SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Mayor Mark Heyck says he hopes this year will see city council debate the potential of expanded post-secondary education in Yellowknife.

Mayor Mark Heyck says city council should discuss the potential for expanded post-secondary education in the community. - Shane Magee/NNSL photo

"That can become an absolutely critical part" of a community economy, the mayor said in a recent interview.

Whether it means expanding other post-secondary offerings such as the land-based Dechinta learning centre or a university level institution, the mayor said council "needs" to have a discussion on the issue.

"I think we're very well positioned and pleased to carry that conversation past the discussion point," he said, although he acknowledged the topic isn't part of the municipality's mandate.

"I think so," he said when asked if he believes there's an appetite at the territorial government level for expanded post-secondary education in the city.

Aurora College already offers some post-secondary programming at its city campus, including nursing and social work.

He said additional education opportunities would help keep young people here who might otherwise head south for university, attract investment money and foster Northern research, he said.

During the campaign for the Oct. 19 municipal election, Coun. Julian Morse spoke about the benefits of having a university established in the city.

The mayor gave his views during an interview on multiple topics just before Christmas that included working with a new council.

During budget deliberations, Heyck at several times handed off his chairman position to the deputy mayor so he could comment.

After the budget was passed, he called some of the changes made during deliberations as "rash" and chastised council for removing the $570,000 plan to build a splash park adjacent to Somba K'e Civic Plaza.

He said council will have to figure out how to work together and build consensus on issues.

"I think we're going to have a very positive relationship going forward," Heyck said of working with the new council, adding he knows it can be a challenge for councillors to be dropped into their first budget weeks after being elected.

Council has a priority-setting meeting planned early this year where the direction for the the three-year term will be established.

'Pleased' Robert C. McLeod retains MACA post

The mayor said 2016 brings something of a new start for relations with other levels of government.

The city has five new MLAs representing it in the legislative assembly, including former councillor Cory Vanthuyne.

Heyck was "very pleased" to see Robert C. McLeod return as minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

However, he acknowledged rough economic news including production ceasing at the Snap Lake diamond mine could cast a shadow over the plans of the new government. He expects many of the promises made during the territorial election to be "tempered" as the GNWT faces declining revenues.

The city, he said, has gone through ups and downs before. It will be important for the economy to diversify so the impact of fluctuating markets for minerals and diamonds doesn't have such and impact in the future.

At the federal level, the mayor is anticipating the first Liberal budget. He's already spoken to MP Michael McLeod about green and sustainable infrastructure.

The Liberal platform included a commitment to spend billions more on infrastructure, which Heyck said could help the city pay for replacement of the drinking water pipeline under Great Slave Lake and renovations or replacement of recreation facilities like the Ruth Inch Memorial Pool.

Consensus needed for 50/50 lot

More than a year after the controversial $1.45 million purchase of the lot at the corner of 50 Avenue and 50 Street that happened only with Heyck breaking a tie vote, the mayor said he's interested to see what direction new councillors will want to take on efforts to revamp the space.

As part of the budget, council voted to push back by a full year a plan to spend an initial $1.6 million to upgrade the site which is now used as a parking lot. Councillors didn't feel they were ready to make choice on what should happen with the lot.

The mayor also said there tends to be a focus on the specific lot without a discussion of the larger social issues impacting all of downtown. He said addressing homelessness "in a meaningful way" is something virtually every councillor raised during the election as priority.

2015 saw large projects wrap up

Looking back at the year that was, Heyck said 2015 saw the city complete some its biggest and most complex infrastructure projects to date.

Those included the water treatment plant that came online over the summer, ending a month-long boil water advisory, and wrapping up three years of construction to replace water and sewer lines in the Northland Trailer Park.

"Public works (department) is probably breathing a sigh of relief that 2015 is done," Heyck said.