Community Operations

About Community Operations

The Community Operations division provides various services on behalf of community governments, including the following:

 

Community Financial Services

Community Financial Services provides support services and advice to community governments to assist them in developing sustainable, accountable and effective local governments. The unit provides the policy, planning and analytical support necessary to meet the Department’s responsibilities in community financial monitoring and analysis.

These services to local governments are intended to:

  • Ensure financial viability;
  • Promote good financial and reporting practices; and
  • Help with administrative processes.

Community Finanical Services also manages:

  • Community Government Funding;
  • The Canada/Northwest Territories Infrastructure Program;
  • Ministerial guidelines for financial and audit reporting; and
  • Statutory approvals to local governments on financial matters.

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Financial Policy and Infrastructure Planning

Financial Policy and Infrastructure Planning supports departmental and Government of the Northwest Territories priorities by focusing on leveraging and accessing alternate sources of revenue for infrastructure planning and development for community governments.

Financial Policy and Infrastructure Planning supports communities by helping with:

  • Analysis of fiscal policy related to supporting community governments;
  • Identifying and assisting communities in accessing alternate sources of revenue for community government projects; and
  • Support for federal infrastructure funding programs such as the Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund and Federal Gas Tax Fund.

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Capital Planning and Infrastructure

Capital Planning and Infrastructure supports community governments in their capital and infrastructure project development.

Capital Planning and Infrastructure also helps with funding, advice, training and support for:

  • Capital Programs;
  • Capital Program Development;
  • Policy initiatives related to capital programs; and
  • Operations/Maintenance Systems Training

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Community Governance

The Community Governance unit assists community governments to manage their duties under Northwest Territories' laws and to better define their governance activities.

Communities have opportunities to expand and re-define their governance authorities. Some communities' governance structures are being changed through Aboriginal self-government agreements; others are taking advantage of modernized statues. The Commuity Governance unit assists, through its regional and headquarters staff, communities that are involved in any of these processes.

Aboriginal Land Claims and Self-Government Processes

The Division coordinates the Department’s involvement in the negotiation and implementation of Aboriginal land claims and self-government agreements.

Community Governance and Legislation

The Division provides advice on community governance including bylaws, incorporation under legislation, changes in incorporation status, and council structure. In particular, assistance is given in the development of new bylaws by providing community governments with examples, advice, and review of proposed community legislation.

Bylaw Review

Some bylaws, under the legislation governing municipalities, require approval of the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. The Community Governance unit ensures that the bylaw conforms to legislation and policies and it expedites ministerial approval of these bylaws.

Office of the Chief Municipal Electoral Officer

The Office of the Chief Municipal Electoral Officer is located within the Community Operations unit and provides advice and support related to community government elections. In cases of dispute, the Chief Municipal Electoral Officer has the authority to rule on the circumstances including voter and candidate eligibility.

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Environmental Planning

Environmental Planning, Review and Permitting provides environmental planning and Regulatory review on applications related to Commissioner's Land and other community lands including assisting on the assessment of the impact on communities resulting from resource development.

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Community Emergency Managment

Community Emergency Management communities in the preparation of emergency response and recovery plans; evaluates community emergency response plans, response actions and recovery efforts; assists in accessing training in emergency preparedness and response; supports communities during emergencies; administers Joint Emergency Preparedness Projects (JEPP); and works with the Territorial Emergency Measures Coordinator in adminstering Federal and Territorial Disaster Assistance Programs.

The Community Emergency Management unit also supports public awareness of emergency preparedness.

For more information about the Community Emergency Measures and Planning division or any of the programs and services listed here, please e-mail Community Emergency Measures and Planning or call (867) 873-7083.

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For more information or questions regarding any of these services, please contact the Director of Community Operations at (867) 873-7571.