Minister Kuptana outlines coordinated response to encampments in Yellowknife

Lucy Kuptana, Minister Responsible for Housing Northwest Territories, issued the following statement today regarding the Government of the Northwest Territories’ approach to encampments in Yellowknife and the completion of a new Encampment Response Framework.

“Encampments are not safe, stable, or sustainable housing, and are not the future we want for anyone experiencing homelessness in the Northwest Territories.

At the same time, they have become a visible reality in Yellowknife, and I recognize that many residents are concerned about garbage, fire risk, public safety, and the impacts encampments can have on surrounding areas. These are real concerns that I acknowledge and take seriously. Residents are right to expect responsible management of public land, and the GNWT has a responsibility to respond when safety, waste, or community impacts need to be addressed.

I also know that the people living in encampments are often facing difficult and complex circumstances. Many need support, trust, and stability before they are ready or able to move toward shelter, support services, treatment, or housing. Our response has to recognize that reality.

This means doing two things at the same time: responding to legitimate concerns about safety and public land, while also treating people with compassion, dignity, and respect and helping connect vulnerable residents with the supports they need.

Over the past several months, Housing NWT has been working with GNWT departments and agencies, the City of Yellowknife, the RCMP, service providers, Indigenous governments and Indigenous organizations, and community partners to strengthen how we respond to encampments in Yellowknife.

This work is now supported by a new GNWT Encampment Response Framework, including standard operating procedures for encampment response, to help make our approach clear, coordinated, and consistent. The Framework will be released publicly so both Members and residents can see the approach that is being used to guide this work.

The framework outlines how GNWT departments and agencies work with the City of Yellowknife, the RCMP, service providers, Indigenous governments and Indigenous organizations, and community partners. It helps ensure our response is respectful, practical, and coordinated. At its core, it reinforces that outreach and support come first whenever possible.

Outreach workers will continue to engage directly with people living in encampments, offer information about available shelter and housing options, help connect people to supports and services, and build the relationships that are often needed before someone is ready to accept help.

The framework also recognizes that encampments can create real concerns for nearby residents, businesses, visitors, and the broader community. Garbage, fire risk, sanitation concerns, environmental impacts, and public safety issues all need to be taken seriously.

When cleanup or other site actions are required, the framework helps ensure this work is planned, coordinated, and communicated in advance wherever possible, while continuing outreach and support for people living at those sites.

This approach focuses on responding to encampments in a way that is fair, respectful, coordinated, and supports safer outcomes for both encampment residents and the broader community.

This work is already happening on the ground. In recent weeks, residents have seen coordinated outreach and cleanup efforts at encampment sites on Commissioner’s land in Yellowknife. That work will continue where required.

At the same time, cleanup activities and operational procedures alone will not solve homelessness. The longer-term answer is more stable housing, better supports, stronger outreach, and a system that helps people move away from homelessness and toward safety, stability, and independence.

That is the work our government is advancing through A Way Home: A Comprehensive Strategy to Address Homelessness in the Northwest Territories.

In Yellowknife, this includes the temporary transitional housing facility on Highway 3, which is already supporting residents in safer and more stable accommodations. It also includes the recently announced 64-unit transitional and public housing development on 54th Street, which will significantly expand transitional housing capacity in the years ahead. The new Wellness and Recovery Centre on 51st Street will also strengthen the continuum of supports by replacing the current Day Shelter and Sobering Centre with a purpose-built facility that includes recovery beds, day shelter spaces, and community wellness spaces.

Across the territory, Housing NWT and our partners are working to strengthen shelter services, expand outreach, improve service coordination, support recovery and stability, and create more housing options for Northerners.

Homelessness is complex. Encampments are complex. There are no simple or immediate solutions. But I want residents to know that this work is active, coordinated, and ongoing. We are listening to concerns, working with partners, and taking steps to ensure our response is both compassionate and effective.

Our goal is to help people move away from encampments and toward safer, more stable places to stay, while continuing to address the concerns of the broader community and reduce homelessness across the Northwest Territories.”

Media requests, please contact:
Cabinet Communications
Government of the Northwest Territories
PressSecretary@gov.nt.ca