Written Submission – 2021 Budget Dialouges
In addition to our virtual meeting, the NWT Chamber has submitted a written submission in regards to the 2021 Budget Dialogues.
Thank you for this opportunity to allow the NWT Chamber of Commerce to provide feedback to the Budget Dialogues 2021. The NWT Chamber of Commerce is the largest and most broadly-based business organization North of 60, representing every NWT region. Working in association with the network of community chambers in Norman Wells, Fort Simpson, Hay River, Thebacha, and Yellowknife, the NWT Chamber represents members' interests across the NWT. For over 45 years, we have been the only pan-territorial voice of businesses across all sectors of the northern economy.
The NWT Chamber would like to take this opportunity to reiterate some of the items that were highlighted in the consultation call on July 07, 2021. We have concerns and feel, as previously stated, the GNWT is only focusing on increasing sole source revenues vs. a balanced approach of increasing these revenue streams and reducing operating expenses. As per "The NWT Economy, Where do we build from here?" a vast majority of the 101% job growth is all in the public sector. As per your graph, the 2008/2009 – 2020/2021 operating expenses (4.5%) have outpaced revenue (4.4%).