POLAR and the Government of Northwest Territories celebrate and continue partnership via NWT Cumulative Impact Monitoring Program

Polar Knowledge Canada (POLAR) and the Government of Northwest Territories (NWT) are partnering to better understand cumulative impacts from road development on caribou, water and fish in the Northwest Territories.

POLAR has committed $1.8 million over three years to the NWT Cumulative Impact Monitoring Program (CIMP) to support the Road Development Impacts (RDI) initiative. POLAR’s 2026-27 funding of $600,000 supports six projects that will provide support for research and monitoring. This will help provide a foundation for ongoing regulatory processes involving road construction in the NWT and inform best practices for mitigating impacts on caribou, water and fish.  

The RDI initiative follows a successful partnership between POLAR and the Government of NWT on barren ground caribou, wherein POLAR contributed $1.95 million over three years (2023-2026) to support seven projects through the NWT CIMP on barren-ground caribou health and population trends. 

POLAR supports initiatives like those of the RDI and barren ground caribou because of their critical impact on Arctic ecosystems and the lives of Northerners and all Canadians. Of the 26 projects funded through the NWT CIMP in 2026-27, six focus on Traditional Knowledge, 18 focus on science and two combine Traditional Knowledge and science. POLAR is pleased to contribute to the advancement of high-quality research and monitoring efforts that respect and promote both scientific and Traditional Knowledge.

Read the news release from the Government of Northwest Territories.