Mr. Speaker, the 2025 wildfire season is now underway, and our team is ready to respond. Response is just one part of the equation. Readiness and preparedness are equally critical.

Following the 2023 season, the GNWT has enhanced its wildfire management program through strategic investments and initiatives. Today, I will update Members on the investments we have made that are helping us build a more prepared and resilient territory.

Mr. Speaker, for the first time, in partnership with the NWT Association of Communities, we sponsored all Indigenous governments and community governments to attend a wildfire preparedness workshop in Yellowknife before the 2025 fire season. This workshop focused on sharing knowledge and practical ideas about wildfires and how to prepare for them.
It brought together 30 members of local fire and public works departments, representing 17 communities. They participated in cross-training exercises to build their knowledge of structural protection equipment and strategies for defending their neighbourhoods.

Mr. Speaker, funding has traditionally been a challenge for communities in preparing for wildfires. Through a number of initiatives championed by the GNWT, we are seeing historic investment in wildfire preparedness. Following the unprecedented season of 2023, we acted quickly to secure and leverage new funding from the Government of Canada to support community wildfire readiness.

This year, the GNWT launched the FireSmart community wildfire resilience contribution program, which will provide nearly $2 million annually in FireSmart projects, including education, vegetation management, training and equipment, each designed to help communities become more wildfire ready. This program is funded through fiscal year 2027-2028, and early uptake has been promising. This initiative builds on the nearly $20 million leveraged by the NWT Association of Communities, in partnership with the GNWT, to complete fuel break projects in line with each forested community's community wildfire protection plans. This investment began in 2020 and will continue through 2030, with additional projects launching every year.

Mr. Speaker, we have also heard from NWT communities and local fire departments about the need for more training and support to participate in wildland urban interface responses. To address this, the GNWT plans to deliver basic wildland urban interface response training in several communities this summer, targeting local firefighters, public works professionals, and facility managers.
The training will provide familiarity with structural assessment and triage, familiarize local staff with key equipment, and increase resources to protect communities if wildfires threaten them.

This renewed focus on training local fire departments will lay the groundwork for developing a wildland urban interface response framework, in partnership with municipal and community affairs, the Office of the Fire Marshal, and fire departments across the territory. Together, we will build northern solutions and support local communities to ensure the NWT is better prepared to respond to future wildfires and urban interface events.

Mr. Speaker, knowledge is the cornerstone of success in wildfire resilience. To that end, we have invested in building a broad FireSmart network that is ready to expand FireSmart knowledge across the NWT. We have trained local fire departments across the territory to deliver the FireSmart advanced home assessment and neighbourhood recognition programs and have expanded our capacity to deliver these programs within our wildfire service. With over 100 assessments requested and three neighborhoods interested in recognition this engagement season, residents are eager to participate. We are also increasing our presence in schools and communities by holding information events and conducting outreach, supported by investments in public education campaigns, to encourage residents to take FireSmart action.

Mr. Speaker, these efforts make real progress as we continue to work toward a more wildfire-ready territory. But there is still more to be done. The journey to wildfire readiness is ongoing. It must be reflected in the actions of all sectors of society day after day, month after month, and year after year.

The GNWT is committed to supporting these efforts across all sectors to build safer communities, ready to respond and recover from emergencies, and better prepared to adapt to the challenges of a changing climate. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.