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The Government of the Northwest Territories is committed to a liquor system that supports safe, responsible consumption, and respects the decisions communities make for themselves. It should also leave room for NWT businesses to grow.
The Liquor Act, passed in 2023, sets the framework for that system. It changes how licences and permits are administered, how compliance is handled, and how communities take part in decisions about liquor locally. The regulations that support the Act have now been drafted and the GNWT is seeking feedback on what is proposed.
the classes of licence available to businesses, and what each one allows
permits for events, and which gatherings need no permit at all
training for the people who sell and serve liquor
serving sizes and rules for advertising and promotion
where liquor can be bought; and
the tools a community uses to decide what is allowed locally, including local authority resolutions, bylaws and plebiscites
Feedback on the proposed regulations will help make sure the rules are clear and workable for residents, businesses and communities across the Northwest Territories.
Have Your Say
To help people take part, the GNWT has prepared four short guides on the proposed changes:
The guides are a starting point. They highlight the changes most likely to affect you and point to the relevant sections of the proposed regulations.
The Act sets the framework and the regulations fill in the detail, so both are posted under Related Links. The engagement is focused on the proposed regulations only. The Liquor Act was passed in 2023 and is not open for comment, though it is worth reading alongside the draft.
Send us your comments
Take the survey now. Responses to the survey will be accepted until October 16, 2026.
You can comment on any part of the proposed regulations, whether or not a guide covers it. Tell us what is unclear, what would be hard to follow in practice, and what you think is missing. Comments can be brief or detailed. All feedback will be reviewed and considered, although not every suggestion can be adopted.
Background
The Liquor Act currently in force, along with its regulations, dates from 2007. Much has changed since then. Tourism operators now serve guests in settings that were not contemplated when the current licence classes were developed. Communities have also asked for clearer and more direct ways to make local decisions about liquor.
In October 2023, the Legislative Assembly passed a new Liquor Act to replace the 2007 one. It puts a Registrar in charge of licences and permits and a Chief Inspector in charge of compliance, with a Liquor Appeals Board to hear appeals of their decisions. Most of the practical detail is left to the regulations.
That detail is what is open for comment now: who can hold each kind of licence, what a permit allows, what training is required, and how communities can make local liquor decisions. A full set of proposed regulations has been drafted and will replace the current ones.
Next Steps
After comments close on October 16, 2026, all feedback will be reviewed and considered, and the regulations will be finalized. The Act and the regulations are expected to come into force together.
More detailed guidance for licence holders, permit holders and communities will follow in handbooks and manuals.
The Government of the Northwest Territories is committed to a liquor system that supports safe, responsible consumption, and respects the decisions communities make for themselves. It should also leave room for NWT businesses to grow.
The Liquor Act, passed in 2023, sets the framework for that system. It changes how licences and permits are administered, how compliance is handled, and how communities take part in decisions about liquor locally. The regulations that support the Act have now been drafted and the GNWT is seeking feedback on what is proposed.
the classes of licence available to businesses, and what each one allows
permits for events, and which gatherings need no permit at all
training for the people who sell and serve liquor
serving sizes and rules for advertising and promotion
where liquor can be bought; and
the tools a community uses to decide what is allowed locally, including local authority resolutions, bylaws and plebiscites
Feedback on the proposed regulations will help make sure the rules are clear and workable for residents, businesses and communities across the Northwest Territories.
Have Your Say
To help people take part, the GNWT has prepared four short guides on the proposed changes:
The guides are a starting point. They highlight the changes most likely to affect you and point to the relevant sections of the proposed regulations.
The Act sets the framework and the regulations fill in the detail, so both are posted under Related Links. The engagement is focused on the proposed regulations only. The Liquor Act was passed in 2023 and is not open for comment, though it is worth reading alongside the draft.
Send us your comments
Take the survey now. Responses to the survey will be accepted until October 16, 2026.
You can comment on any part of the proposed regulations, whether or not a guide covers it. Tell us what is unclear, what would be hard to follow in practice, and what you think is missing. Comments can be brief or detailed. All feedback will be reviewed and considered, although not every suggestion can be adopted.
Background
The Liquor Act currently in force, along with its regulations, dates from 2007. Much has changed since then. Tourism operators now serve guests in settings that were not contemplated when the current licence classes were developed. Communities have also asked for clearer and more direct ways to make local decisions about liquor.
In October 2023, the Legislative Assembly passed a new Liquor Act to replace the 2007 one. It puts a Registrar in charge of licences and permits and a Chief Inspector in charge of compliance, with a Liquor Appeals Board to hear appeals of their decisions. Most of the practical detail is left to the regulations.
That detail is what is open for comment now: who can hold each kind of licence, what a permit allows, what training is required, and how communities can make local liquor decisions. A full set of proposed regulations has been drafted and will replace the current ones.
Next Steps
After comments close on October 16, 2026, all feedback will be reviewed and considered, and the regulations will be finalized. The Act and the regulations are expected to come into force together.
More detailed guidance for licence holders, permit holders and communities will follow in handbooks and manuals.
