Articles by Ian Down

Featured, Health, News November 2, 2022

NTHSSA deficit nearly quadrupled in six years: Report

"Without reforms to achieve better value from existing health system resources now, the GNWT may be forced to reduce healthcare services in the future," the report reads


Last updated on Nov. 3 at 4:15 p.m.   The deficit of the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority has quadrupled in the six years since its creation, according to a report by a Legislative Assembly standing committee. Members of the Standing Committee on Government Operations, including Yellowknife North…

Featured, Health, News October 24, 2022

Health Minister shuts the door on NWT-based treatment centre

"The simple reason that we don't have a treatment centre is because they don't work. We have tried four times," said Julie Green


The Northwest Territories will not be getting its own addiction treatment centre any time soon. That’s according to the territory’s Minister of Health and Social Services. During a sitting of the Legislative Assembly on Thursday, October 20, Monfwi MLA Jane Weyallon Armstrong asked Minister Julie Green if she would commit…

Community, Environment, Featured, News, Weather October 21, 2022

“It was just heartbreaking”: Scotty Creek team still tallying losses from wildfire devastation

Five of the camp's nine buildings were burned to the ground in last week's fire


William Alger was one of the first people to see the devastation at Scotty Creek firsthand. “It was just heartbreaking,” says Alger, the project’s lead guardian, who has worked with the team since early 2020. He was on the scene immediately after a naturally-caused wildfire tore through the camp and…

Environment, Featured, News, Weather October 18, 2022

Update: Crews were unable to fight Scotty Creek blaze directly due to strong winds

Five out of nine buildings were "burned to the ground," according to the LKFN


Updated Thursday, Oct. 20 at 10:00 a.m. While the Scotty Creek Research Centre was being devastated by wildfire over the weekend, fire crews were unable to fight the blaze directly due to extreme winds, according to a spokesperson for the department of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR). “The unfortunate reality…