Shauna Morgan

Member Yellowknife North

Shauna Morgan was elected to the 20th Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly to represent the constituency of Yellowknife North.

Ms. Morgan was born and raised in Barrie, Ontario. Having called Yellowknife home for the past 15 years, she has embraced the dynamic, creative and eclectic lifestyle in Old Town near Great Slave Lake.

Ms. Morgan’s commitment to public service is evident in her two consecutive terms on Yellowknife City Council from 2015 to 2022. During this time, she held pivotal roles, including Deputy Mayor, Chair of the Community Energy Planning Committee, and Chair of the Community Advisory Board on Homelessness.

Ms. Morgan holds degrees in International Development (B.A. Hons) and International Affairs (M.A.), specializing in community economic and political development in remote and Indigenous communities globally. She worked with a grassroots cross-cultural peacebuilding movement in the Philippines from 2002 to 2003. Her master's research delved into negotiations between mineral exploration companies and First Nations in Canada, focusing on land access during the earliest stages of mineral exploration.

Over the past 15 years in Yellowknife, Ms. Morgan has prioritized work at the community level. Working with private consulting firms and a non-profit thinktank focused on clean energy, she served as a resource person to Indigenous governments and communities across the NWT. Her contributions ranged from planning renewable energy projects to housing initiatives, building cross-cultural environmental research and monitoring programs, and navigating the complexities of major resource extraction projects.

Ms. Morgan has drawn on her well-rounded skill set to diversify her professional pursuits. While serving as a City Councillor, she managed her own piano teaching studio, worked as an on-the-Land educator with Bushkids NWT, and contributed for many years as a full-time member of the Snow Castle construction crew and snow carving team. Additionally, she engaged in facilitation and consulting contracts.

Active in the arts community, Ms. Morgan provides piano accompaniment for Yellowknife’s Aurora Chorealis (adult community choir) and Fireweed Children’s Choir. She served as a Board member for the Yellowknife Women’s Society and a weekly volunteer with Food Rescue and has dedicated time to the Yellowknife Ski Club and Victim Services.

Ms. Morgan’s love for the land is palpable in her adventurous spirit. She enjoys a myriad of outdoor activities in the North across all seasons, from whitewater and flatwater canoe trips to hiking in Auyuittuq National Park and along the Canol Trail. Her passion extends to cycle touring, cross-country skiing, mountain biking, and hunting for moose and ducks with her partner.

Yellowknife North Electoral District

Committees

Accountability and Oversight
Social Development
Economic Development & Environment
Shauna Morgan
Yellowknife North
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Shauna_Morgan@ntassembly.ca
Phone
(867) 767-9143(link is a phone number)
Extension
12170
shaunamorgan.yknorth@gmail.com
Constituency Office
Email
shaunamorgan.yknorth@gmail.com

Statements in Debates

Question 567-20(1): Yellowknife Emergency Shelter for Homeless
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 48)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Given the fact that there's people often working in silos, each doing their own separate effort, would the Minister commit to producing such a sort of easy to use resource not just to be able to give out to shelter operators, but to distribute amongst Yellowknife businesses who are really asking for this resource? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 567-20(1): Yellowknife Emergency Shelter for Homeless
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 48)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions today for the Minister of Executive and Indigenous Affairs.

So in meeting with Yellowknife shelter operators and local business owners and business advocates, a need was identified for a published list or a resource listing all the different shelter options available in Yellowknife, but specifically identifying hours of operation and where someone can go if they're intoxicated or not intoxicated, man, woman, you know, different age groups, so that if someone encounters someone who is struggling on the street or that's coming into a local business, they...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 47)

Okay, thank you for that. And do we have numbers yet for 2024-2025 in terms of whether it was fully subscribed? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 47)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My first question is about the seniors aging in place program to provide financial assistance to eligible households, seniors, I assume, to support repairs or upgrades that helps them stay in their home. Can you tell me if this is eligible for people who do not live within a municipality? So, for example, people whose home might be in a rural area, are those people still eligible to get this funding for seniors aging in place? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 47)

Okay. I mean, just to follow up on that line of questioning. I wonder is the Minister considering any other possible strategies or ways to try to recruit or find qualified people who either currently live or willing to live in some of the communities outside Yellowknife? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 47)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And on the same subject of sustainable funding for shelters and non-profits, I mean, we see under the contributions for these various kinds of shelters and initiatives that support homelessness, the numbers haven't increased over time. It's the exact same, right? And so we're not incorporating inflation which we know has been a big -- a big rate of inflation over the last couple of years. And yet, I mean, across all other aspects of GNWT operations, we see the budget increase due to forced growth inflation. So I guess the question is why don't we see the numbers increase...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 47)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So under community operations, I'm just noting under active positions, all 14 of the positions for community operations are located in headquarters in Yellowknife, I assume. Can the Minister explain why all of the positions related to community operations are located in Yellowknife? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 47)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Okay, my first question is, so the Minister had previously indicated that the extra, like, $2.3 million that showed up in the 2023-2024 actuals under emergency shelters was due to funding the Inuvik day shelter. But that money doesn't appear after that. It goes back down to about $3 million both in terms of the program and the contributions. So can the Minister clarify how the Inuvik day shelter is being funded now and whether the GNWT is still running it directly? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 47)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So I don't -- under the expenditures related to this, I don't see anything listed by way of, like, the staff costs of managing these leases unless I'm missing something in the list there. But is the cost of staff time managing this included anywhere in this budget laid out on page 397? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 47)

Okay, that is good to clarify. So thank you for that. Although that does seem like a pretty low goal, but.

I just want the to finish -- so page 409 of the business plan sets a goal for total housing investment in the territory, and the goal that's written in the business plan is that there would be $50 million per year of housing investment coming from Housing NWT and then $50 million a year coming from outside organizations. Now, we heard yesterday from the Minister that the $50 million per year from Housing NWT, we're not sure if we can find yet because we need to go to outside funders like...