Canada and Northwest Territories partner to improve health infrastructure and access to health care for communities

Canada NewsWire

OTTAWA, ON, Oct. 5, 2026

OTTAWA, ON, Oct. 5, 2026 /CNW/ -- Canadians deserve timely access to high-quality health care, no matter where they live.

That's why today, the Honourable Marjorie Michel, Minister of Health, the Honourable Rebecca Alty, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Member of Parliament for the Northwest Territories, and the Honourable Lucy Kuptana, Northwest Territories Minister of Health and Social Services, announced funding to build and renew health infrastructure while improving access to health care across the territory.

To that end, the Working Together bilateral agreement will be renewed, investing $51.2 million over seven years to improve access to quality health care in the Northwest Territories. This marks the first announcement in a series of renewed Working Together bilateral agreements with provinces and territories.

Through this renewed federal investment, the Northwest Territories will advance ongoing priorities outlined in a new four-year action plan, including:

strengthening its public health service capacity to improve coordination, including in integrated primary health care teams to help residents access the right care at the right time;
growing and retaining the health workforce through physician training, supporting recruitment and retention, and investing in cultural safety training;
strengthening mental health and substance use services through continued support for specialized treatment, medical detox services and community-based supports; and,
supporting culturally appropriate mental wellness and suicide prevention programs, including by supporting community organizations that deliver community-led services and engaging with Indigenous Governments and organizations.

The renewed agreement builds on measurable progress already achieved under the initial bilateral agreement (2023-24 – 2025-26). Since then, the Northwest Territories has:

strengthened the health workforce by reducing staff vacancies by 29%, helping more people get the care they need;
expanded access to suicide-prevention services through the funding of 10 Indigenous governments and non-government organizations under the Community Suicide Prevention Fund;
increased access to substance use services through the funding of the Territorial Addictions Medicine Program, which supports treatment for residents with Opioid Use disorder, alcohol withdrawal and complex polysubstance use; and,
reduced barriers to rural and remote primary care in the north by offering two training slots per year for its Family Medicine Residency Program.

The territory will continue to publicly report each year on progress toward agreed-upon targets, ensuring Canadians can track how these investments are improving access to care. The action plan continues to be informed by engagement with Indigenous partners to help improve access to culturally safe and appropriate care.

Building on today's renewal of the Working Together bilateral agreement, the ministers also announced investments of more than $70.2 million from the Government of Canada and $23.4 million from the Government of the Northwest Territories for 16 health infrastructure projects through the Provincial and Territorial stream of the Build Communities Strong Fund.

These investments will support construction or rehabilitation of health facilities in 12 Northwest Territories communities. The projects will help provide essential health and social services to the people across these communities.

The Build Communities Strong Fund is a cornerstone of the Government of Canada's plan to build the infrastructure needed to build Canada strong for all – today and for generations to come.

Together, the Government of Canada and the Northwest Territories are delivering practical improvements that strengthen health care, support healthier communities and help build a stronger economy.

Quotes

"All Canadians want the same thing – a health care system that works. The Government of Canada has invested billions of dollars to help build a sustainable and equitable system. With today's investment, our governments are demonstrating our commitment to better care, stronger communities and a healthier future for everyone in the Northwest Territories."

The Honourable Marjorie Michel
Minister of Health of Canada

"People across the Northwest Territories deserve health care that reflects the realities of living in the North and the needs of their communities. This renewed investment will support more accessible, culturally appropriate care, while strengthening community-led mental wellness supports and working in partnership with Indigenous Governments and organizations to improve health outcomes across the territory."

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

"Improving access to health care in the North and the infrastructure that supports it takes a long-term commitment and a partnership that recognizes the realities of our territory. The Northwest Territories is different from other parts of Canada, and the way we plan, fund and deliver health care needs to reflect that. This agreement is an important step in strengthening that partnership and building a stronger foundation for health care in the territory."

The Honourable R. J. Simpson
Premier of the Northwest Territories

"Strong health systems depend on both the people who deliver care and the facilities that support them. Through the renewal of the Working Together Bilateral Agreement and investments through the Build Communities Strong Fund, we are strengthening health care across the Northwest Territories. By supporting our workforce, improving access to mental health and substance use services, and investing in community facilities that help residents access care closer to home, we are improving the services residents rely on and supporting healthy people and communities across the territory. By working in partnership with the Government of Canada, Indigenous Governments, and communities, we will continue to strengthen a responsive health system that meets the needs of Northerners."

The Honourable Lucy Kuptana
Minister of Health and Social Services, Government of the Northwest Territories

"Building and maintaining infrastructure in the North comes with unique challenges, particularly in our smaller and more remote communities. These investments will help ensure communities have safe, modern and appropriate facilities to support the delivery of health and social services close to home. Good infrastructure is essential to strong communities, and these projects will make a meaningful difference for residents while providing health and social services professionals with better facilities to do their important work. We are pleased to work with the Government of Canada, Indigenous Governments and communities to move these projects forward and strengthen infrastructure across the Northwest Territories."

The Honourable Vince McKay
Minister of Infrastructure, Government of the Northwest Territories

Quick facts

Through the Working Together to Improve Health Care for Canadians Plan, the Government of Canada is providing close to $200 billion over 10 years to improve health services across the country. This includes $25 billion through tailored bilateral agreements with provinces and territories, $2.4 billion for mental health and substance use services remaining from Budget 2017, a guaranteed 5% Canada Health Transfer (CHT) increase for five years—amounting to $17.5 billion—and a one-time CHT $2 billion top-up to address to urgent needs of emergency rooms and pediatric hospitals, delivered in June 2023.
The initial three-year Working Together bilateral agreements ended on March 31, 2026. The Government of Canada is working with remaining provinces and territories to renew the agreements and deliver the remaining seven years of funding.
The Northwest Territories will update its action plan again in 2030-31 for the final three years of funding, allowing priorities and targets to reflect emerging health care needs.
The Government of Canada is investing up to $70,299,000 in 16 projects through the Provincial and Territorial stream of the Build Communities Strong Fund while the Government of Northwest Territories is contributing $23,433,000.
Under the Provincial and Territorial stream of the Build Communities Strong Fund, Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada is allocating approximately $156.9 million to the Government of Northwest Territories to support provincial and territorial infrastructure priorities. This stream supports long-term provincial and territorial infrastructure priorities through bilateral funding agreements.
The Buy Canadian Policy is an important part of the Build Communities Strong Fund. It will help ensure that more of every public dollar goes right into the Canadian economy – creating Canadian careers, using Canadian resources, and benefiting Canadian communities.
The Build Communities Strong Fund will help create thousands of good jobs, including careers in the skilled trades, by encouraging the use of Red Seal endorsed tradespeople, apprentices, and unionized labour.

Associated links

Action Plan (2026-27 – 2029-30)

SOURCE Health Canada (HC)