Mr. Speaker, with our people-centered approach to managing natural resources, the Northwest Territories does mining differently. Last night, Premier McLeod on behalf of the government accepted the Diamonds Do Good Award from the Diamond Empowerment Fund and its global board of directors in recognition of our leadership and Indigenous participation and socio-economic management in our mining industry.
Mr. Speaker, our government is pleased to have our efforts to build and foster a socially conscious mining industry recognized. We call it the NWT difference. The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment continues to work hard to set our territory apart as a jurisdiction where mining companies will want to work and invest. We want to make our territory a place that our partners can proudly say that their investments are helping to build and strengthen communities and contributing to a more prosperous future of the North. Mr. Speaker, the framework from our unique approach has been built on partnership with Indigenous and community governments as well as our valued mining partners. Partnership and cooperation is a way of life in the North and ensures Indigenous and non-Indigenous people are able to decide on and implement shared priorities.
Indigenous governments work with us to bring the varied and valued perspectives of their respective communities to the table through co-management boards. They contribute to regulatory decision-making through the Intergovernmental Council and benefit from resource- and revenue-sharing agreements that we have put in place. Indigenous-owned businesses and development corporations have led the way in the growth and success of the northern service sector that now supports our mines and is providing jobs and training opportunities for NWT residents.
In turn, our diamond mines have supported millions of dollars of community investments and legacy projects over the years to ensure communities will continue to benefit from mining long after their projects are gone. They have spent billions of dollars with northern businesses, nearly half with Indigenous-owned companies, and employ thousands of NWT residents in well-paying jobs, helping many excel and advance their initial employment into transferable careers in mining and the trades.
Mr. Speaker, these contributions deserve celebrating and, beginning tomorrow, we will do just that. As we do every year, our territory and government will celebrate NWT Mining Week with free events in Yellowknife designed to get people of all ages engaged with geology, prospecting, and mining history.
This year's Mining Week will also mark the opening of our formal nomination process for the second annual Mining and Exploration, or MAX Awards, which we are pleased to sponsor and present in partnership with the Chamber of Mines.
Interested parties are encouraged to nominate individuals and organizations in areas such as environmental and social responsibility, Indigenous achievements, and economic leadership. More information, including nomination forms, can be found by visiting Engage-ITI.ca.
Mr. Speaker, we are proud to support and celebrate the NWT mining sector. It is the largest contributor to our economy, and our government is committed to continuing our support and investment in the future of responsible resource development so there continues to be jobs, business opportunities, and a strong economy to celebrate for years to come. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.