Energy

2030 Energy Strategy

The 2030 Energy Strategy (Strategy) sets out the Government of the Northwest Territories’ (GNWT) long-term approach to supporting secure, affordable and sustainable energy in the NWT. The Strategy is being implemented along with the Climate Change Strategic Framework (CCSF) and the NWT Carbon Tax.

 

The 2030 Energy Strategy provides a guide for the development of secure, affordable, and sustainable energy in the NWT for transportation, heat and electricity. This includes support for energy efficiency and conservation programs, local renewable and alternative energy solutions, and large-scale energy projects.

Along with ensuring that energy in the NWT is secure and affordable, many of the initiatives under the 2030 Energy Strategy are focused on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, contributing to the GNWT’s Climate Change Strategic Framework’s first goal to reduce GHG emissions.  Reducing the cost of power and increasing the use of alternative and renewable energy are priorities of the 19th Legislative Assembly. The Mandate commits the GNWT to Implementing the 2030 NWT Climate Change Strategic Framework and 2030 Energy Strategy by carrying out the action plans established under these strategies.

The Strategy was developed through extensive public engagement that included regional workshops with residents, communities, businesses, Indigenous governments and other stakeholders across the NWT. What we heard is that we need to address climate change, energy affordability, and develop the NWT’s energy potential.

For the Strategy to be successful, the GNWT and its partners—including utilities, governments, communities, residents, business, industry and non-government organizations—must work together, be flexible, and seek funding and investment opportunities.

By 2030, the NWT will have a secure, affordable and sustainable energy system that is less dependent on fossil fuels, and contributes to the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of the Territory and its residents. The GNWT will achieve this vision by following guiding principles in decision-making that include shared responsibility, Indigenous and community engagement, leading by example, as well as transparency and accountability.

The Strategy has six (6) Strategic Objectives to reach the overarching 2030 vision:

  1. Work together to find solutions: community engagement, participation and empowerment.
  2. Reduce GHG emissions from electricity generation in diesel-powered communities by an average of 25 percent.
  3. Reduce GHG emissions from road vehicles by 10 percent per capita.
  4. Increase the share of renewable energy used for space heating to 40 percent.
  5. Increase residential, commercial, and government building energy efficiency by 15 percent.
  6. A longer-term vision: develop the NWT’s energy potential, address industrial emissions, and do our part to meet national climate change objectives.

The Strategy takes an adaptive approach to these Strategic Objectives, which will be re-evaluated after five years to ensure they represent what is achievable given new technology. The Strategic Objectives will be achieved through Actions and Initiatives to be undertaken by the GNWT and its partners.

The GNWT implements the Strategy through three-year Action Plans. The 2019-2022 Energy Action Plan ended on March 31, 2022. The new plan – the 2022-2025 Energy Action Plan – was released in the fall of 2022 and builds on the actions and initiatives from the previous plan and describes what we plan to do over the next three years.

To learn more about the 2022-2025 Energy Action Plan, you can view it here.

The GNWT will prepare and release public annual reports on its activities and progress relating to the Strategy.

The NWT is now more than four years into the implementation of both the Framework and Strategy and has had a carbon tax in place since 2019. The GNWT is committed to conducting a five-year review of both strategies in the next two years to determine what changes—if any—should be made, based on lessons learned, new information and emerging opportunities.

Public engagement on the five-year review of both strategies launched in June 2023. You can find out more here.

To learn about the initiatives completed during the 2022-2023 fiscal year, you can view the 2022-2023 Energy Initiatives Report.

To learn about the public feedback on the 2030 Energy Strategy and the 2030 NWT Climate Change Strategic Framework, including the NWT greenhouse gas emissions reduction target view the What We Heard Report - Our Energy and Climate Future in a Changing World and the accompanying Visual Summary of What We Heard During the Multilateral Dialogue by Alison McCreesh.

To learn about the GNWT’s integrated approach to addressing climate change, visit the Department of Environment and Natural Resources website.