Mail services for the Government of the Northwest Territories are provided by contracts with private companies or by the GNWT. Public Works & Services administers the contracts. Mail is picked up and delivered on a scheduled basis to government offices. To change a delivery location, call your mail contractor.

Contacts:

INTERNAL MAIL

Internal mail is any letter or package that is sent between GNWT departments, boards and agencies that take part in our mail service. (Click to see the list of boards and agencies.) Internal mail service is available within Fort Simpson, Hay River, Inuvik and Yellowknife. It is also available between Yellowknife and some communities by regional mail bag. All other communities are served by Canada Post regular services.

For internal letters, use internal mail envelopes. There are 2 sizes of tan envelope labelled INTERNAL: 4x9½ and 12x16, with holes in it. (Envelope supplies are available from the GNWT warehouse.) Address internal envelopes to.

For internal parcels, mark clearly INTERNAL MAIL. Otherwise it might be sent by Canada Post.

Regional Mail Bags
Internal mail services are available between Yellowknife and the following communities:

Regional mail bag service is twice weekly.

Mail to Fort Smith must be packaged and addressed for Canada Post.

EXTERNAL MAIL

External mail is any letter or package that must go through Canada Post and requires postage for delivery.

For external letters use standard GNWT letterhead envelopes. Address external mail as you would any posted mail, including return address and postal code. Parcels are sent by regular mail unless you give other instructions. (Remember to mark internal mail parcels clearly so they won't be sent through the Post.)

See below for information about Registered letters, large mail outs, US and international mail, Xpress Post, and Priority Post. Another resource is the Canada Post web page.

Large Mailings
When you have a large mail out, call the mail services contractor in advance. For large mailings, the user pays for the actual postage plus a service fee.

Registered Mail
Departments must prepare their own registered mail. You need a registered label and a registered mail manifest. (Both of these are available from the mail contractor.) A registered letter must be less than 500 grams (about a pound) and be within Canada Post size restrictions.

Put an elastic band around the registered letters and manifest, then put them in the out basket for the next pick up.

US and International Mail
Use a sticky note on any US and International letter mail to make sure it is noticed and correct postage used. For a group of letters, put an elastic band around them too.

Items sent as small packet or parcel must have customs documents and details of the contents listed on the outside of the package. Give the description of each item, unit value, and number of units. (Customs forms are available from the mail contractor.)

Xpress and Priority Post
If you want to send a letter or parcel by Xpress Post or Priority Post, get the envelopes from the GNWT warehouse or the post office.

MAIL SUPPLIES

Internal and external mail envelopes, as well as Priority Post and Xpress Post envelopes, are available from the GNWT Warehouse in Yellowknife. Use the Requisition for Stocked Items, NWT 1434, or contact the warehouse for more information (867-273-7163).

Internal Envelopes:

External Envelopes:

Some other special supplies may be requested (free of charge) from your mail services contractor:
Registered letter stickers and manifests
Customs declaration labels