Infrastructure boost comes through
Nunavut expects $163 million over next decade from gas tax
Walter Strong
Northern News Services
Published Monday, April 14, 2014
NUNAVUT
Infrastructure development in Nunavut will continue to receive a baseline of stable funding under the federal gas tax fund.
The Government of Nunavut and Government of Canada have signed a renewed Gas Tax Fund agreement that will bring $163 million in infrastructure funding to Nunavut over the next 10 years for municipal water, waste water, solid waste and capacity building projects. Community and Government Services Minister Tom Sammurtok, right, puts his name to the new Gas Tax Fund agreement April 7 with federal minister, Leona Aglukkaq. - photo courtesy Government of Nunavut |
Twenty-two billion dollars in federal gas tax spending over the next 10 years is earmarked for the Canada-wide program.
That amount is being rolled into the federal Building Canada Fund, bringing the total spending announcement over the next 10 years to $53 billion.
Nunavut can expect to receive approximately $419 million from the program over the next 10 years.
Of that funding, $256 million falls under the building Canada fund and approximately $163 million is in gas tax dollars.
This commitment renews the 2006 implementation of the program.
Since 2006, Nunavut has received $97.5 million in federal gas tax funding.
This supports 46 projects across the territory.
"All projects were either water, wastewater, solid waste and capacity building projects," said Hillary Casey, communications officer with the Nunavut Government department of community and government services.
Previous projects under the funding included the Baker Lake pump house, which received $1 million in funding under the program, the Arctic Bay sewage lagoon ($4.5 million), the Clyde River sewage lagoon ($5.3 million), and the Nunavut-wide assessment of municipal wastewater effluent ($1.5 million).
"Our government's commitment to Northern communities has never been stronger," said Leona Aglukkaq, federal minister of environment and the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency April 7.
"We're ensuring communities in Nunavut and across the country enjoy a high standard of living, new economic opportunities, and a safe, healthy environment."
