Minister Cleveland issued the following statement on February 27 regarding the Northwest Territories’ upcoming participation at the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention:

“Next week, I will be in Toronto for PDAC, the world’s premier mining and exploration conference, to highlight the Northwest Territories’ growing role in Canada’s critical mineral future. The NWT is at a pivotal moment in its mining history. With immense resource potential and a commitment to modernizing our regulatory framework, we are working to provide the certainty, clarity, and predictability that investors need—while ensuring responsible development in full partnership with Indigenous governments.

The NWT is home to confirmed deposits of 26 critical minerals, including rare earth elements, tungsten, lithium, cobalt, zinc, and germanium—a material recently restricted by China for export to North America. These known deposits already position us as a cornerstone of North America’s critical mineral supply chain. However, with much of our territory still unexplored, the potential for new discoveries is enormous, offering even greater opportunities for resource development.

Industry has been clear: to move projects forward with confidence, they need greater certainty, predictability, and efficiency in permitting. We’ve heard this feedback, and we are taking action to address it.

Our goal is to establish a clear, stable, and predictable regulatory system—one that minimizes uncertainty and gives investors the confidence to make long-term commitments in the NWT. By acting now, we can ensure that our territory—and Canada—remains resilient in the face of shifting global trade dynamics.

The Mineral Resources Act represents the most significant modernization of our mining regulations in decades. The regulations under this Act are currently being co-drafted with Indigenous governments—an essential step to ensure they are comprehensive, inclusive, and widely accepted. While this process takes time, it is time well spent.

To further strengthen investment confidence, the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is modernizing its regulatory framework to make the investment environment more predictable and efficient. Key initiatives—including an online map staking system, a public registry, and the modernization of socio-economic and benefit agreements—are enhancing transparency, accessibility, and certainty for developers. These efforts are already making an impact.

The Fraser Institute’s latest survey ranks the NWT 4th in ‘Best Practices Mineral Potential,’ reaffirming that our geology is world-class. However, while our resource potential is unmatched, policy-related factors have historically influenced overall investment attractiveness. This year, the NWT also climbed 19 spots in global investment attractiveness—one of the largest jumps worldwide—showing the momentum behind our efforts to modernize our regulatory framework. We recognize there is still work to do, and we are taking deliberate steps to further modernize our regulatory framework and enhance certainty for industry.

This positive momentum will continue as we finalize these key policy initiatives, strengthen our investment climate, and unlock the full potential of our mineral sector.

As governments worldwide impose restrictions on critical mineral exports, it has never been more urgent for Canada and its allies to secure stable, reliable supply chains. The NWT is positioned to play a key role in this effort—but we must act now. By finalizing our regulatory updates and fully leveraging our mineral potential, we can drive economic growth for our territory and for all of Canada, while ensuring that development is done responsibly and in full partnership with Indigenous governments.

At PDAC, I look forward to meeting with industry leaders, investors, and stakeholders to explore how we can further strengthen the NWT’s mining sector. With modernized regulations, vast untapped resources, and a commitment to responsible growth, the NWT is poised to be a cornerstone of Canada’s critical minerals supply chain—driving innovation, economic opportunities, and resource security for the future.

By working in partnership with Indigenous governments and industry, we are building a mining sector that is globally competitive, investment-ready, and locally beneficial—creating new opportunities for Northerners, strengthening communities, and positioning the NWT as a leader in Canada’s critical minerals strategy.”

For media inquiries or to arrange an interview with Minister Cleveland, please contact:

Cabinet Communications
Government of the Northwest Territories
PressSecretary@gov.nt.ca