Erin Kelly

President and CEO
Housing Northwest Territories

Dr. Erin Kelly joined Housing NWT as President and CEO in November 2024.

She began her public service career with the GNWT in 2010.

Since 2020, she has held several key senior management positions with the GNWT, including Deputy Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Deputy Minister of Lands and Deputy Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

Dr. Kelly guided the merging of the Departments of Lands and Environment and Natural Resources into the Department of Environment and Climate Change (ECC), which enhanced government efficiency by optimizing departmental operations.

During her time with the GNWT, she has led collaborative environmental management initiatives, including the Climate Change Strategic Framework, and has played a key role in negotiating agreements on transboundary water, conservation, and caribou management. She led the GNWT’s prevention, mitigation, and response efforts, including oversight of the Wildfire After Action Review of 2023.

Dr. Kelly oversaw the GNWT’s role in the multi-year Our Land for Future Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) initiative, a landmark collaboration that culminated in a historic agreement signed in Behchokǫ̀ in November of 2024.

She is known for building strong and respectful partnerships with Indigenous governments, community leaders, Federal partners, academics, non-government organizations and industry.

She has an Honours Bachelor of Science degree specializing in Biology, Environmental Science and Chemistry from Trent University, a Bachelor of Education specializing in Biology and Chemistry from Queen’s University, and a Doctorate in Environmental Biology and Ecology from the University of Alberta.  She also completed a post-Doctoral fellowship at the University of Alberta.

Her leadership and expertise are vital in advancing the work of Housing NWT