Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor)

The Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) is the Government of Canada's regional development agency dedicated to fostering a sustainable, diversified, and innovative economy across Canada's three territories: Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, and Yukon. Established in August 2009, CanNor operates with its headquarters in Iqaluit, Nunavut, and maintains regional offices in Yellowknife and Whitehorse, alongside a liaison office in Ottawa. The agency's core mission is to support economic development and prosperity while safeguarding national sovereignty in Northern Canada.

CanNor's key services include advocating for northern economic development, delivering a suite of funding programs to promote diversification, growth, and innovation, and coordinating federal participation in regulatory review processes for major resource and infrastructure projects through its Northern Projects Management Office (NPMO). The agency focuses on various economic sectors, including natural resource extraction, tourism, fisheries, renewable energy, arts and culture, community and business development, food security, and Indigenous economic development. Notable programs include IDEANorth and the Northern Indigenous Economic Opportunities Program (NIEOP), which aim to strengthen businesses, communities, and Northerners.

Jimi Onalik assumed the role of President of CanNor on November 20, 2023, while the Honourable Rebecca Chartrand serves as the Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs and Minister responsible for the agency as of May 13, 2025. In January 2026, CanNor signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of the Northwest Territories to advance economic development and diversification, particularly in critical minerals and major infrastructure. More recently, in May 2026, the agency announced nearly $490,000 in funding for projects across the territories to boost innovation, address infrastructure gaps, and support clean technology and Inuit artists. CanNor is uniquely positioned as the only federal department with an exclusive mandate for the territories, with its operations and strategies shaped by northern realities and interests.