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.