Share capital (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Nov. 30, 2016

Schedule of Common Shares Issued and Outstanding [Table Text Block]

in thousands of dollars, except share amounts

	Number of shares		Ascribed value $
November 30, 2013		53,066,656		104,895
Exercise of NovaGold Arrangement Options		46,929		631
NovaGold Performance Share Units		14,166		28
Private placement		6,521,740		5,068
Restricted Share Units		492,501		929
Deferred Share Units		154,373		282
November 30, 2014		60,296,365		111,833
Issued pursuant to the Sunward Arrangement		43,116,312		22,851
Exercise of options		7,499		7
Exercise of Sunward Arrangement Options		347,999		177
Restricted Share Units		795,368		819
Deferred Share Units		232,878		353
November 30, 2015		104,796,421		136,040
Exercise of options		162,854		65
Restricted Share Units		108,399		34
Deferred Share Units		218,795		218
November 30, 2016, issued and outstanding		105,286,469		136,357

Schedule of Stock Options, Valuation Assumptions [Table Text Block]

	November 30, 2016			November 30, 2015			November 30, 2014
Risk-free interest rates		0.52	%		0.42-1.12	%		1.16	%
Exercise price		CDN$0.43			CDN$0.55			CDN$1.22
Expected life		3.0 years			3.0 years			3.0 years
Expected volatility		59.4	%		56.8-59.5	%		60.2	%
Expected dividends		Nil			Nil			Nil

Schedule of Stock Options Activity [Table Text Block]

			November 30, 2016
	Number of options		Weighted average exercise price $
Balance – beginning of year		5,288,350		0.57
Granted		1,785,000		0.33
Exercised		(422,199)		0.38
Forfeited		(601,718)		0.58
Balance – end of year		6,049,433		0.50

Schedule of Disclosure of Stock Options Outstanding [Table Text Block]

	Outstanding						Exercisable				Unvested
Range of price	Number of outstanding options		Weighted average years to expiry		Weighted average exercise price $		Number of exercisable options		Weighted average exercise price $		Number of unvested options
$0.33 to $0.99		5,994,433		3.51		0.50		4,592,758		0.53		1,401,675
$1.00 to $1.47		55,000		1.42		1.47		55,000		1.47		-
		6,049,433		3.49		0.50		4,647,758		0.55		1,401,675

Schedule of NovaGold Arrangement Options Activity [Table Text Block]

			November 30, 2015
	Number of options		Weighted average exercise price $
Balance – beginning of year		509,272		4.77
Forfeited		(27,199)		4.68
Expired		(169,878)		5.61
Balance – end of year		312,195		4.28

Schedule of NovaGold Arrangement Stock Options Outstanding [Table Text Block]

	Outstanding and exercisable
Range of price	Number of outstanding options		Weighted average years to expiry		Weighted average exercise price $
$2.75 to $3.99		49,998		0.33		2.91
$4.00 to $5.99		245,531		0.02		4.41
$6.00 to $6.48		16,666		0.50		6.45
		312,195		0.09		4.28

Schedule Of Sunward Arrangement Stock Options Outstanding [Table Text Block]

	Number of RSUs		Number of DSUs
Balance – beginning of year		-		904,603
Granted		600,000		239,582
Vested/paid		(199,999)		(218,795)
Balance – end of year		400,001		925,390

Schedule of Warrants, Activity [Table Text Block]

	Number of Warrants		Weighted average years to expiry		Weighted average exercise price $
Balance – beginning of year		6,521,740		2.60		1.60
Balance – end of year		6,521,740		2.60		1.60