Yellowknife Centre MLA Robert Hawkins and Kieron Testart, the MLA for Range Lake, will hold a town hall meeting in the city next week on energy affordability.
The town hall will take place at Northern United Place from 6-8pm on Wednesday, October 14, and is open to residents, businesses and community leaders, a news release said.
“Northerners are under even more pressure this winter as the cost to heat and power our homes continues to soar,” Testart was quoted as saying.
“The fact that global challenges are out of our control doesn’t mean we don’t have the tools available to take action to lessen the impact of those shocks on northerners – and we have a responsibility to use them.”
“People are telling us very clearly that energy costs are putting enormous pressure on household budgets,” Hawkins was also quoted as saying.
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In 2025, territorial power regulator the Public Utilities Board was told by the GNWT to modernize the power system and promote more renewable energy.
The GNWT has also agreed with the Alberta and Saskatchewan governments to work together on nuclear generation and connecting power grids, though the territory says no nuclear plants are planned for the NWT.
In March, MLAs passed a motion calling for the review and expansion of electricity subsidies, alongside investments toward grid modernization to improve reliability of power.
Hawkins and Testart have previously hosted town halls on public safety, the territory’s nominee program, and healthcare.
