Yellowknife city councillors express support for expanding Kam Lake industrial area

In a committee meeting on Monday, several Yellowknife city councillors expressed their support for expanding the Kam Lake light industrial area. 

City administration has recommended that council amend a community bylaw to redesignate a portion of land next to Kam Lake – currently included in the Engel Industrial Business District – and to approve the creation of an area development plan for the expansion. City councillors will have the opportunity to vote on these recommendations at future meetings.

Monday's meeting was an opportunity for councillors to hear the results of a public engagement process and a market study about the expansion, both of which took place in 2024. Council first discussed the subdivision of this area in December 2023.

The proposed expansion involves subdividing and selling a 68.1-hectare space of undeveloped city-owned land southwest of Enterprise Drive. In addition to industrial and commercial use, the city is also "contemplating" using the area for agriculture, said Charlsey White, director of planning and development for the city. 

White added that "there is a need" for more industrial development in Yellowknife and the Kam Lake expansion will meet the growing city's future needs.

"It's going to take years in order to get these lots to market," White said. "So, if we don't start today, then in five years we won't have lands on the market."

Residents called for land demand assessment

Many residents that participated in the public engagement suggested that the city should focus on new industrial developments in existing areas instead of expanding into new areas, according to a report that summarized the engagement's results.

Residents called for the city to conduct a land demand assessment to provide evidence that there is a need for more industrial development in Kam Lake. The report recommended that the city conduct geotechnical and market studies to assess land suitability and the area's development needs. 

City administration has since completed the market study. It found that there is a projected demand of over 600,000 square feet of development space in Kam Lake over the next 20 years, said Andrew Treger, an acting planner for the city. He added that this space will be needed for construction, manufacturing and warehousing, agriculture and small scale businesses. 

Residents raised other concerns about the expansion, including the impacts of noise and dust on nearby residents, fire protection in the area, and the preservation of recreational trails.

Fire protection key concern for councillors

Coun. Tom McLennan said he supported the city's recommendations on Monday, despite calling the location of the expansion "the riskiest interface between wildland and city" when it comes to wildfire.

The area will rely on trucked water and sewage services, according to the city. Both McLennan and Coun. Ryan Fequet raised concerns about how the city will be able to pay for fire protection in the area.

The city's director of public safety, Craig MacLean, acknowledged that there are challenges for firefighters who are protecting areas that rely on trucked water systems. 

"When you expand out development on a truck water service and your firefighter capacity is also on a truck water protection system, the further we move away from the water distribution system…the less water we can deliver in that timely fashion," MacLean said.

City manager, Stephen Van Dine says the city plans to bring forward its overall wildfire protection plans, including plans for the Kam Lake area, at a subsequent council meeting later this spring and added that the city will be determining the costs of fire protection in the Kam Lake expansion area during the project's next steps.

Couns. Garett Cochrane and Ben Hendriksen also expressed their support for the city's recommendations. 

If council approves the recommendations, city administration will proceed with creating an area development plan. The city says it will continue to consult with the public throughout that process and to address the concerns outlined in the first public engagement report. 

Once the that plan is complete, the city's next steps include zoning, subdivision, marketing and finally selling the lands.