February 25, 2026 – The Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority’s Public Administrator (PA) and Regional Wellness Council (RWC) Chairs met virtually on Friday, February 20, 2026, as part of their commitment to regular meetings to ensure accountability and transparency about the ongoing work to improve health and social services across all regions.

The meeting also included participation from the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority (NTHSSA), Hay River Health and Social Services Authority (HRHSSA) and the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS).

The meeting offered RWC Chairs an opportunity to reflect personally and to highlight or address challenges in their regions. The PA also provided some insights as he begins his second year in this role, including the status of work identified in his work plan and preliminary recommendations on future governance structures.

There were several presentations and opportunities for in-depth discussion of critical areas needing improvement. Some of those topics included:

• System improvements: The NTHSSA Clinical Integration team shared information on improvement priorities identified by RWC Chairs, including cultural safety and organizational culture, reflected in a new Health Standard Organization (HSO) standard for Cultural Safety and Humility. This process standard is being led by HSO, with an NTHSSA staff member on the advisory committee, to promote a safer environment and welcoming system for Indigenous people. RWC Chairs were invited to provide feedback by February 27, which will be shared with HSO at the next meeting. 

• Primary Health Care Reform (PHCR): The team at DHSS, which is leading the Primary Care reform work, shared an update on their work, including the draft Primary and Community Health Care Framework. The Framework recognizes that primary and community health care is shaped by complex histories, relationships, and contexts, and that meaningful improvement depends on a commitment to ongoing learning over time, rather than on one-time reforms or fixed solutions. The new Framework will guide PHCR decision-making and inform the rationale for changes to primary care across the territory.  The team shared lessons learned, highlighted best practices and successes from other jurisdictions, and provided an overview of upcoming next steps.

• Medical travel is regularly discussed at these meetings. An update was provided on an NTHSSA-led rapid-improvement project focused on tangible, short-term process improvements. Work is currently underway to review end-to-end processes to identify challenges and bottlenecks. This information will support the development of service standards for medical travel administrative processes.  This work complements the Medical Travel Modernization project led by DHSS.  

• The “52 in 52” initiative was also discussed. An overview of the initiative was provided to new RWC Chairs, sharing that this initiative is about empowering staff to make decisions and implement changes in their workplace. Staff across all regions are being encouraged to propose ideas using whatever method works for their unit, with management support, and successful efforts being recognized and celebrated to drive both staff engagement and public benefit.

Overall, the meeting provided RWC Chairs with a valuable opportunity to receive updates on ongoing work, including from the NTHSSA Chief Executive Officer and the DHSS Deputy Minister, covering outlook items and possible forthcoming funding items. RWC Chairs asked thoughtful questions, shared regional concerns, including community feedback on the delivery of health and social services, and offered insights to inform future discussions.

The next meeting will take place in Spring 2026. If residents wish to offer input, they are encouraged to attend local RWC meetings or reach out to the RWC Chairs, who will bring forward ideas, considerations, or concerns. 

Quote:

“These meetings help us share information and stay aligned on the work underway. The key question we must keep asking is: Did this work make things better for clients and staff? If not, we need to question whether it was a worthwhile use of resources. Bringing different perspectives together in this way helps us stay aligned, meet commitments, and continue to work towards improving health and social services across the territory.” – Dan Florizone, Public Administrator  

Meeting Format:

The Public Administrator hosts quarterly meetings with Regional Wellness Council Chairs. This time allows for open dialogue on challenges, progress, recommendations, and ongoing work essential to advancing health and social services programs and the services that matter most to regions and communities. Communication following each meeting is issued in the form of a communique, which can be found on the NTHSSA newsroom webpage.

RWC Chairs encourage all residents to participate in their local meetings. RWC meetings are open to the public and serve as the primary venue for community engagement and feedback on health and social services. RWC Chairs ensure that resident and community voices are brought forward during quarterly meetings with the Public Administrator, with an impact on NTHSSA organizational priorities and direction. Watch for posters and social media/email notifications in your community about when these meetings are held or contact your local RWC Chair.

Background

RWCs serve as advisory bodies to the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services System, providing insights to improve the delivery of programs and services. By actively listening to residents in communities, representatives can offer both a local and regional voice to the health and social services system. RWC Chairs meet regularly with the Public Administrators of the NTHSSA and the HRHSSA, alongside the TCSA Chairperson. This structure ensures that recommendations for improvements are heard and acted upon. It also establishes a formal mechanism for reporting and tracking HSS system improvement initiatives, strengthening accountability across the HSS system.

For more information, visit https://www.nthssa.ca/en/governance.

Media Requests

For media requests related to the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority, including Regional Wellness Council Chairs or the Public Administrator, please contact nthssacomms@gov.nt.ca.