Vince McKay

Member Hay River South

Minister of Infrastructure
Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs
Minister Responsible for Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission
Minister Responsible for the Public Utilities Board

Vince McKay was elected to the 20th Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly to represent the constituency of Hay River South. Mr. McKay was elected to the Executive Council of the 20th Assembly.

Mr. McKay was born on September 17, 1977, in the picturesque town of Hay River.

With a career spanning an impressive 26 years with the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT). Mr. McKay began his journey as a Corrections Officer, steadily climbing the ranks to become a trusted Corrections Supervisor. His leadership acumen led him to the esteemed position of Deputy Warden and eventually to the Directorship of the Investigations and Standards Office (ISO). In each role he demonstrated an unwavering commitment to justice, fairness, and the betterment of his community.

Mr. McKay’s dedication to the safety and well-being of Hay River residents extends to his 30-year tenure with the Hay River Fire Department. His legacy is further solidified by his ownership and operation of Westech Fire and Safety since 1999, showcasing his entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to the highest standards of safety.

In the realm of civic duty, Mr. McKay has been an integral part of the Hay River Town Council for an impressive 15 years. His tenure has been marked by a steadfast focus on community development, thoughtful governance, and a genuine concern for the welfare of his fellow citizens. His impact on the town council has left an indelible mark, earning him respect and admiration from colleagues and constituents alike.

Family lies at the heart of Mr. McKay’s life, with his wife, Barbara, and two children. Together, they form a united front that has weathered the challenges of a life devoted to public service.

Away from the rigors of his professional life, Mr. McKay finds solace and joy in a myriad of hobbies. An avid sports enthusiast, he can be found on the ice, or navigating the fairways with a golf club in hand. His love for the great outdoors is evident in his passion for camping, fishing, boating, and playing softball—activities that provide a well-deserved respite from the demands of his roles.

Hay River South Electoral District

Committees

Procedure and Privileges
Vince McKay
Hay River South
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Email
Phone
(867) 767-9143
Minister
Email
Email
Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Minister Responsible for Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission, Minister Responsible for the Public Utilities Board

Statements in Debates

Question 914-20(1): Animal Welfare and Emergency Management
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 72)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I am the Minister, I'm not directly involved in that process, so I'd have to find out more detail on it on exactly who's all involved in this. And just to be clear, the EIA is heading a lot of this work with that stuff, so it's not necessarily all municipal and community affairs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 912-20(1): Building Standards Legislation
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 72)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yeah, I'm aware of this, and there is a commitment to continue this process; however, obviously, with priorities of the government, things do change and do slow down different lines of work however we know that there's a need for this, and we'll continue to work on it. The Department of Infrastructure, municipal and community affairs, department of housing have been reviewing all the existing regulations, and we're hopefully going to advance some of this here in 2026. And, yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 898-20(1): Regulation of Online Sports Betting in the Northwest Territories
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 71)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think we're willing to meet with anybody in regards to this topic. There's a lot of agencies out there that deal with this. I don't think there's one particular group, but more than interested in working with anybody to try to move this forward. And like I said, this isn't just something, you know, that's not being done. There's a lot of work in the background being done and we'd like to hopefully have something here in the next little while. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 898-20(1): Regulation of Online Sports Betting in the Northwest Territories
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 71)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Member bringing this up. So we've gone through a few things here with this. We've done a little bit of research on how this works with the iGaming stuff for sports betting and all the other stuff that goes on online. The department has spoken to a few other agencies who deal with this. So there is a little bit of work being done in the background and hopefully we can have something for the Member here, you know, within the next few months. There is a goal to move this forward and hopefully encompass some of this online gambling that's happening in the...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 71)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize Minister Lisa Naylor. She's the Minister of transportation and infrastructure for the province of Manitoba -- oh, just about said Alberta. And Ciara Shatturk, also from Manitoba. Thank you very visiting.

Bill 33: Technical Safety Statutes Amendment Act
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 71)

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River North, that Bill 33, Technical Safety Statutes Amendment Act, be read for the second time.

The proposed Technical Safety Standards Statutes Amendment Act will amend the Elevators and Lifts Act to become the Technical Safety Act which sets out common core provisions that would apply in all fields of work brought under the Act. The proposed Act will harmonize and streamline permitting fees and inspection powers for regulated products currently within the Boilers and Pressure Vessels Act, Electrical Protection Act, Gas Protection...

Question 901-20(1): Yellowknife Airport Authority
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 71)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With that, I'll have to reach out to the department and get him the information that he's requiring because I'm not aware of where that's at. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 901-20(1): Yellowknife Airport Authority
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 71)

Sorry, I may need him to clarify the question as he asked where the airport authority is at.

Question 898-20(1): Regulation of Online Sports Betting in the Northwest Territories
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 71)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm sure the Member can understand that this is a very sensitive issue. We have to work through a little bit of a process here on how this is dealt with and how we control it. You know, there is issues with shortfalls in our lottery funding. That's related to numerous things. As I think most communities can appreciate, there's a lot of issues that have happened with gambling over the past few years, including impacts to our local bingos. So There's lots of changes around on what people are doing with their extracurricular money. But going forward, just so the Member is...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 71)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thanks for allowing me to do this. I want to acknowledge two visitors in the gallery - Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors for the Government of Alberta, Minister Devin Dreeshan. And also with him is some staff there, Jerry Bileka. Hopefully I got that right; sorry about that. And welcome to the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly.