NWT Mining Incentive Program (MIP)

Insider Tip

Procurement from NWT-registered businesses is the single biggest scoring lever — explicitly calculate and maximize the percentage of eligible expenses (excluding wages) flowing to NWT suppliers. First-time applicants receive the average past-performance score of the applicant pool, so new entrants aren't penalized on that dimension; focus your effort on a compelling technical proposal and high local procurement percentage. Partial awards are common — budget for scenarios where you receive 40-50% of requested funding.

Rejection Pitfalls 6

• Late submission (April 30 deadline is absolute — no exceptions)
• Insufficient NWT goods and services procurement (low percentage relative to competing applicants)
• Technically weak proposal — vague work programs or poorly justified geological targets

Success Profile

Grassroots-to-advanced exploration companies with existing NWT mineral claims, strong track record of previous MIP reporting (if repeat applicant), and a detailed budget that sources 30-50%+ of eligible non-wage expenses from NWT businesses. Projects targeting gold, critical minerals (lithium, cobalt, rare earths), or base metals in geologically prospective areas score well. Multi-phase exploration programs with clear geological objectives outperform speculative proposals.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications scored by NTGS staff on three criteria: (1) Technical quality — well-conceived, geologically sound exploration program; (2) NWT procurement — percentage of eligible non-wage expenses sourced from NWT-registered businesses (highest scoring lever); (3) Past performance — quality of prior MIP reporting and work (first-time applicants receive the pool average score). Maximum 15-page proposal.

Application Steps

Required Documents 8

Eligible Expenses 7

• Geological and geophysical surveys
• Drilling and trenching costs
• Geochemical sampling and assaying
• Ground truthing and prospecting field work
• Airborne surveys
• Environmental baseline studies required for exploration
• NWT goods and services procurement (goods and services purchased from NWT-registered businesses)

Ineligible Expenses 6

• Pre-feasibility or feasibility studies
• Mine development or production costs
• Camp infrastructure and accommodation (unless directly tied to exploration activities)
• Expenses incurred outside the eligible April 1 – March 31 period
• Costs already funded by another government program at 100%
• Management fees and head office overhead

Intake Periods

Annual cycle. Applications due April 30 (11:59 MDT). Work program runs April 1 – March 31. Single annual intake.

Deadline Notes

Annual April 30 deadline (11:59 MDT). Eligible expense period: April 1 to March 31 of the following year. Interim report due October 1; final report April 1. The 2026-27 cycle (expenses April 1, 2026 – March 31, 2027) has a submission deadline of April 30, 2026.

Open Application Portal →

Ineligible Organizations

• Companies or prospectors without a valid legal right to explore the specific NWT project area
• Applicants without a registered Canadian bank account
• Prospectors without a valid NWT Prospecting License (Prospector stream)
• Companies engaged in mine development or production (not exploration stage)
• Late applicants — April 30 deadline is absolute

Compatible Programs

Clawback Risk

Medium Risk

Moderate — reimbursement model means funds are only paid out for verified eligible expenses. Risk is primarily non-reimbursement rather than clawback. Poor or late reporting disqualifies from future cycles.