Government of the Northwest Territories

Community control of alcohol

Temporary Prohibition Orders

In this section:

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About Temporary Prohibition Orders

The following information is taken from the NWT Liquor Act and NWT Liquor Regulations and is intended for reference only.

Please refer to the full documents for further information about community restrictions and prohibitions.

53. (1) A municipal council or band council, as the case may be, may request the Minister to declare the community or a portion of the community to be a temporarily prohibited area

  1. in recognition of a special occasion that will occur in the community; or
  2. if special circumstances exist in the community that render it advisable to temporarily make the community a prohibited area

Councils that may make request

(2) Where both a band council and a municipal council operate in a community, either council may, independent of the other, make a request under subsection (1).

Time for making request

(3) Subject to subsection (4), a request under subsection (1) must be made, in writing, to the Minister no later than 15 days before the day on which the period of temporary prohibition is intended to commence.

Waiver of time limit

(4) If the Minister considers it appropriate in the circumstances, he or she may, in accordance with the regulations, accept a request made under paragraph (1)(b) that is received less than 15 days before the period of temporary prohibition is intended to commence.

Order of Minister

(5) On receiving a request under subsection (1), the Minister may, by order,

  1. declare the community, or a portion of the community, to be a prohibited area for a period not exceeding 10 days; and
  2. prohibit the consumption, sale, purchase or transportation of liquor in the prohibited area during the period referred to in paragraph (a).

Application of order

(6) An order may not be made under subsection (5) if it would require the temporary closure of any licensed premises or liquor store in the community.

Offence and punishment

(7) Every person who contravenes an order of the Minister made under subsection (5) is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 30 days or to both. S.N.W.T. 2011,c.8,s.16(6).

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Recently issued Temporary Prohibition Orders

Aklavik

Behchokǫ̀

Délı̨nę

Fort Good Hope

Tsiigehtchic

Tuktoyaktuk

Tulita

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