The Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce, Hay River Chamber of Commerce, City of Yellowknife, and Town of Hay River are pleased to announce the successful completion of the 2026 Yellowknife-Hay River Trade Mission, a collaborative initiative designed to strengthen business relationships, increase understanding of regional economic strengths, and position Northwest Territories businesses to capitalize on emerging opportunities.
The mission brought together business leaders, municipal representatives, Indigenous organizations, government partners and economic development professionals for a day of site tours, networking, and information sharing focused on transportation, logistics, manufacturing, industrial services, and future economic development opportunities in the Northwest Territories. Participants toured key infrastructure assets and businesses, including the Merlyn Carter Airport, Marine Transportation Services (MTS), MetCan Manufacturing,
Cando Rail Services and Aurora Manufacturing, while learning more about the critical role Hay River plays as the transportation and logistics hub of the North.
Throughout the day, participants discussed the importance of regional collaboration in preparing for major economic opportunities, including defence-related investments, transportation infrastructure, Arctic sovereignty initiatives, housing development, and other large-scale projects expected to shape the future of the Northwest Territories. Discussions focused on how communities and businesses can work together to maximize economic benefits, build local capacity, strengthen northern supply chains, and ensure northern companies are well-positioned to participate in future investments.
The Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce, Hay River Chamber of Commerce, City of Yellowknife, and Town of Hay River extend their appreciation to the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) and the Government of the Northwest Territories Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment (ITI) for their funding support in making this trade mission possible.
We also thank all participating businesses, government representatives, sponsors, and attendees who contributed to the success of the trade mission and helped demonstrate the tremendous capacity that exists across the Northwest Territories.
The organizations are also committed to continuing the dialogue initiated through the trade mission and exploring future opportunities for joint advocacy, business development, business-to-business networking and regional economic cooperation.
Quotes:
“Hay River has long served as a gateway to the North, connecting communities, businesses, and supply chains
across the Northwest Territories. This trade mission provided an excellent opportunity to showcase the
remarkable businesses and infrastructure that support our economy while strengthening relationships with our
partners in Yellowknife. Working together will help ensure our communities are ready to capture the
opportunities that lie ahead.”
- Mayor Kandis Jameson, Town of Hay River
“The Northwest Territories is entering a period of tremendous opportunity. From defence investments and
infrastructure projects to housing and resource development, the scale of future opportunities will require
communities and businesses to work together. Strong partnerships between Hay River, Yellowknife, and our
business sectors will be key to maximizing economic benefits across the North.”
- Mayor Ben Hendriksen, City of Yellowknife
“One of the greatest benefits of this mission was the opportunity for businesses to connect directly with one
another, share information and learn more about the capabilities that exist across the territory. Those
relationships are essential to building partnerships, growing northern capacity, and ensuring local companies are
positioned to compete for future opportunities.”
- Terry Rowe, President of the Hay River Chamber of Commerce
“The business community recognizes that economic success is strongest when communities work together. This
mission demonstrated the complementary strengths of Hay River and Yellowknife and reinforced the
importance of collaboration, communication, and relationship-building as we prepare for major projects of
territorial and national significance.”
- Mark Henry, President of the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce