Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Monday, July 9, 2007

HAY RIVER - The final deadline has passed for communities to submit proposals on spending their shares of the GNWT's $35-million Community Capacity Building Fund.

"The extension was to June 30 and that's it," said Sheila Bassi-Kellett, assistant deputy minister of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA).

Only two communities - Hay River and Fort Resolution - missed the deadline.

Hay River's town council, Metis Council and West Point First Nation thought they had a deal in February on spending the community's $1.9 million share. However, West Point was in the midst of a leadership dispute and the agreement was signed by a chief not recognized by the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, and the deal was not accepted by MACA.

In Fort Resolution, Deninoo Community Council, Deninu Ku'e First Nation and the Metis Council agreed to spend $411,000 for a youth centre, and that project was approved by MACA. However, there is no agreement on how to spend the remainder of Fort Resolution's $791,000 share of the fund.

Bassi-Kellett said MACA Minister Michael McLeod will now let the communities know what happens next.

The GNWT previously explained that, if community groups couldn't agree, they might separately submit proposals to MACA and it would decide.