"They pulled the rug out from under us," said John Rimmer, mayor of Caroline, where the United Conservative government's move has stranded a solar project that would have contributed at least 15 per cent of the community's municipal budget.

Members of the Northwest Territories legislature unanimously voted on Monday to delay an election scheduled for October because of wildfires as the region saw a significant victory in the battle against a blaze that caused tens of thousands of people to flee Yellowknife.

As Canada struggles through its worst fire season in recorded history, a new survey suggests protecting forests remains one issue that unites most Canadians no matter who they are or where they live.

Firefighters battling a wildfire near the capital of the Northwest Territories shifted from defence to offence, as the legislative assembly is set to be recalled to consider a law delaying the upcoming territorial election.

Thousands of residents in the city of 20,000 continued to leave by air or road Friday.

"You're asking people to put a pause on their lives," said Luisa Da Silva, director of Iron & Earth, a group that assists fossil fuel employees transition to the renewables industry. "You're asking people not to work."

Direction from Alberta Premier Danielle Smith to her new energy minister suggests the United Conservative government hasn't given up on a controversial program that would see taxpayers backstop the cleanup of old oil and gas wells that companies are already legally required to do.

Rebecca Schulz's letter gives lists 13 priorities, from developing regulations to safely release oilsands tailings into the environment to implementing the climate plan originally outlined in April. 

A United Nations body has affirmed earlier findings that Canada's largest national park remains under environmental threats from dams, oilsands development and climate change.

Kenney is facing a lawsuit by five environmental groups, which was filed after an inquiry into whether the groups were using foreign funding and misinformation to landlock Alberta oil.