Budget 2021 shows the federal government understands the impact of COVID-19 on the North, Premier Caroline Cochrane said Tuesday.

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In a virtual briefing with reporters, Cochrane said the budget, unveiled by Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland on Monday, gives her a sense of optimism and demonstrates the federal government is aware of the gaps the pandemic has exposed in the NWT.

Cochrane highlighted some specific commitments in the budget that will help support the NWT, such as a $25-million investment to address NWT housing issues in 2021-2022; $14.2 million for the Territorial Health Investment Fund; and $8 million for 2021-2022 to support the transformation of Aurora College into a polytechnic university.

The premier hailed the $30-billion, five-year investment in child care that is based on QuebecSA国际影视传媒檚 model, which provides care for $10 per day.

SA国际影视传媒淔inance Minister (Freeland) called the historic investment in child care a feminist economic policy. I couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 agree more. I applaud the efforts to tackle the availability and cost of child care,SA国际影视传媒� said Cochrane.

She also pointed to the budgetSA国际影视传媒檚 support for the SA国际影视传媒済reen economySA国际影视传媒� in the form of several investments in net-zero emissions initiatives, development of critical minerals like rare earths and developing renewable energy technologies.

SA国际影视传媒淚 hope these investments will help keep more money in NorthernersSA国际影视传媒� pockets, reduce the cost of living and ensure we have more opportunities for success. We must continue to work towards resilient people and a resilient economy.SA国际影视传媒�

While Cochrane said many of the mandate priorities of the 19th legislative assembly were reflected in the budget, she rebuffed any concern that the mining industry was left out of the budget.

SA国际影视传媒淚 beg to differ. There is money for (confronting) climate change, there is $5 billion over seven years for the green economy. We need things like batteries. We have rare earths and cobalt here that are precious to the green economy. I think (the federal government) hears how necessary mining is.SA国际影视传媒�

Asked if those investments are enough to spur the NWTSA国际影视传媒檚 development of a green economy, Cochrane said, SA国际影视传媒淵ou could say itSA国际影视传媒檚 not enoughSA国际影视传媒� but added that the combination of several investments, including for facing climate change and the NWTSA国际影视传媒檚 15-per cent share of $1.9 billion for the National Trade Corridors Fund, can help meet the needs of the economy.

Child care

While Cochrane called the investment in child care a SA国际影视传媒渄reamSA国际影视传媒� for parents, the circumstances of the NWT differ from the rest of Canada in that some communities lack child care centres.

In her discussions with federal officials, the Premier said she stressed the GNWT needs flexibility to be able to build the centres that communities require.

SA国际影视传媒淎s soon as the budget was announced, I called (Northern Affairs Minister) Dan Vandal (and) talked about how grateful we are but re-emphasized that we have communities that donSA国际影视传媒檛 even have centres. Hopefully (the funding) wonSA国际影视传媒檛 all go to subsidizing centres, but I also hope some funding can go towards infrastructure to build centres. Vandal said he understood, even though he didnSA国际影视传媒檛 make a firm commitment.SA国际影视传媒�

Housing

The budget pledges $25 million in 2021-22 to the GNWT to address housing needs and to support the construction of 30 new public housing units in the territory.

That allocation meets the $100 million over four years that the GNWT asked of the federal government, Cochrane said.

However, she said itSA国际影视传媒檚 too early to determine where those units would be built or if those projects would be multi-unit developments.

SA国际影视传媒淎ll communities are in dire need of housing. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 premature to say how weSA国际影视传媒檒l divide it up,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Another issue is capacity, in terms of resources and building capabilities in the territory, to build those units.

SA国际影视传媒淎t some point we have to ask, SA国际影视传媒楧o we have the capacity to build that many units?SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒� she said.

The $25 million could be used to apply for other housing needs and it would be in addition to $60 million the GNWT has in its co-investment fund, she added.

$18 billion for Indigenous communities

Among the largest allocations in the budget is $18 billion over five years to improve the quality of life for people living in Indigenous communities.

That includes investments in COVID-19 responses, health care, child and family services and education, among others.

Asked how the GNWT would leverage those funds for Indigenous peoples in the territory, Cochrane gave few specifics but said sheSA国际影视传媒檚 SA国际影视传媒渆xcitedSA国际影视传媒� the federal government recognizes the needs of Indigenous communities and Indigenous governments.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檝e spent the last year and a half building partnerships with the Canadian government and building strong partnerships with Indigneous governments. As we move forward I hope we can tailor our programs (and) work together to invest money and provide better services.SA国际影视传媒�

Other budget highlights for NWT

A $2.3 billion investment over five years is aimed at conserving up to one million square kilometres of land and inland waters, including $200 million to build natural parks, green spaces, ravines, waterfronts, and wetlands and support Indigenous Guardians in Indigenous communities.

An additional $1 billion over six years for the to expand access to high-speed internet in remote and rural communities. The allocation will bring to $2.75 billion the total budgeted for the fund. The initiative aims to achieve 98-per cent coverage of high-speed internet by 2026 and all Canadians by 2030.

A National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence includes $601.3 million over five years. The plan would be formed in consultation with provinces, territories, Indigenous peoples, gender-based violence experts and survivors of gender-based violence to ensure that victims of violence have access to protection and services. Violent crime against women in the NWT was nine times higher than the national rate, second only to Nunavut, where the rate was 13 times higher, according to a .

will be expanded over three years with the addition of $163.4 million. The expansion will enable the Northern Affairs minister to work directly with Indigenous partners, including in Inuit regions, to address food insecurity.

An investment in Clean Energy in Northern and Indigenous Communities comprises $40.4 million over three years to support feasibility and planning of hydroelectricity and grid interconnection projects in the North. Another $36 million over three years will target capacity building for local, economically sustainable clean energy projects in First Nations, Inuit, and M茅tis communities.