Developing an alcohol strategy for the Northwest Territories: Evaluating global research evidence against rural and remote realities

This paper outlines the engagement process that was used to develop the Northwest Territories Alcohol Strategy, based on a recommendation by the developers of the Canadian Alcohol Policy Evaluation report, and how this informed the final actions in the strategy.

A literature review, four targeted engagement activities, and iterative validation by advisory groups and community and Indigenous leadership were used to evaluate, modify, or reject the original recommendations and develop the final actions that were included in the NWT Alcohol Strategy.

There are fourteen original CAPE recommendations, four of which had already been implemented in the Northwest Territories before the development of the strategy. On completion of the process, four recommendations had already been implemented in the NWT. Two recommendations were included in the strategy without changes, two were adapted for use in the strategy, and six were not included. One stand-alone alcohol policy measure was created and included.

Alcohol strategies are dependent on a variety of contextual factors. Developers need to take into consideration the unique geography, political climate, and cultural context of the region for which they are being developed, in order to produce a strategy that is applicable, acceptable, and feasible at the community level.