CanNor Celebrates 15 Years Boosting Northern Economy

Since CanNor was created the Agency has worked in the three territories to help create the conditions for a sustainable, diversified and innovative economy in collaboration with Northerners, Indigenous Peoples, businesses, organizations, other federal departments and other levels of government.

• CanNor was created on August 18, 2009. In its first full fiscal year, the Agency established its operational foundations, delivered on key commitments, and set the stage for the Agency's future efforts. Regional offices were up and running in all three territorial capitals.
• Since 2009, CanNor has invested over $650 million towards more than 2,000 projects through its suite of targeting funding programs for non-profits, Indigenous organizations, other levels of government, businesses, and economic development corporations.
• More than half of the funding approved through CanNor has been to Indigenous owned/led or majority owned/led entities or projects. This is a recognition of the pivotal role Indigenous organizations and businesses have in the territories.
• In 2010, the Northern Projects Management Office (NPMO) opened as part of CanNor with its main office in Yellowknife, NWT and regional representation in all three territories. NPMO supports sustainable infrastructure and resource development in the territories. It brings together federal departments, businesses and other levels of government to navigate environmental assessment and regulatory review processes.
• NPMO has collaborated with 135 projects and companies and organized 48 Resource Development Advisory Group meetings. Since 2016, NPMO has reported over 1,000 interactions with partners and facilitated 53 environmental assessments.
• In May 2016, Pilimmaksaivik, the Federal Centre of Excellence for Inuit Employment in Nunavut, was established in Iqaluit, Nunavut as part of CanNor. The Centre supports the implementation of Article 23 of the Nunavut Agreement by coordinating a government-wide approach to increase Inuit employment in Government of Canada positions in Nunavut.
• As of 2023, Inuit representation had risen to 49%, reflecting significant progress but still short of the target of 84.7% (representative level of Inuit population demographic in the Nunavut Settlement Area). This increase is a marked improvement from the past, demonstrating ongoing efforts to meet the goal set out in the Nunavut Agreement.