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Environment & Climate Change

HomeEnvironment
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Located on the traditional lands of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, the City of Yellowknife is surrounded by natural beauty and resources.

As a community, our prosperity is dependent on the environment around us. While natural resource development is important for our economy, sustainable development of these resources is necessary to ensure we have a vibrant, healthy, and equitable city now and into the future.

For that reason, Yellowknife has developed programs and plans to preserve our environment and help ensure that it remains a safe place to live.


Environmental Initiatives

Snow on grass
Climate Action
Smoke coming out of smoke stack
Energy Use & Emissions
Fire in forest
Adapting to Climate Change
Carrots in the ground
Local Food Production
Contaminated water
Current Environmental Hazards

Related Initiatives

Composting Recycling Transit 
Parks and Outdoors Water and Sewer

Roles & Responsibilities

Responsibility for the environment is shared among the Federal government, the Government of the Northwest Territories, and the City of Yellowknife. See below for information on how this responsibility is shared.


Federal government
  • Fisheries, navigation and shipping (including emissions, sewage, oil and water discharges) in oceans, lakes, rivers, and streams
  • Emissions from aviation and interprovincial transportation
  • The release of toxic substances (e.g., mercury, asbestos, and six GHGs)
  • Interprovincial movement of hazardous materials
  • Management of federal contaminated sites within the territory
Government of the Northwest Territories
  • Lead on climate change, land use and sustainability policy, and conserved and protected areas
  • Emissions from industries and activities within the GNWT’s jurisdiction
  • Onshore waters, wildlife, forests, air, and public land
  • Development impacts on forests, water (including drinking water), wildlife, and wildlife habitat
  • Managing human-wildlife conflicts
  • Wildfire monitoring, management, and suppression (e.g., regional and territorial fire bans)
  • Transboundary water agreements
  • Water licensing decisions
  • Waste reduction policies and programs and monitoring of waste management facilities and operators
City of Yellowknife
  • Water treatment and monitoring
  • Wastewater, stormwater, and sewage lagoons
  • Waste management (landfill, recycling, and composting)
  • Land use and planning within the City
  • Municipal bylaws (e.g., zoning bylaw, building bylaw, and permitting requirements)
  • Wildfire monitoring and management within the City (e.g., local fire bans and burning permits for fires and fireworks within the City, etc.)
  • Operation, procurement, asset management of City-owned land and facilities and
    City services and activities

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4807 - 52 Street, P.O. Box 580,
Yellowknife, NT, X1A 2N4
Tel: 867-920-5600

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