Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform the House that the Territorial Nominee Program has been greatly enhanced to better meet the needs of employers and to advance the population and economic growth objectives set by this government.

Economic growth in the territory is creating opportunities for employment and investment in many sectors, particularly in the non-renewable resource sector. To continue to build a strong and competitive economy, this government has committed to increasing immigration as a component of the broader economic and population growth work while maintaining our priority to continue to prepare Northerners for future economic and employment opportunities.

This is why we are taking a coordinated and unified approach to enhancing immigration programs and services to attract and retain more skilled newcomers to the territory. Enhancing immigration will help grow and diversify the labour force and support economic growth and prosperity over the long term.

The Nominee Program is a government-wide initiative delivered by two departments. The Department of Education, Culture and Employment delivers two employer-driven streams and the new Express Entry stream. The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment delivers two business streams.

The Nominee Program has been identified as one of the pillars of the GNWT’s efforts to support the territory’s population growth objectives. ITI has set

a target of eight nominees formally enrolled in the business related stream. ECE committed to increasing the number of employer-driven applications under the Nominee Program by 25 percent each year over five years beginning in 2014.

To this point, I am very pleased to announce that ECE has already surpassed this target. In 2014 the number of approved nominee applications increased by more than 50 percent. This translates into 48 approved applicants including their 62 dependents, a total of 110 people approved under the employer-driven Nominee Program in 2014. We are also on track to surpass our target this year. This is great news for the territory, and over five years we project more than 800 new residents living in and contributing to the NWT economy. This initiative is a key component of our growth strategy, aimed at attracting 2000 new residents to the NWT over the next five years.

We have made several key enhancements to the Nominee Program. First we have provided a one-stop and seamless program administered by knowledgeable and dedicated staff. We have also engaged with employers and other stakeholders to hear from them firsthand how best to improve the program. With their input, we have revised program procedures and materials to ensure information is accurate, clear and understandable. We have introduced program service standards and launched a toll-free information line for employers across the NWT. All of these enhancements will better facilitate the application and nomination process.

We moved our northern employment services website from Jobs North to Canada’s Job Bank in January to provide employers and job seekers with enhanced online employment services.

The department has expanded the Nominee Program with the introduction of the new Express Entry system. Citizenship and Immigration Canada launched the new Express Entry system for skilled immigrants in January 2015. This new system allows the Government of Canada to select and manage applications for permanent residence more efficiently and faster. Through the Nominee Program, ECE has implemented a new Northwest Territories Express Entry system for skilled workers. The addition of the NWT Express Entry

system provides another 100 available positions for potential candidates in addition to the 150 currently available through the Nominee Program, bringing the total to 250 spots for candidates.

Mr. Speaker, we are also leading the development of an immigration framework. This framework will focus the GNWT’s efforts and strategies to help employers get the talent they need, increase growth and diversification of the economy, and promote the NWT as a destination of choice for talented newcomers.

In the months ahead, the department will be engaging employers and stakeholders to inform the immigration framework and will continue this important work to enhance our immigration programs and services to help keep our economy strong and ensure our residents prosper.

At the same time, ECE is leading a Skills for Success Initiative, to take a hard look at our skills training and post-secondary education programs and supports. We want to improve employment success for northern residents, close skill gaps for in-demand jobs and more effectively respond to employer and community needs. We all recognize that the number one resource in the NWT is its own people.

Mr. Speaker, I want to emphasize the importance of these initiatives to the territory. A growing, vibrant economy needs workers and, with our abundant natural resources, there are jobs emerging all the time without people to fill them. A coordinated approach to immigration, our workforce and labour market will help improve economic and population growth, and increase opportunities for our residents. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.