Economic profile: Yellowknife, Northwest Territories

Overview

Yellowknife^{Footnote 1} has a population of 20,340, consisting of 7.8% seniors (65 and older), 72% working-age adults (15 to 64) and 20% children (under 15).

The key sectors of the economy in Yellowknife, which account for 51% of the jobs in the region, are

• public administration
• health care and social assistance
• retail trade

There are 11,755 employed residents, of which 21% are immigrants.^{Footnote 2}

The economy generates a total of $2.1 billion in household and business incomes, which amounts to $101,597 per resident.

General age structure – 2021

Sustainability

In order to support local services such as health care and social programs and maintain a good standard of living for everyone in the region, it is essential to have more working-age adults than seniors. Yellowknife has more working-age adults than seniors compared to the average in Northwest Territories.

From 2011 to 2021, Yellowknife experienced

• a 5.8% increase in population, compared to a 0.9% decrease in the territory
• a 116% increase in the population’s proportion of seniors, compared to a 73% increase in the territory
• a 6.0% decrease in the population’s proportion of working-age adults, compared to a 4.3% decrease in the territory

Population structure – Changes from 2011 to 2021

By 2031, without immigration,^{Footnote 3} the region could experience^{Footnote 4}

• a 5.1% increase in population
• a 6.0% decrease in the population’s proportion of working-age adults, which could limit the availability and quality of local services
• a further increase in the population’s proportion of seniors by 82%, potentially changing the demand for local services, including health care and long-term care

No immigration – Possible changes from 2021 to 2031

Prosperity

The region relies heavily on working-age adults to keep local services running smoothly and to maintain a good standard of living and economic growth. Immigrants can help by filling job gaps and bringing new skills and ideas, which keeps the local economy strong.

From 2011 to 2021, Yellowknife experienced

• a 2.2% decrease in workforce^{Footnote 5} size, compared to a 5.8% decrease in the territory
• a 42% increase in the number of immigrant workers, compared to a 40% increase in the territory
• a total of 1,651 retirements,^{Footnote 6} which amounts to 13% of the 2021 workforce, compared to 15% in the territory
• a change in the average income per resident from local jobs relative to the territory, which is 4.7% higher than the average in Northwest Territories in 2021

Economic changes from 2011 to 2021

By 2031, without immigration,^{Footnote 8} the region could experience^{Footnote 9}

• a further decrease in workforce size by 32%
• a 31% decrease in the number of jobs
• an increase in the proportion of seniors in the population from 7.8% to 14%

No immigration – Possible changes from 2021 to 2031

Supporting the community’s French-speaking population

Francophone immigration outside Quebec plays an important role in enhancing the vitality and economic development of Francophone minority communities across the country.

Yellowknife is part of the Welcoming Francophone Communities initiative launched by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. This initiative supports the economic and socio-cultural integration of French-speaking newcomers.

In total, 17% of Yellowknife’s population speaks French, with 4.2% speaking French as a first language and 13% as a second language.

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