Daniel T'seleie and Kent Driscoll
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Aug 08/05) - An announcement of nearly $70 million in funding for Nunavut communities was met with a combination of surprise and cautious optimism by mayors and administrators.

"I have not heard (about the funding), so I cannot make any comment on it," said Hall Beach Mayor Paul Haulli in an interview Wednesday afternoon.

Several other mayors and administrators throughout the territory declined to comment due to insufficient information on the funds.

Haulli credits being an "isolated community" for learning about the money after media in Iqaluit.

"That's what always happens," he said.

Some communities were reluctant to cite, or even make plans for the money.

"You can't plan on how you're going to spend it until you actually get it," said Qikiqtarjuak's senior administrative officer (SAO) Mike Richards.

Upwards of one third of this sort of funding can go towards administrative fees before any money reaches the communities, Richards said.

He is not yet clear on how the money will be distributed.

Good timing

Pond Inlet does not know exactly what will be done with the money, but it is "good timing," according to SAO Jake Anaviapik.

"Business is very slow in the North," he said.

The money is needed, agreed Arctic Bay Mayor Niore Iqalukjuak. "I was pretty happy to hear about that. I think most of the infrastructure funding in the past was used for the benefit of Nanisivik," he said.

A community hall and new nursing station are needed in his community, he said

"The residents here have asked for a community hall for several years now."

Work on the sewage lagoon, which has been suffering from erosion, may be a target for the gas tax dollars Iqalukjuak said, but he could not be sure.

"I find it hard to try and prioritize the infrastructure needs for our community."

He expects public input on the issue.

"I'm pretty sure we'll discuss this at one of the meetings," he said.

In Kugluktuk, Mayor Derrick Power has plenty of places to spend new federal dollars.

"The roads need general upkeep and housing is the biggest issue. Our water isn't bad right now. We had a water plant installed a few years ago, and some money to work out the bugs in that would be good," said Power.

Scotty Edgerton, the SAO in Taloyoak, is ready for the new funding, with an item by item list.

"Housing is our first priority, then a 24-hour health care centre," he said.

"After that, we'd like to improve the business infrastructure and I'd like to see a take-out type restaurant here, too."

In Cape Dorset, director of finance and personnel Cary Merritt points out that his hamlet is on the verge of crawling out of a deficit.

In 2002-03, the deficit was $965,000 and now it is down to $65,000.

The community's new sewer plant has been accounted for in the annual budget, so Merritt has other plans for the money.

"We could use a new community hall. We've outgrown the one that was built in 1982. We could use some more storage space for the hamlet as well. We have a new sewer truck and nowhere to park it indoors," said Merritt.

Terry McCallum, Mayor of Cambridge Bay, is working on his wish list.

"In a nutshell, we need everything from water, sewer, a new dump, our airport needs expansion, more community housing and our community hall needs expanding," said McCallum.

He would also like to make sure the water treatment plant meets federal standards. McCallum sounds a note of caution when discussing the federal money.

"It won't be enough, but it's a good start to address the various community concerns."