After oil, what’s next for Norman Wells?

After more than a century as an oil town, leaders in Norman Wells are looking to future opportunities while dealing with the present challenge of moving on.

Imperial Oil, long a staple in the community, ended production at its Norman Wells oil field in August. It was the company’s longest-running operation in Canada.

Sherry Hodgson, president of the Norman Wells-based Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę Government, said the end of oil production marks “a major transition” for the town and she is worried about impacts on workers, local businesses, families and the community’s ability to plan for the future.

“We face the uncertainty that comes with losing a longstanding economic anchor, alongside the high cost of living and the difficulty of moving people and supplies in the region without reliable year-round road access,” she told Cabin Radio in an email. “Local businesses need enough notice and certainty to retain workers and prepare for what comes next.”

Norman Wells Mayor Frank Pope said ending oil production means the loss of local jobs, though some people continue to be employed in the community by Imperial Oil or have been transferred to the company’s operation in Cold Lake, Alberta.

Overall, he said, there’s a stigma of “something that’s been here for 100 years leaving town and we really have nothing to replace it with.”

A related major change is the loss of tax revenue.

Imperial Oil has said it provided around $6 million in property taxes annually to Norman Wells, accounting for approximately 70 percent of the municipality’s budget. The town is currently negotiating future property taxes with the company.

Pope said it’s “going to be a tough, tough winter” for people living in the Sahtu town with high fuel costs making heating, travel and goods more expensive. He said while it normally costs him about $400 to $450 to top off his fuel tank in September, this year it cost $1,200.

“I can see my bill for the rest of the winter reaching as much as $2,000 a month. I’m on a pension. I don’t know how I’m going to pay it,” he said.

Pope said he was reminded of a slogan introduced in 2024 when a fuel resupply crisis in the Sahtu led people to ask: “Do we eat or do we heat?”

He said town council will be “going gung ho” on advocacy over the next several months to make Norman Wells “a worthwhile place to remain living, and to try and encourage new people to come and live.”

The community must “work together to try and keep the focus on our future,” he said. “That’s all we can do.”

A new chapter

Sahtu MLA Danny McNeely sees the oil field’s closure and reclamation as the start of a new chapter.

“I hope to see a huge amount of opportunities and employment,” he said of the reclamation work, “and hopefully that will contribute to the disposable economy – and maybe one day we might finally have a restaurant we can dine in.”

Hodgson said Indigenous and local people need to be involved, from planning to longtime monitoring of the site, with Indigenous knowledge guiding the work. She called for clear timelines, results and the resources to review plans independently.

“We want Imperial to work with us on a transition that supports people now and creates lasting opportunities through closure and reclamation,” she wrote.

Josh Hutchings, the operations manager of Imperial Oil in Norman Wells, said work is under way to fully deactivate the facility before decommissioning. He said that will be followed by a care and maintenance period while the company finalizes its closure plan and goes through the regulatory process.

Imperial Oil has said closure planning, remediation and reclamation is expected to take 20 years.

Hutchings said “a core part” of closure planning is involving local communities and Indigenous knowledge.

“We’re very excited about that portion of our work,” he said. “So far, it’s been a lot of great engagement from the region.”

He said Imperial Oil sees closure and reclamation as “a very large opportunity” for the region, including jobs, training and partnerships.

‘Let’s get it done’

Another bright spot on the horizon for Norman Wells is the federal promise of building the Mackenzie Valley Highway from Wrigley through the Sahtu to the Beaufort Delta, a long-held dream in the NWT.

Pope said he sees a lot of opportunity connected to the highway, including construction and maintenance jobs as well as mining and tourism.

“I’m hoping to see them get some shovels in the ground and get the damn thing moving,” he said.

“I’m sick of talking about this for 50 years. We’ve been talking about it, let’s get it done.”

McNeely said he wants more details on labour force and training requirements, as well as available capital for entrepreneurship opportunities.

He said he has developed a proposal for a training and technical school in Norman Wells, highlighting its potential to build local capacity to conduct environmental studies.

Hodgson hopes the highway will bring more reliable access and supplies, better connections, and lasting skills and business opportunities.

She said advancing the project “must include meaningful Indigenous participation and careful attention to harvesting areas.”

Hodgson added the Sahtu needs a coordinated transition plan rather than “a series of short-term announcements.”

She said that means training connected to real jobs, support for businesses to bid on contracts, and investments in housing, transportation and community services. She would also like to see opportunities in tourism and land stewardship, among other sectors.

“The end of production should not mean the end of opportunity for Norman Wells,” she wrote.

“Our people must help shape what comes next.”