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Province guide · NT

Doing business inNorthwest Territories

No territorial sales tax, a payroll tax deducted from employee pay and SEED funding for entrepreneurs.

Start a business here →Grants & fundingWhat to watch in Northwest Territories
Sales tax5% GST only

No territorial sales tax

Workers’ compWSCC

Shared with Nunavut

Payroll taxTerritorial payroll tax

Deducted from employee pay

RegisterCorporate Registries

Department of Justice

Photo: Yellowknife by self-made, CC BY-SA 3.0
About the province

Northwest Territories at a glance

CapitalYellowknife
Largest cityYellowknife
Key industries
Diamond miningPublic servicesTourism
Local business networkNWT Chamber of Commerce

Who’s who for small businessFull cabinet ↗

R.J. SimpsonPremierR.J. SimpsonPremier of Northwest TerritoriesRechie ValdezFederalRechie ValdezSecretary of State (Small Business and Tourism)
2,791Small employer businessesYukon, NWT and Nunavut combined, Dec. 2024
29.1Businesses per 1,000 adultsTerritories combined; national 32.7
14,900Private-sector jobs2024
99Goods exportersTerritories combined, 2024

Source: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, Key Small Business Statistics 2025 (Statistics Canada Business Register). Portraits: Wikimedia Commons (R.J. Simpson: Cross Border Network, CC BY 3.0; Rechie Valdez: Patrick Doyle, CC BY 4.0).

Northwest Territories: Resource Economy, Northern Entrepreneurs

The Northwest Territories economy is driven by diamond mining, government services and a growing tourism sector. Small businesses supply goods and services to communities, mines and visitors.

Indigenous development corporations and local entrepreneurs play a central role in the territory’s business community.

Industries and Regional Strengths

Yellowknife is the hub for government, mining services, aviation and retail. Communities in the Beaufort Delta, Sahtu and South Slave regions rely on transportation, energy and public services. Northern lights viewing has made aurora tourism a significant draw.

Seasonal winter roads link many communities and mine sites.

Opportunities for Small Businesses

Opportunities include aurora and cultural tourism, mine remediation and services, construction and renewable energy.

High costs, remote logistics and workforce shortages are the main challenges. Territorial SEED funding and federal northern programmes can help.

Discover Northwest Territories’s Business Community

CanadianSME shares the stories, insights and experiences of Northwest Territories’s entrepreneurs and business leaders. Explore small business news, founder interviews, practical resources and industry perspectives that connect and inform the territory’s business community.

Step-by-step guide

How to start a business in Northwest Territories

  1. 1

    Choose your business structure

    Decide between a sole proprietorship, partnership or corporation. Incorporating — provincially or federally through Corporations Canada — limits personal liability and can lower tax on retained profits, but adds filing work.

    Corporations Canada ↗
  2. 2

    Register your business

    Register a business name or incorporate with NWT Corporate Registries.

    Corporate Registries ↗
  3. 3

    Set up your tax accounts

    Get a CRA business number and GST account. Set up payroll to withhold the territorial payroll tax if you hire.

    Register for a business number ↗
  4. 4

    Get licences and permits

    Use BizPaL to see the federal, provincial and municipal permits your type of business needs, then confirm zoning and any local business licence with your city or town.

    BizPaL permit finder ↗
  5. 5

    Prepare to hire

    Open a CRA payroll account, register with WSCC for workplace insurance, and review the province’s employment standards for pay, hours and leave.

    WSCC ↗
  6. 6

    Find advice and funding

    Talk to a local small business centre, check the funding finder for programmes that fit, and build a relationship with a bank or credit union early.

    SEED programme ↗

What to watch in Northwest Territories

  1. 01Employers must withhold and remit the territorial payroll tax.
  2. 02SEED funding supports start-ups and expansion.
  3. 03Staff may qualify for the northern residents deduction.

Register and stay compliant

Provincial funding and support

Federal support in Northwest Territories

Business networks and data

Reviewed October 2026. Rates, thresholds and programmes change — confirm with the official source before you file or apply. CanadianSME is not affiliated with these agencies.

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