YELLOWKNIFE, NORTHWEST TERRITORIES  |  JULY 14, 2025

The City of Yellowknife and the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce have released a “What We Heard” report, summarizing local business perspectives on downtown safety, public space conditions, and ways to boost economic activity in Yellowknife.

The report is based on feedback from 43 participants representing 39 businesses who attended a collaborative brainstorming session in June 2025. The session was part of a shared effort to understand the City’s safety challenges better and identify both short-term ideas that can be acted on quickly and longer-term strategies for revitalization and business resilience, especially in the downtown area.

Mayor Ben Hendriksen said, “Businesses have been clear that the challenges downtown are impacting people, confidence, and community well-being. Safety in Yellowknife, especially in the downtown core, is a priority, and the City is committed to taking action with our partners to move forward.”

Mark Henry, President of the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce, added, “What we’re experiencing in Yellowknife is not normal; it’s unsettling, and it’s taking a real toll on our businesses, the residents and visitors that want to support our businesses, and our overall sense of community. Tackling this issue requires a shared commitment to restore social norms, ensure proper health and social supports are in place, and reinforce law enforcement. Everyone deserves to feel safe in public, and that means expecting respectful behaviour and ensuring authorities are equipped to uphold it with empathy.”

The report outlines several actions that can be taken as early as this summer, including improving communication, organizing community events, increasing downtown presence, and launching a public awareness campaign. These reflect priorities identified by businesses during the session and will help guide future collaboration and planning.