Find a budget · Territory
Northwest Territories: where to find the budget
The Northwest Territories splits its spending plan in two. Capital Estimates cover infrastructure. Main Estimates cover day-to-day programs and services, and are presented with the budget address, which for 2026–27 was delivered on 5 February 2026. The Department of Finance publishes the Public Accounts once the fiscal year closes on 31 March. There is no territorial auditor general. The Auditor General of Canada audits the territory's consolidated financial statements every year.
The plan: the NWT budget
A budget is a statement of intent. It sets out what the territory expects to raise, spend and borrow in the year ahead. It is not a record of what happened.
- Budget 2026 The Department of Finance page for the 2026–27 budget, covering 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. Links to every budget document.
- Budget 2026-27 Highlights A three-page summary. Projects an operating surplus of $20 million on revenues of $2.744 billion and expenditures of $2.724 billion. PDF.
- Budget Address 2026-2027, with the Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review papers The Finance Minister's speech of 5 February 2026, followed by the papers that set out the economic and fiscal assumptions. PDF.
- 2026-2027 Main Estimates Operating spending, department by department. The page links to the full document, which is a large PDF of over 700 pages.
- 2026-2027 Capital Estimates Planned infrastructure spending for the same year. PDF.
The record: what was actually spent
The budget is a promise; the Public Accounts are the receipt.
- Public Accounts The Department of Finance page for the Public Accounts. Explains the four sections and links to the 2025-2026 edition and to earlier years.
- 2025-2026 Public Accounts, Section I: Consolidated Financial Statements The audited statements for the whole government reporting entity, for the year ending 31 March 2026. PDF.
Between budgets
When the government needs more money than the Legislative Assembly approved, it tables supplementary estimates.
The independent checks
The Auditor General of Canada is the territory's auditor. It audits the consolidated financial statements each year and carries out performance audits of territorial programs, reporting directly to the Legislative Assembly.
- Early Learning and Child Care in the Northwest Territories A performance audit by the Auditor General of Canada, tabled 21 October 2026.
- Office of the Auditor General of Canada: publications The full list of audit reports. Filter by "Northern legislative assemblies reports" to see the territorial audits.
About these links
Rednwhite is not affiliated with Government of the Northwest Territories. Every link on this page points to an official source, and each one was opened and confirmed on November 6, 2026. If you find a broken link, tell us through the contact form on our About page and we will fix it.
Finding the documents is step one.
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