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NUNAVUT
Five Nunavut communities will share $1.6 million in federal funding to improve their infrastructure, Nunavut MP Leona Aglukkaq announced in Iqaluit on Jan. 8.

A new power plant in Qikiqtarjuaq, upgrades to one of Iqaluit's water booster stations, renovations to the Baker Lake arena as well as renovations to the Chesterfield Inlet and Kugluktuk community complexes will get boosts from the federal money.

The five projects are funded through the federal Community Infrastructure Improvement Fund. The $6.4-million portion of the fund, allocated to the three territories over two years, aims to assist communities in upgrading their infrastructure. The renovations or new construction projects must be completed by March 31, 2014.

Investing in the five projects across Nunavut will improve community infrastructure and create jobs, said Aglukkaq, who is minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor).

"The upgrades are not only about providing better and safer infrastructure; they also help to address the need of the Nunavut population and take advantage in innovation," she said. "In Baker Lake, the arena will benefit from an eco-energy, state-of-the-art cooling system that will provide an extended hockey season. The Chesterfield Inlet and Kugluktuk community centres will benefit from energy-efficient upgrades. These investments will also support the Qulliq Energy Corporation for a new diesel generator for Qikiqtarjuaq."

She added she looks forward to visiting the projects once they're completed, seeing first-hand the impacts on the communities.

CanNor received 43 applications to the improvement fund from the North, according to the agency.

Iqaluit will receive $500,000 over two years to retrofit the mechanical and electrical systems in water booster station No. 1, which serves the residents living in Road to Nowhere, Lakeside and Tundra Ridge subdivisions as well as the Arctic Winter Games Complex. The city will pay $1.5 million towards the project.

"The upgrades will ensure the city continues to provide adequate drinking water distribution service levels to meet current needs and allow for further expansion," said Iqaluit Mayor John Graham.

In Qikiqtarjuaq, CanNor will invest $500,000 towards the approximately $8.9-million power plant replacement project, with the Qulliq Energy Corporation funding the remainder over two years. The new power facility, located further from the centre of the community, will feature new, fuel-injected low-emission diesel generators.

Moving west, the federal agency is also funding renovations to the community complexes in Kugluktuk and Chesterfield Inlet. In the Kitikmeot community, CanNor will provide $318,802 towards the renovation project which the hamlet will match. The complex will undergo electrical, plumbing and other upgrades, said Don Leblanc, the hamlet's senior administrative officer.

"Of course, we're very pleased with the fact we managed to tap into some of that funding that was available," he said. "It's going to be a big, big benefit to us because we are making some changes to the complex in terms of upgrades."

In the Kivalliq community, the federal agency will provide $229,308 over the next two years to renovate the community complex with the territorial government and the hamlet each providing $114,654 towards the project.

"It means a great deal for the community because our community complex is old and it's rundown," said Chesterfield Inlet Mayor Harry Aggark. "It needs to be repaired and fixed properly."

In Baker Lake, the federal funding will help the hamlet purchase and install an eco-ice system for the arena, which will increase the ice rink season from three to four months a year to nine

months.

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