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YELLOWKNIFE DEEP-WATER ARCTIC PORT

Written by Canadian Indigenous Investment Summit | Dec 4, 2025 3:47:43 PM

Project Overview 

Location: Yellowknife area, Northwest Territories Project Type: Arctic deep-water port with all-season road access Proponent: Federal/territorial government, potential private partners Status: Conceptual stage 

Project Description 

Major Arctic port infrastructure with year-round road connection to Yellowknife, enabling northern resource development and Arctic shipping route utilization. 

Investment Value 

Estimated Capital: $2-5 billion CAD (port and road infrastructure combined) 

Indigenous Partnerships 

Land Claim Requirements: Multiple Dene and Métis land claim agreement territories Indigenous Government Authority: Modern land claim agreements create Indigenous government consent requirements 

NWT Context: 

  • Gwich'in, Sahtu, Tlicho, potentially Dehcho First Nations involvement 
  • Indigenous government approvals parallel to territorial government 
  • Partnership necessity versus consultation obligation 

Key Risks 

High Risk: 

  • Multi-Indigenous government coordination 
  • Remote Arctic infrastructure challenges 
  • Extreme construction costs 
  • Seasonal limitations 
  • Extended development timeline 

Investment Assessment 

Arctic strategic value balanced against extreme development complexity and costs. Conceptual stage requires substantial feasibility development before investment readiness.