‘Losing millions,’ Town of Norman Wells looks at what it can preserve

A meeting of Norman Wells’ town council on Wednesday had the air of a war room as local leaders grappled with some of the hardest decisions they’ll make: what to consider cutting as a huge source of tax revenue evaporates.

No final decisions have been made. However, councillors spent the Wednesday meeting running through all kinds of options.

Multiple times, town staff and councillors reminded each other they are “losing millions” as Imperial Oil – Norman Wells’ reason for being and its economic heartbeat – prepares to close down its century-old oil field in the coming months.

Imperial has said it provides annual property taxes of about $6 million to the Town of Norman Wells, which the company said “constitutes approximately 70 percent of the town’s budget.”

Councillors echoed those figures on Wednesday, with one saying the loss amounted to “about two-thirds” of the town’s annual revenue.

As Yellowknife and Inuvik talk of growth after the deus ex machina of promised vast military investment, Norman Wells is grappling with a fate those communities had feared: the potential bottoming-out of a local economy when its backbone departs.

An in-camera meeting last Saturday is understood to have started dealing with the personnel implications of such a drop in funding. Staffing was not discussed in detail at Wednesday’s meeting, which was live streamed.

Instead, councillors and staff used the Wednesday session to assess how the town might reduce line items like its annual facility operations bill.

Opening the arena for five days a week instead of seven was one option discussed, while the town expects to open negotiations with the local curling club regarding building use.

Norman Wells could also look to hand the town church over to its users. The town is expected to seek meetings with the denominations who use the church and the bishop responsible.

Councillors were told the average attendance at the town pool is 15 people a day, working out to thousands of dollars per person to keep the facility open. It’s possible that the pool may close as the town looks to save money. A temporary summer water park could be created to replace it.

Town seeks immediate TGG meeting

Throughout Wednesday’s meeting ran an undercurrent of urgency. While the town does have 2026 funding, Imperial’s last day of production – possibly in September – will mark the moment at which the municipality needs to begin adjusting to life after the oil field.

Councillors and staff spent time working through how to communicate with residents about the changes ahead, whether fees for services like water and sewer will need to be altered, and whether any mechanism exists by which to avoid compounding the high cost of living in the Sahtu community.

With some residents already expected to leave as work dries up, elected officials fear taking steps that will only increase the burden on those who remain. However, in some areas they may have no choice.

Multiple councillors and staff members pressed for actions that will help the town fully understand its options. One priority agreed upon across the board is a meeting with the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę Government.

The Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę Government, or TGG, recently signed a self-government agreement for the Norman Wells region.

As an Indigenous government with evolving powers, TGG is in a transition period.

At the moment it does not govern the town, which remains a fully separate entity. However, a provision exists allowing the TGG to replace the town government – and assume its municipal-level responsibilities – if TGG members ever represent 70 percent or more of Norman Wells’ population.

“We should be reaching out to TGG with our entire situation. Let’s get everything on the table and talk to them about it,” Mayor Frank Pope said during Wednesday’s meeting.

Some council members also advocated for an immediate meeting with the territorial government, then a public meeting to inform residents of any initial plans being drawn up and gather input.

Council is also likely to look to residents for increased volunteerism as municipal staff numbers drop, particularly to help run events like the annual Black Bear Jamboree and Spring Fling.

From 2025: Norman Wells Spring Fling in pictures

“We’re going to be a little bit short on staff, but I think what I hear around the table is we still want to be able to provide services,” Pope said.

To try to show solidarity, council said on Wednesday it had tentatively agreed to roll back councillors’ own honoraria to the level they were at four or five years ago.

Pope declined an interview with Cabin Radio after Wednesday’s meeting but sent a message stressing that no changes had yet been made and discussions about programs, services and buildings are still at an early stage.

“We are in a process of assessing our fiscal future,” he wrote, adding he would have more to say once council had formally passed resolutions committing the town to changes.

Power corporation prepares

The Town of Norman Wells isn’t the only institution needing to adapt as Imperial prepares to pack up.

Imperial is also the town’s power supplier. Once it leaves, the territorial government-backed NWT Power Corporation will need to step in.

This week, NTPC sought to reassure residents that it was “well-prepared to take over responsibility.”

In a post to Meta’s channels, the power corporation said its existing plant – used to provide backup power while Imperial is the primary provider – is getting a third generator as an “interim solution,” then that rental generator will be replaced by an NTPC-owned unit later in the summer.

An upgraded diesel plant is in the process of being procured and should be installed in the community “prior to March 2028,” NTPC stated.

“Customers can feel confident that there will be no significant interruptions during the transition” away from Imperial, the power corporation added.