu Cho fisher’s cooperative could not be reached for comment.
In a statement, the federal agency Fisheries and Oceans Canada – noting Ottawa’s ongoing work to sell the FFMC and the GNWT’s status as the fish plant owner – said any decisions about the plant’s future “are a matter for the GNWT.”
