Decisions made today. Futures built together.
Mayors, SAOs and CAOs, community leaders, and administration teams from across the Kitikmeot meet in Cambridge Bay for two days of learning, direct discussion, and decisions on housing, wellness, safety, sovereignty, and the economy of our region. Community members are welcome to attend and listen.
Cambridge Bay, Nunavut
Follows the Socio-Economic Monitoring Committee meeting, September 21 to 23
Why the region's mayors are meeting
The pressures on Kitikmeot municipalities are shared: housing, health services, aging infrastructure, the cost of moving people and goods, and the pace of resource development around us. The decisions each hamlet makes on its own reach further when the five councils are working from the same information.
The Forum is built for that. It is a working meeting, not a conference. Sessions are short, facilitated by Marg Epp of Inspired Facilitation Inc., and sized for real conversation between the people who sign the budgets and answer to residents. Each day ends with a closed session where mayors and SAOs/CAOs work through resolutions and agree on next steps.
The public sessions are open to mayors, SAOs and CAOs, community leaders, presenters, administration teams, and community members who want to listen. Public adjournment is at 3:00 PM Thursday and 12:00 PM Friday; the sessions after those times are closed to mayors and SAOs/CAOs.
Plan to be in town for both meetings
The Socio-Economic Monitoring Committee meets in Cambridge Bay from September 21 to 23. The Mayors Forum is a separate event, scheduled on purpose to begin as the committee meeting wraps up, so the economic and community context set there feeds directly into the municipal work on September 24 and 25. Book travel so you are in Cambridge Bay for both.
Agenda
Both days run at CHARS. Registration opens at 8:30 AM each morning with a catered breakfast and coffee. Times are local (Mountain Time). Facilitator: Marg Epp, Inspired Facilitation Inc.
Thursday, September 24
Heart, Home and Future Leaders
| Time | Session | Who |
|---|---|---|
| 8:30 AM | Registration opens. Catered breakfast and coffee. | |
| 9:00 AM | Welcome from the host community | Mayor Wayne Gregory, Cambridge Bay |
| 9:02 AM | Opening prayer | Harry Maksagak |
| 9:05 AM | Introduction of facilitator, setting the table, agenda overview | Marg Epp |
| 9:10 AM | Round table of introductions | Mayors and SAOs/CAOs |
| 9:20 AM | West Kitikmeot Resources Corporation: Grays Bay Road and Port update | Kassidy Koaha-Laube and Elliott Holland |
| 9:35 AM | B2Gold: investing in Kitikmeot communities | Andrew Moore and Clara Evalik |
| 9:50 AM | Kitikmeot Chamber of Commerce: brief update | Wilf Wilcox |
| 10:00 AM | Walk and talk coffee break with draw and prizes | |
| 10:20 AM | The Skills Summit: show, don't tell | Red Fish Art Studio, Troy Clark, Deborah Clifford (Nunavut Arctic College), SAIT |
| 11:45 AM | Agnico Eagle: Hope Bay operations and community partnership update | Alex Buchan |
| 12:00 PM | Harvest lunch | |
| 1:15 PM | Keynote address | Suzanne Kerr, Polar Knowledge Canada |
| 1:45 PM | Regional economic update | David Omilgoitok, Kitikmeot Corporation |
| 2:00 PM | Service Canada: supporting community members | Lisa Dook |
| 2:15 PM | Honouring our presenters, SAOs/CAOs, and mayors: recognition and photo | All |
| 3:00 PM | Afternoon walk and talk break with snacks, draw and prizes. Public adjournment. | |
| 3:20 PM | The Resolution Think-Tank (closed session) | Mayors and SAOs/CAOs |
| 5:00 PM | Meeting close, day one | |
| 7:00 PM | Dinner at CHARS | Sponsored by Polar Knowledge Canada |
Friday, September 25
Open Collaboration: building our future together
| Time | Session | Who |
|---|---|---|
| 8:30 AM | Registration opens. Catered breakfast and coffee. | |
| 9:00 AM | Quick re-entry: facilitator recap | Marg Epp |
| 9:05 AM | Opening prayer | Harry Maksagak |
| 9:10 AM | Income support and family services: informal update | Brenda Janke |
| 9:25 AM | Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit principles: a talk | Harry Maksagak |
| 9:35 AM | Policing and play: community conversation | Sgt. Shawn Villaroel, Cambridge Bay RCMP |
| 9:50 AM | Wildlife programs and trapping | Campbell Reed, GN Department of Environment |
| 10:00 AM | Coffee and connections with draw and prizes | |
| 10:20 AM | NHC programs availability: open conversation | Ken Macdowall, Stephen Westlake, Victor Wireko |
| 10:40 AM | Open collaboration: practical problem-solving on housing, wellness, economic development, training, Arctic sovereignty, safety, and infrastructure | All delegates |
| 12:00 PM | Public adjournment and lunch break. Lunch is not provided on Friday. | |
| 1:15 PM | Final vote and next steps (closed session) | Mayors and SAOs/CAOs |
| 2:00 PM | Closing prayer and handshake circle | Harry Maksagak |
| 2:10 PM | Official adjournment of the Kitikmeot Mayors Forum 2026 |
Catered meals
Thursday: breakfast, morning break, lunch, and afternoon break. Friday: breakfast and morning break only. Lunch is not provided on Friday, so plan to eat in town during the break. The Thursday dinner at CHARS is sponsored by Polar Knowledge Canada.
Speakers and contributors
Facilitated by Marg Epp, Inspired Facilitation Inc.
Venue and travel
Weather can delay flights at any time of year. Build a day of buffer into your travel plans.
Canadian High Arctic Research Station
All sessions, catered meals, and the Thursday dinner take place at CHARS in Cambridge Bay. Directions and parking details will be included in the delegate package.
Flights and accommodation
Cambridge Bay is served by scheduled flights from Yellowknife and from other Kitikmeot communities. Seats and rooms fill quickly in the week of the Socio-Economic Monitoring Committee meeting. Tell us on the registration form if you need help with accommodation and we will follow up with options.
A message from the host
Cambridge Bay is ready to host. The decisions we make together at this Forum will shape the future of our communities, and I want every Kitikmeot hamlet at the table.
Register to attend
Registration takes about three minutes. You will receive a confirmation by email with a printable copy of your registration, and the organizing team will follow up on accommodation and travel where you have asked for help.
Questions
Kitikmeot Mayors Forum organizing team
info@kitikmeotmayorsforum.ca