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The Government of Canada announces $1.5M for Tłı̨chǫ-led mineral exploration

Tuesday, March 3, 2026 7:00 AM PST

TORONTO, March 3, 2026 /CNW/ - This is a joint news release between the Government of Canada and the Tłı̨chǫ Government

As the mining landscape shifts in the Northwest Territories, new opportunities are opening for Indigenous and northern businesses and communities.

Today, at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) Convention, the Honourable Rebecca Chartrand, Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs and Minister responsible for CanNor, announced $1.5 million for the Tłı̨chǫ Government to advance mineral exploration over three years. This funding, delivered through CanNor, will help identify new mining opportunities through aerial surveys, ground-based prospecting, and data analysis in the Tłı̨chǫ Region.

The project is expected to help attract investment in resource exploration and development within the Northwest Territories by providing recent and accurate geophysical and geochemical data relating to mineral deposits – especially on Tłı̨chǫ lands. It will also offer valuable training opportunities for Tłı̨chǫ citizens, enhancing Tłı̨chǫ minerals knowledge and capacity.

In a rapidly changing world, the mining sector is more critical than ever for the northern economy and Canada's long-term prosperity. Investments like this help us take advantage of new opportunities that support meaningful employment, Indigenous businesses and responsible economic development in the Tłı̨chǫ Region.

Quotes

"Natural resources play an important role in the Canadian economy, and it is essential that the benefits of mining are felt first and foremost in the communities where this work takes place. Through this initiative, the Government of Canada is supporting Indigenous-led mineral exploration that creates jobs, strengthens local capacity, and helps build a strong northern and Canadian economy."

- The Honourable Rebecca Chartrand, Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs and Minister responsible for CanNor

"Tłı̨chǫ lands are home to world-class under-explored mineral potential, and mining is part of our vision for Tłı̨chǫ economic self-sufficiency. Our lands are open for exploration, and we are here to help investors and partners work with us to maximize value for Tłı̨chǫ citizens and protect our lands and culture".

- Grand Chief Jackson Lafferty, Tłı̨chǫ Government

"This project will help the Tłı̨chǫ Government identify new mining opportunities across the Tłı̨chǫ Region. Building this kind of capacity is vital as the northern economy continues to evolve. It will help identify future areas of growth, strengthen community-driven planning and ensure that development in the territories remains northern and Indigenous led, and rooted in regional priorities."

- The Honourable Rebecca Alty, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Member of Parliament for the Northwest Territories

Quick facts

This project is funded through IDEANorth, which makes foundational investments in economic infrastructure, sector development and capacity building to help position Northerners to take advantage of Canada's innovation economy.
Mining continues to be one of the largest sectors in the North. In the last five years, CanNor has invested over $13.3 million across 41 projects to support northern mining.
The Tłı̨chǫ Government is responsible for governance in the Tłı̨chǫ Region, a 39,000 squared kilometers area just North of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories with a population of approximately 3,000 people.

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