The Tłı̨chǫ Highway opened 1 year ago. Residents say it brought change, both good and bad

Over the past year, Matthew Jeremick'ca has been taking frequent trips in and out of his home town of Whatì, N.W.T., something he didn't previously do. 

"There's people I have to see," he said.

In the once mostly fly-in-only community, people often stayed in town over the weekend. Access to groceries and other goods — lumber, gifts at Christmas time, ATVs — usually meant relying on air deliveries. Visits with out-of-town friends and family meant booking a plane ticket for several hundred dollars.

But a year ago this week, that changed, and the community along with it.

The $185 million Tłı̨chǫ Highway is a two-lane gravel road that connects Whatì, about 164 kilometres northwest of Yellowknife, to Highway 3 and onto the national highway system. 

Previously, the community of about 500 was only accessible by a winter road, which typically opens late January and closes mid-April.

The road also connects two other Tłı̨chǫ communities, Gamètì and Wekweètì, to the south via their winter roads, which have been able to open earlier and stay open longer.

Jeremick'ca said he can see his family and friends seem happier since the road opened. 

"They're all wearing new clothes," he said. "A lot of people going back and forth. We see new people, new friends, which is really good for youngsters." 

With Christmas coming, he thinks it will be a lot easier to bring in gifts.

"Everything is good so far, I can see that. And I'm just going back and forth all the time," Jeremick'ca said, adding despite that, "I still consider myself a Whatì person."

Lisa Nitsiza, the senior administrative officer in Whatì, said she's had a glimpse of what's to come for her community.

"There's lots of changes coming," she said. "We are ready to do a subdivision to the community to add a few additional lots. But that's going to be in phases due to the cost of infrastructure."

Next summer, she said, two outdoor basketball courts are set to be installed.

Employment opportunities as a truck driver have come to the community. 

"[The highway] gave more opportunities for community members to expand their resume," Nitsiza said.

She also foresees increased tourism, more outdoor activities and said there's a plan to introduce more weekend festivals, mainly in the summer months to draw in visitors.

The continued population growth she thinks is coming, however, is coupled with concerns. Topping Nitsiza's list is whether the water treatment plant can sustain the growing community.

The housing shortage, which is a territory-wide problem, is another challenge. Nitsiza said Whatì is working with the N.W.T. government to bring in more homes.

People being able to leave town much more easily is also taking a toll on local services. 

"Staff members — [we're] not used to having them leave and take time off as before. That was a challenge. I was used to having staff members consistently in the community," she said.

Now, she said, on Saturday and Sundays, it's much quieter in town. She's also noticed a decrease in school attendance.

"When it first happened with the road open, we noticed it — it felt eerie a bit, how quiet it was. You drive around, you didn't see much people like before, especially in the summer months," she said.

"We went boating out there one time and noticed that we didn't see very much boats. And that was unusual. "

Opening the community up to visitors also brings in the risk of unwanted guests. Last year, around the time the road first opened, she advised community members to start locking up their equipment, like Ski-Doos, something people didn't previously do.

There has also been increased availability of alcohol and drugs, she said. 

"Community members have more easy access to it," she said. "That has been ongoing … but the social impact has been on the radar for a good number of years prior to the opening up the road."

Carmen Flunki, a Whatì resident, said she's also noticed "a lot of alcohol and substances coming into town," since the road opened.

And she said there seems to be "barely any people in town." Otherwise, Flunki thinks the change hasn't been that significant.

She's hoping for more opportunities in the years to come, and more checkstops for people trying to import alcohol to the community, where it is still banned.

Nitsiza says the community government is hoping to bring more RCMP officers to Whatì in the next couple of years. She also said they're trying to offer more social programs like healing workshops, and she's hoping the school can offer more extracurricular activities. 

Elder Charlie Jim Nitsiza, a former chief, said the road is a long-time coming.

He said when he led the community back in 1989 and 1990, elders were talking about getting a road to get in and out of Whatì.

"The people were just pushing for a road to come," he said. "We hope to have a tourism coming to the community here and a job for the people and the young people."

As for Jeremick'ca, the road has been an exciting prospect and a benefit to the community.

He added the local dogs are "getting chubby too," since it's been easier to bring in food for them too.

"I'm so happy with what [the road] did for our community," he said. "The road is good, smooth coming here."

He plans to head out of town again this Friday.