Hay River, known as "the Hub of the North", is a town in the Northwest Territories, Canada, located on the south shore of Great Slave Lake, …Hay River, known as "the Hub of the North", is a town in the Northwest Territories, Canada, located on the south shore of Great Slave Lake, at the mouth of the Hay River. The town is separated into two sections, a new town and an old town with the Hay River/Merlyn Carter Airport between them. The town is in the South Slave Region, and along with Fort Smith, the town is home to one of the two regional offices.