The Dehcho Region
REGIONAL PROFILE
The Dehcho administrative region is located in the southwestern part of the NWT, bordering British Columbia and the Yukon. There are six communities in the Dehcho. Fort Simpson is the largest and is located on an island at the confluence of the Mackenzie and Liard Rivers. It is the commercial and administrative centre for the Dehcho.
The region has road connections to British Columbia and Alberta, as well as other regions in the southern NWT. The Dehcho Travel Connection links the Mackenzie, Liard and Alaska Highways through three different regions: northern Alberta, the Northwest Territories and northern British Columbia. It is a popular route for visitors touring the NWT.
The region has a diverse geography, and includes some of the NWT’s most spectacular tourism attractions - the Nahanni River, Virginia Falls, Trout River, and Mackenzie Mountains.
The Cantung is the only operating mine in the Dehcho region, however the proposed Prairie Creek Mine is also poised to offer significant regional benefit. Other major industries include tourism, forestry, trapping and handicrafts.
The Dehcho region stands to benefit significantly from expanded oil and gas development and exploration. The region currently has a number of producing gas properties, and accounts for most NWT gas production. Should the proposed Mackenzie Gas Project proceed, the region will become a major staging area.