The Government of Northwest Territories, along with the Union of Northern Workers, the Public Service Alliance of Canada, and the Hay River Health and Social Services Authority, have reached an agreement to bring local health services into the territorial public service.
Effective April 1, 2027, the health authority in Hay River will join the public service. For the approximately 3,200 residents of the community, this change means that healthcare and social services will continue without any interruption.
The transition affects about 250 employees who currently work at the local health authority. These staff members will perform the same jobs, with no changes to their duties, work schedules, work locations, reporting relationships, pay, or leave because of the move. This agreement addresses long-standing concerns regarding the health authority operating as a standalone body, which has previously created challenges in competing for staff and resources against the territory-wide health authority.
Since 2016, the health authority in Hay River has remained one of only two separate health authorities in the territory, operating in parallel to the main territorial system. Premier R.J. Simpson, who represents Hay River, has previously voiced support for this change as a way to better support patients and the region.
This integration follows efforts by the territorial government to modernize the laws that govern the public service. The shift is expected to simplify how health resources are managed for the community moving forward.
