caitrin pilkington

Reporter at CBC North based in Whitehorse, Yukon

Previous Work

Cabin Radio •

Habitat for Humanity seeks families for Yellowknife homes

Habitat for Humanity NWT is accepting applications for two houses in Yellowknife. The organization is hoping to find two families in search of affordable housing by June 2.

The two units are under construction on Spence Road, in Kam Lake, on two parcels of land donated to Habitat for Humanity by the City of Yellowknife.

The energy-efficient modular homes include three or more bedrooms, depending on the size of the successful family, the organization stated.

Due to the the current lack of affo
Cabin Radio •

KFN may have lost up to 10 public housing units to wildfire

KFN may have lost up to 10 public housing units to wildfire

Ten public housing units on the Kátł’odeeche First Nation have either been damaged or burned down following the recent wildfire, the NWT’s housing minister says.

Speaking in the NWT legislature last week, Paulie Chinna said five seniors’ homes and five more public housing units were confirmed to have been affected by the Hay River-KFN fire, among other buildings.

The disaster comes just months after last September’s release of the Ká
Cabin Radio •

NWT crisis hotlines receive an extra $500,000

The federal and territorial governments have announced $500,000 to allow five Northwest Territories family violence shelters to expand their crisis hotline services.

The contribution is part of a joint action plan to end gender-based violence in response to the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, released in 2021.

The funding, announced in Yellowknife this week, will be distributed to the Alison McAteer House in Yellowknife, the Family Sup
Cabin Radio •

Ottawa announces $1M toward northern sexual health education

The federal government is dedicating $1 million to NWT sexual health group Foxy to help prevent sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections.

The territory’s Liberal MP, Michael McLeod, made the announcement on Friday. Foxy, based in Yellowknife, provides sexual health resources across all three territories.

Foxy stands for Fostering Open Expression among Youth. The group has been working to provide mental and sexual health programming in northern communities and schools for more than 10 ye
Cabin Radio •

‘Stop normalizing drinking and driving in the NWT’

‘Stop normalizing drinking and driving in the NWT’

In the space of one recent week, three young people died tragically in the Northwest Territories through incidents involving vehicles.

An 18-year-old was killed in a car crash in Behchokǫ̀ on May 11, a 19-year-old passed away in a Délı̨nę ATV crash on May 13, and a 31-year-old died after falling from a golf cart in Enterprise on May 15.

While little is known about the circumstances of each death, RCMP issued a statement on May 16 in which pol
Cabin Radio •

GNWT sets out financial support offer to wildfire evacuees

GNWT sets out financial support offer to wildfire evacuees

The NWT government has announced a one-off payment for many Hay River and KFN wildfire evacuees as well as funding for the community governments hosting them.

To date, nearly 2,000 people fleeing the wildfire have registered as evacuees. While the official evacuee shelter is Yellowknife’s multiplex, there are evacuees sheltering in Enterprise, Fort Providence, Fort Simpson, and Fort Smith.

Some Hay River residents have begun returning
Cabin Radio •

Length of evacuation strains KFN and Hay River residents

Evacuees from wildfires near the Kátł’odeeche First Nation and Hay River start their fifth day in Yellowknife’s multiplex with no sign of returning home soon.

In a press conference on Thursday, a territorial government spokesperson said any thought of heading back would be “premature” given the current state of the fire.

A year ago, when residents escaped a flood in the same area, they were cleared to return just two days later.

This time, the evacuation and its duration are proving especiall
Cabin Radio •

Fire bans for Fred Henne, YK River, MacKinnon, Wood Buffalo

Ahead of the long weekend, the NWT government has announced fire bans at its Fred Henne and Yellowknife River territorial parks.

The news follows an announcement on Thursday that the City of Yellowknife is implementing a fire ban of its own within city limits. That ban took effect at noon on Friday.

Yellowknife’s fire ban covers open-air burning fire pits but does not affect CSA-approved propane-fuelled pits and barbecues.

Territorial parks in the city are governed separately but the NWT Park
Cabin Radio •

What happened to the NWT’s Status of Women Council?

The Status of Women Council, created by the NWT government in 1990, has a mandate to advocate on behalf of women and provide feedback on policies and legislation.

The organization, which considers itself a not-for-profit, has produced research on issues affecting women and runs awareness campaigns, community programming and events.

But in September 2022, these activities slowed considerably. According to three former employees with knowledge of the situation, by that point every full-time staf
Cabin Radio •

KFN fire remains ‘volatile,’ band office confirmed to have burned

Renewed heat means the task of fighting the Hay River-KFN wildfire remains complicated, authorities said on Thursday.

Hay River had reached 27C by Thursday afternoon, though Friday is forecast to be cooler. No rain is expected in the week ahead, and daily highs beyond Friday are expected to remain at or near 20C.

Additional fire crews and tankers from other parts of the NWT have joined efforts to keep the fire, east of the Kátł’odeeche First Nation, away from both the First Nation and Highway
Cabin Radio •

United Way raises $15K, gives out $25K to help evacuees

United Way raises $15K, gives out $25K to help evacuees

United Way NWT says it has received more than $15,000 in donations to help residents affected by a wildfire threatening the Kátł’odeeche First Nation and Hay River.

In a press release, the non-profit said it had already handed more than $25,000 to evacuees, with the majority of that funding directed toward food and groceries.

Working in collaboration with the Northern Mosaic Network, United Way NWT representatives said they were able to
Cabin Radio •

At the multiplex, again, Hay River and KFN evacuees await news

At the multiplex, again, Hay River and KFN evacuees await news

In a scene eerily similar to May 2022, residents from Kátł’odeeche First Nation and Hay River find themselves once again in cots and folding chairs under fluorescent lights, waiting for news.

The Yellowknife multiplex is the official evacuation site for both communities affected by this week’s wildfire, just as it was for last year’s flood. Last year, it opened on May 12. This year? May 15.

With the repeat at least comes a little
Cabin Radio •

Live music and art exhibition mix on Friday at NACC

Live music and art exhibition mix on Friday at NACC

Works from Yellowknife sculptors, painters and mixed-media artists are joined by a live performance from pianist Ari Snyder at the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre on Friday.

The show is an innovative arrangement of music created by 19th-century Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky to honour his late friend, the artist Viktor Hartmann.

Drawing from the collection of work Hartmann produced during his short life, the composer created a piece of
Cabin Radio •

Water levels on Peel and Arctic Red rivers continue to rise

Water levels on Peel and Arctic Red rivers continue to rise

Water levels on the Peel and Arctic Red rivers “could approach or exceed the highest level on record” when breakup takes place, the NWT government says.

In a Friday update, the territorial government said temperatures in the region are expected to rise well above seasonal highs from Sunday onward and may lead to rapidly changing conditions.

Anyone near those rivers is encouraged to take note of the conditions and be careful.

“Water
Cabin Radio •

BC university applies to offer remote degrees in NWT

From September next year, it may once again be possible to become a fully accredited teacher without leaving the Northwest Territories.

According to a press release issued by the GNWT, Vancouver Island University has applied to deliver a remote three-year Bachelor of Education after-degree within the Northwest Territories by 2024.

The program would be offered in partnership with Indigenous Nations or school districts. If it goes ahead, the first pilot NWT cohort would include 15 students.

The
Cabin Radio •

Fort Smith asks residents for help with new housing plan

Fort Smith asks residents for help with new housing plan

Fort Smith, the latest Northwest Territories community to work with Housing NWT on a community housing plan, is now asking residents for feedback.

An advisory board meeting to discuss the community’s needs involves the Fort Smith Métis Council, Salt River and Smith’s Landing First Nations, GNWT, Aurora College, health centre, local businesses, developers, seniors and youth.

A survey is available online or residents can share their thoug
Cabin Radio •

KFN and Enterprise agree to hamlet boundary adjustment

The Kátł’odeeche Fırst Natıon and Hamlet of Enterprise say they have been working together to reach an agreement about expanding the hamlet’s boundaries.

The two have signed a memorandum of understanding by which the hamlet will apply to the GNWT for a boundary adjustment, while expressing full support of KFN’s treaty rights to several areas within that boundary, a recent press release stated.

In turn, KFN expressed support for the hamlet’s community plan, which includes land transfers and dev
Cabin Radio •

Trapper training program expands to Yellowknife Women’s Society

A territorial program that shares hunting and trapping skills at Yellowknife’s jail is now being offered to residents in supported housing programs.

The NWT’s Department of Environment and Climate Change has partnered with the Yellowknife Women’s Society to offer the sessions, which will run every two to three weeks year-round.

Residents from Spruce Bough and the Yellowknife Women’s Centre will have the opportunity to spend time outside learning and sharing traditional skills across all season
Cabin Radio •

NWT’s Chelsey Makaro to compete in Special Olympics World Games

This summer, Yellowknifer Chelsey Makaro will be one of 89 athletes representing Team Canada at the 2023 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Berlin, Germany.

The 21-year-old swimmer will compete after taking part in meets across Canada, from Kelowna to Toronto, where her success earned her a spot on Canada’s national team.

The Special Olympics World Games are held every two years and offer athletes with intellectual disabilities from around the globe the opportunity to showcase their talent
Cabin Radio •

Dog killed and owner injured in Fort Simpson dog attack

A Fort Simpson woman says her dog was seriously injured and she was left with a bite wound after an attack earlier this month by what she described as a pit bull terrier.

Linda Hanna says she was walking her 10-year-old Shih Tzu, Boots, on April 7 when they were suddenly attacked by the other animal. The attack ultimately proved fatal to Boots.

“This dog came out of nowhere,” said Hanna.

The incident occurred on a street near the Líídlįį Kúę Regional High School in the middle of the afternoon
Cabin Radio •

Hay River unveils housing plan for the next five years

Hay River unveils housing plan for the next five years

After years of research and consultation, the Town of Hay River and NWT government have revealed a five-year plan to address housing issues in the community.

The 45-page plan, developed in consultation with the Hay River Métis, Kátł’odeeche and West Point First Nations, also involved Yellowknife-based firms Phillpot Consulting and PlanIt North.

The document lists residents’ goals – put together by an advisory committee despite delays brou
Cabin Radio •

Fort Simpson to hold breakup season public meeting

Spring breakup season in 2023 is beginning. In a public notice this week, Fort Simpson reminded residents that the average date of breakup is May 1 – in two weeks’ time.

The village’s emergency management organization has been meeting since January to prepare. In late March, that group said conditions this year are looking good.

“We are expecting the ice to break similarly to last year, with few difficulties,” the organization stated at the time.

But as ice jam flooding is dynamic and famousl
Cabin Radio •

Scholarships offered in memory of Alfred Moses and Tom Williams

Scholarships offered in memory of Alfred Moses and Tom Williams

The territorial government has introduced two new housing-related scholarships to honour the late Tom Williams and Alfred Moses.

Both passed away in 2022. Former Inuvik MLA Moses spent time as the territory’s housing minister, while Williams served as Housing NWT’s president and chief executive.

Each scholarship will offer six bursaries of $1,000.

Six scholarships in memory of Alfred Moses will be awarded to high school students
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