Business Services

Fort Smith takes pride in its thriving small business community, fostering an entrepreneurial spirit that attracts businesses of all sorts. Support services are available for those looking to start their own business, and many programs are available to help support existing businesses.

Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 121
Fort Smith, NT  X0E 0P0

Please see the following links for more information about operating a business in Fort Smith.

Thebacha Business Development Services fosters local entrepreneurship, and promotes, coordinates and implements a variety of development initiatives within the community. These include offering entrepreneurship training, business counselling, loan programs and information to suit the needs of community members interested in starting or expanding their own business.

BizPal is a service provided by the territorial department of Industry, Tourism and Investment in which existing and prospective business owners answer a short series of questions about their current or proposed business to create a customized list of the permits and licences they may need from all levels of government.

Business Incentive Policy (BIP) is a policy that gives preference to registered Northwest Territories businesses for the territorial government’s purchase of all products and services. The policy also applies to all contracts entered into directly by the Government of the Northwest Territories. Northern businesses and northern manufactured products must be registered under the BIP in order to qualify. 

Industry Tourism and Investment (ITI) is the territorial government department responsible for providing programs and services that promote and support Northwest Territories economic prosperity and community self-reliance, including delivering business programs and services in all sectors, including business, arts and crafts, tourism and the traditional harvesting of renewable resources.