Guide
Overview
The Northwest Territories has one city, Yellowknife, four towns, one village and a set of hamlets and charter communities, all under the Cities, Towns and Villages Act, the Hamlets Act or the Charter Communities Act, and the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs oversees them. The links on this page go to the official community websites. Yellowknife publishes council agendas, minutes, bylaws, permits and its assessment roll online, and the smaller communities publish council minutes and notices.
Property assessment in the territory is done by the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs for most communities, and the land titles office in Yellowknife holds the titles with the owner's name.
Official sources on this page were checked on September 25, 2026.
Guide
What Northwest Territories municipalities publish online
Council meetings are open by law and Yellowknife, Hay River, Inuvik and Fort Smith post agendas, minutes and bylaws online. Building permits are public once issued. The territorial assessment roll is open for inspection at the community office. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs publishes the community directory with contacts and the annual financial statements each community files, and the NWT Association of Communities lists every community government.
Guide
Requesting records from Northwest Territories municipalities
A record not on the website is requested from the community office, and a formal request goes under the territorial Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, which has applied to municipalities since 2021, with a review by the territorial Information and Privacy Commissioner if refused. The land title, which names the owner, is searched through the Land Titles Office in Yellowknife for a fee.
Directory
Official municipal websites
Each link opens the community's own website.
Straight answers
Common questions about NWT community records
Are council minutes public in the Northwest Territories?
Yes. Council meetings are open by law, and Yellowknife and the towns post agendas, minutes and bylaws online. Hamlets provide minutes at the community office.
Who owns a property in the Northwest Territories?
The land title names the owner and is searched through the Land Titles Office in Yellowknife for a fee. The assessment roll shows values.
How do I request a record from an NWT community government?
Ask the community office first. A formal request goes under the territorial Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, with a review by the Information and Privacy Commissioner if refused.