FORT SMITH — A local travel agency says a short-lived contract to arrange medical travel for the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) collapsed after just three months, leaving the business to absorb hiring, software and up-front costs it had taken on to fulfil the work.
Company invested in staff and systems
Wintergreen Travel, founded in 2022, said it was contacted by the territorial government in November 2025 following a bidding process and was asked to provide high-volume medical travel services. Co-owners Mildred Martin and Rashmi Patel say the work required the company to expand quickly — hiring additional employees, buying equipment and implementing new booking software — because medical travel constituted what Patel called:
“our strongest area of expertise.”
Patel said the contract included tight performance targets, including maintaining an error rate of less than one per cent, a figure she says Wintergreen met. The agreement also required the company to pay upfront for flights and hotel rooms, a term the owners say created immediate cashflow pressure and made it hard to secure loans.
Paperwork issues and extra verification
According to Patel, Wintergreen faced additional work because many of the travel requests they received contained errors such as incorrect appointment dates and misspelled names. Staff were required to phone each customer to verify details, though Patel said most bookings were completed in less than a day and that clients gave positive feedback.
- Contract start: Wintergreen says it was contacted by GNWT in November 2025 after bidding.
- Company history: Founded in 2022, focused on medical travel for northern residents.
- Performance target: Error rate under 1 per cent, which Wintergreen says it met.
- Termination: Agreement ended after three months.
Termination and fallout
Wintergreen says the contract was terminated after three months. Patel described the moment they signed the contract as a "take it or leave it" decision, and said the company had worked for years toward this opportunity. She said the termination left the small Fort Smith business facing financial strain after investing in resources to meet the government's requirements.
In explaining the decision to accept the contract despite its demands, Patel said the company wanted to offer an "easier and less stressful" travel experience for northerners needing medical appointments outside the territory. She acknowledged her team was not flawless but that they had done their best under difficult conditions.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Company | Wintergreen Travel (Fort Smith) |
| Founded | 2022 |
| Contract contact | November 2025 (after bidding) |
| Contract length with GNWT | Ended after three months |
The territorial government has not been quoted in this report. Wintergreen owners say they fulfilled many of the contract requirements but were ultimately told by GNWT that the company had not been able to meet the terms. The abrupt end to the arrangement raises questions about how such contracts are structured for small northern businesses and the support available during ramp-up periods.
For residents who depend on GNWT-funded medical travel, changes to a provider can mean different booking processes or temporary disruption. Wintergreen owners said they had received positive client feedback while under the contract, but the short duration means their larger investments in staff and software will be difficult to recoup.
Local businesses and community members will be watching for further responses from the GNWT on why the contract was ended and what supports might be offered to small providers asked to take on high-volume, high-cost services.
