Michael McLeod, Member of Parliament for the Northwest Territories, on behalf of the Honorable Dominic LeBlanc, Secretary of State for Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities; the Honorable Shane Thompson, Minister for Environment and Natural Resources, Minister for Lands and Minister for Community and Local Affairs; and Her Worship Rebecca Alty, President of the Northwest Territories Association of Communities and Mayor of the City of Yellowknife, announced funding totaling over $26 million for ten projects across the territory that will improve recreational infrastructure and increase wildfire protection. Together, Canada, the Northwest Territories and First Nations communities are working to ensure the health and safety of all residents, advance meaningful reconciliation, including economic reconciliation, and strengthen First Nations communities throughout the North.
“Through today’s announcement, we are helping to build strong and thriving communities in the Northwest Territories. By investing in leisure and cultural infrastructure, we ensure residents have access to better opportunities to connect and practice their traditions and cultures. And by investing to better mitigate the impact of wildfires, we’re ensuring infrastructure – like the projects we’re announcing – and residents are better protected from natural disasters,” said Michael McLeod, MP for the Northwest Territories, on behalf The Honorable Dominic LeBlanc, Secretary of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities.
“This Government of Canada funding to improve wildfire resilience and invest in cultural and recreational projects represents collaboration from all levels of government and a shared commitment to protecting and improving the quality of life for residents of the NWT. It represents the spirit of working together, needed to meet the needs of residents and strengthen communities,” said the Honorable Shane Thompson, Minister for Environment and Natural Resources, Minister for Lands and Minister for Community and Local Government Affairs.
By investing in infrastructure, the Canadian government is strengthening our country’s economy, increasing the resilience of our communities and improving the lives of Canadians.
A portion of the funding announced today will enable the Northwest Territories Association of Communities, in partnership with the Northwest Territories government, to work with small and remote communities to create firebreaks and implement fire fuel reduction strategies on over 1,200 acres of land. Once completed, this work will reduce the risk of wildfires across the area and provide tens of thousands of residents with improved protection from the devastating effects of wildfires, protecting their homes, businesses, livelihoods and the environment.
Additional funds will support nine recreational infrastructure projects across the area, including funding for Nahanni Butte, which supports the development of a modern live performance stage that will be outfitted with performance instruments and sound boxes for stage shows and recreational activities. When completed, this new cultural center will allow community members to celebrate diversity and preserve their culture.
“This announcement is great news for the NWT communities. It is such an important demonstration of how we can achieve so much more by working together. The development work done by GNWT’s forestry department with local governments to create community wildfire protection plans was the necessary background work to get us ready to complete the application and now we are all moving forward in partnership to see how all necessary wildfire breaks are built and the residents and assets of the NWT are protected,” said Her Worship Rebecca Alty, President of the Northwest Territories Association of Communities and Mayor of the City of Yellowknife.
The Canadian government is investing over US$24.5 million in these projects.
Fast Facts
- Federal funding is conditional on meeting all requirements related to the consultation of indigenous groups.
- Canadian government funding for these projects comes from the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF), the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program’s Community, Culture and Recreation Infrastructure Stream (CCRIS), and the Canada Community-Building Fund (CCBF).
- The Government of Canada is investing $4,517,848 in nine recreational infrastructure projects through CCRIS and an additional $80,000 through CCBF in the Nahanni Butte Performance stage project.
- Through DMAF, the Canadian government is investing $19,985,264 in the nationwide wildfire prevention project.
- Under the Investing in Canada plan, the federal government is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and rural and northern communities in Canada.
- Over the past six years, the Canadian government has invested more than $329 million in over 90 infrastructure projects in the Northwest Territories through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.
- During that time, over $47.9 billion was invested in communities across Canada to support world-class, modern public infrastructure, including over $4.8 billion in recreational, cultural and disaster relief projects.
- The DMAF was launched in 2018 as a 10-year, $2 billion program to help communities build the infrastructure they need to better withstand natural hazards such as floods, wildfires, earthquakes and droughts. The 2021 budget provided the DMAF with an additional $1.375 billion over 12 years.
- To date, more than $2.1 billion has been announced through the DMAF for 71 infrastructure projects that will help protect communities across the country from the threats of climate change.
- Infrastructure Canada helps address complex challenges Canadians face every day – from the rapid growth of our cities to climate change to environmental threats to our water and land.
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Backgrounder: Communities in the Northwest Territories are expected to benefit from improved critical community and recreational infrastructure
Related Links
Invest in Canada’s infrastructure program
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/icp-pic-INFC-eng.html
Disaster Prevention and Adaptation Fund
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/dmaf-faac/index-eng.html
Investing in Canada: Canada’s Long-Term Infrastructure Plan
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/icp-publication-pic-eng.html
Federal infrastructure investments in the Northwest Territories
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/prog-proj-nt-eng.html
contacts
For more information (media only) please contact:
Jean Sebastien Comeau
Spokesman and communications consultant
Office of the Honorable Dominic LeBlanc
Minister for Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities
343-574-8116
[email protected]
Mike Westwick
Manager, Communications and Public Affairs
Environment and Natural Resources, Government of the Northwest Territories
867-688-0958
[email protected]
Jay boast
Specialist in communication planning
Local and Community Affairs, Government of the Northwest Territories
867-767-9162 ext. 21044
[email protected]
Sara Brown, P.Eng.
Managing Director
Association of Municipalities of the Northwest Territories
867-873-8359
[email protected]
Media Relations
Infrastructure Canada
613-960-9251
Toll Free: 1-877-250-7154
Email: [email protected]
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