The North West Company Inc. Announces the Appointment of a New Director

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA--(Marketwired - July 13, 2015) - The North West Company Inc. ("North West") (TSX:NWC) today announced the appointment of Victor Tootoo to the Board of Directors of North West.

Mr. Tootoo is the President of Aarluk Consulting, which specializes in strategy, budgeting and reporting for local development projects with all levels of government and Inuit organizations in Northern Canada. He is also the President of Northern Allied Nunavut Travel, a travel management company which caters to corporations in Northern Canada; the President of Kivallingmiut Aviation, which provides helicopter and charter services in Northern Canada; and President of Nahanni Nunavut Construction, which provides civil project management and general contractor services.

Prior to launching his commercial career, Mr. Tootoo held numerous positions with various governments in the North, including Assistant Deputy Minister for the Nunavut Government in various finance roles, focusing on health and social services, and Deputy Minister for the Nunavut Government, responsible for Human Resources and Intergovernmental Affairs.

Mr. Tootoo holds a Certified General Accounting designation, and also attended Assiniboine Community College where he obtained a Diploma in Business Administration, Management and Operations.

"The North West Company is an important service provider to remote markets and I look forward to bringing a unique Nunavut and northern perspective to their Board," commented Victor Tootoo.

"We are delighted to have Victor join our Board. He brings strong insights related to the Nunavut region and has a track record of accomplishment in business and government in the North," said H. Sanford Riley, Chairman of the Board. "As we invest more in improving our stores and delivering more value to our customers over the next several years, Victor, together with the entire North West Board, will play an important oversight role."

Corporate Profile

The North West Company is a leading retailer of food and everyday products and services to rural communities and urban neighbourhoods in Canada, Alaska, the South Pacific and the Caribbean. North West operates 226 stores under the trading names Northern, NorthMart, Giant Tiger, AC Value Center and Cost-U-Less, and has annualized revenue of approximately CDN $1.6 billion.