Starting today, residents traveling outside the Northwest Territories for leisure will be responsible to cover the cost of their stay at a self-isolation centre.
Premier Caroline Cochrane announced the territorial government would no longer cover the costs in a press conference on Dec. 1.
As the changes go into effect on Tuesday, anyone who arrived Monday and earlier will still have their two week stay covered.
The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) will continue to cover the self-isolation centre expenses for anyone who needs to travel for medical or compassionate reasons — such as a funeral.
Additionally anyone who hasn’t traveled outside the territory but is required to self-isolate — such as awaiting a COVID-19 test result — will also have the their stay at a self-isolation centre covered by the GNWT if it is their only available option to self-isolate.
Whereas anyone who is required to travel into the NWT for employment will have their stay at a self-isolation centre covered by their employer. Someone moving to the territory, not for employment purposes, will need to cover the cost themselves.
On Dec. 18, the GNWT announced students and those legally required to travel will also continue to have their stay at isolation centres covered by the territorial government.
