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Canada Province economic profile
Northwest Territories - Economic Profile
Statistics, economic information and rankings for this Northern territory
In 2026, the province of Northwest Territories has a population of 46,350, having grown an annualized 0.8% over the five years to 2026, which ranks it 13th out of 13 provinces and territories by growth rate. Northwest Territories' gross domestic product (GDP) in 2026 reached $4.1b, with growth of 0.1% over the 5 years to 2026. Businesses in Northwest Territories employed a total of 22,316 people in 2026, with average annual employment growth over the past five years of %. The top three sectors by total employment are Public Administration in Canada, Mining, Real Estate & Rental & Leasing in Canada,
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Province economic profile
Northwest Territories Economic Overview
$4.1b
Gross province product
46,350
Population
2,206
Businesses
Province economic profile
Northwest Territories Industry Trends
Learn about current trends affecting the most significant industries for Northwest Territories' province economy, down to the county level. 91¶¶Òù offers provincial industry research reports across all 13 provinces and territories, including 277 industries in Northwest Territories.
What are Northwest Territories' Largest Industries by Revenue?
The largest industries by revenue in Northwest Territories are Gasoline & Petroleum Wholesaling, Gasoline & Petroleum Bulk Stations and Commercial Banking, which generated $1.4b, $1.1b and $1.0b in 2026.
| Industry | 2026 revenue | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Gasoline & Petroleum Wholesaling | $1.4b |
| 2. | Gasoline & Petroleum Bulk Stations | $1.1b |
| 3. | Commercial Banking | $1.0b |
| 4. | Electric Power Transmission | $729.5m |
| 5. | Scheduled Air Transportation | $534.3m |
| 6. | Hospitals | $405.2m |
| 7. | Supermarkets & Grocery Stores | $347.9m |
| 8. | Mineral & Phosphate Mining | $264.3m |
| 9. | Thermal Power | $259.7m |
| 10. | Colleges & Universities | $247.8m |
Province economic profile
Top Companies in Northwest Territories
Learn about current trends affecting the top companies in Northwest Territories.
Top 10 Companies Headquartered in Northwest Territories by Employment
The largest companies by employment in Northwest Territories are The Government of Northwest Territories, Rio Tinto and The Washington Companies, which employed 5,000, 2,143 and 1,082 people in 2026.
| Company | 2026 employment | Share of employment | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | The Government of Northwest Territories | 5,000 | 22.4% |
| 2. | Rio Tinto | 2,143 | 9.6% |
| 3. | The Washington Companies | 1,082 | 4.8% |
| 4. | Walmart | 244 | 1.1% |
| 5. | City of Yellowknife | 206 | 0.9% |
| 6. | Loblaw Companies | 183 | 0.8% |
| 7. | RTL Robinson Enterprises Ltd. | 120 | 0.5% |
| 8. | Tim Hortons | 84 | 0.4% |
| 9. | Mcdonald’s corporation | 62 | 0.3% |
| 10. | Td Bank N A | 43 | 0.2% |
Province economic profile
Northwest Territories Sector Statistics
In Northwest Territories, certain sectors drive a higher share of provincial GDP and employ more workers than others. However, simply looking at raw numbers doesn't always tell the whole story. Factoring in the current year growth percentage, in addition to the annualized growth percentage over the past five years, will give you a deeper understanding of the economic situation.
What is Northwest Territories' GDP by Sector?
The Public Administration in Canada, Mining and Real Estate & Rental & Leasing in Canada sectors contributed the most to Northwest Territories' GDP in 2026, representing a combined 45.2% of provincial GDP.
GDP trends by sector are an important indicator of which sectors are contributing the most value-add to the provincial economy, in addition to how the provincial economy is evolving over time.
What is Northwest Territories' Employment by Sector?
The Healthcare & Social Assistance in Canada, Retail Trade and Transportation & Warehousing in Canada sectors contributed the most to employment in Northwest Territories in 2026, representing a combined 41.2% of provincial employment.
Employment trends by sector are an important indicator of which sectors are growing or contracting most rapidly relative to the provincial economy as a whole.
| Sector | Employment | Growth 2026 | Annualized growth 2021-26 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Healthcare & Social Assistance in Canada | 3,489 | 0.1% | 2.5% |
| Retail Trade | 3,080 | 1.3% | -0.2% |
| Transportation & Warehousing in Canada | 2,584 | -4.2% | -3.7% |
| Accommodation & Food Services in Canada | 1,842 | 1.8% | 9.0% |
| Educational Services | 1,612 | 3.9% | 5.6% |
| Construction | 1,506 | 1.1% | 2.8% |
| Utilities | 1,459 | -3.6% | -0.1% |
| Administration, Business Support & Waste Management Services | 1,244 | 0.9% | 1.5% |
| Manufacturing | 916 | 2.2% | -5.1% |
| Finance & Insurance in Canada | 859 | 0.4% | 3.1% |
| Professional, Scientific & Technical Services in Canada | 828 | 1.5% | 1.4% |
| Wholesale Trade | 778 | 0.8% | 1.7% |
| Mining | 733 | 7.2% | -6.3% |
| Information | 467 | 4.2% | 2.5% |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting in Canada | 241 | 0.4% | 2.7% |
| Arts, Entertainment & Recreation in Canada | 210 | 4.0% | 1.3% |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 178 | 1.7% | 2.3% |
| Real Estate & Rental & Leasing in Canada | 173 | 1.2% | 3.3% |
Province economic profile
Northwest Territories Employment Trends
22.3k
Employment
What Employment Trends are Impacting Northwest Territories?
The province of Northwest Territories employs 22,316 people in 2026, which ranks it 12th out of 13 provinces and territories. Employment in Northwest Territories has grown at an annualized rate of 0.9% over the five years to 2026, underperforming the national average of 1.6%. Major sectors by employment in Northwest Territories include Healthcare & Social Assistance in Canada, Retail Trade and Transportation & Warehousing in Canada, which employed 3,489, 3,080 and 2,584 people in 2026, respectively. Northwest Territories' unemployment rate is in 2026, which ranks it out of 13 provinces and territories. Northwest Territories' unemployment rate has trended downwards at a rate of over the five years to 2026, underperforming the Canada economy as a whole.
Employment trends indicate the degree of tightness or slack in labor markets, in addition to the overall strength of an economy. Faster employment growth typically indicates a strong and growing economy, while lower unemployment tends to imply tightness in labor markets.
$165.1k
Per capita disposable income
What is Northwest Territories' Per Capita Disposable Income?
Per capita disposable income, also known as disposable personal income (DPI), is the amount of money that the average person in an economy has available for spending and saving after accounting for income taxes. Northwest Territories' DPI in 2026 was $165.1k, compared to the Canadian average of $120.6k, which places it 13th out of 13 provinces and territories.
Disposable income is regarded as a key economic indicator as trends in disposable income are indicative of the level of aggregate demand, the state of labor markets and the financial strength of households.
You can track trends in Northwest Territories' per capita disposable income, and compare it to the Canadian average, using the chart below.
Province economic profile
Northwest Territories Construction & Building Trends
$3.7m
Nonresidential construction
$8.5m
Residential construction
67
Building permits
What can construction trends tell you about a province’s economy?
In Northwest Territories, non-residential construction was $3.7m in 2026, which ranks it 3rd out of 13 provinces and territories. Residential construction was $8.5m in 2026, which places Northwest Territories 1st out of 13 provinces and territories. The number of building permits issued in Northwest Territories in 2026 was 67, representing a -9.2% annualized growth rate between 2021 and 2026.
Trends in the construction sector are important because it creates jobs, income and tax revenue for a province. In addition, construction sector activity impacts other sectors in its supply chain, including manufacturing, wholesaling, warehousing, transportation, and real estate, rental and leasing services. Therefore, construction trends are important indicators of the health of an economy.
You can track trends in the number of building permits issued in Northwest Territories, and compare it to trends in the number issued in Canada as a whole, using the chart below.
Province economic profile
Northwest Territories Demographics
In Northwest Territories, 17.7% of the population has a Primary Education.
Education level in Northwest Territories
| Education level | Share (%) |
|---|---|
| Primary Education | 17.7 |
| Bachelors or higher | 14.1 |
| Other | 68.2 |
Northwest Territories Province industry reports
91¶¶Òù Province Industry Reports help you quickly understand how an industry performs at the province level compared with the national level, with accurate and unbiased industry information with a local focus. Use this collection to:
- Discover key local industry trends
- Identify threats and opportunities at the subnational level
- Inform your business strategies and planning
See our list of 277 Northwest Territories industry reports.
Other provinces to explore
Compare Northwest Territories’s economy with other provinces in Canada.
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