The opening of the famed Dettah ice road, a six-kilometre route that cuts across Yellowknife Bay, is typically opened on Dec, 24, according to a 20-year average. Yet a week-and-a-half later, there's still no word on when it will be operational.

Deteriorating conditions on the Mackenzie Valley Winter Road have prompted the Northwest Territories government to close the winter highway for the season.

The NWT broke a symbolic temperature barrier as a heatwave continued. There were warnings over ice roads and spoiled meat, and questions about climate change.

In Yellowknife, the territorial capital, temperatures climbed above zero over the weekend, breaking a record high on Sunday with a temperature of 3 C.

Research suggests climate change is going to cause more damage to roads and other infrastructure in Canada's North than previously feared. The study has major implications for construction in the North.