While itSA国际影视传媒檚 being reported the federal government has only spent half of its new infrastructure budget, NWT MP Michael McLeod says the territory has got its full share of the money.

SA国际影视传媒淪ome big-ticket items are out there that weSA国际影视传媒檙e still waiting for, that we expect in the next little while,SA国际影视传媒� says McLeod.

He says the NWT can expect investments through the national Trade and Transportation Corridors Initiative, the National Housing Strategy, Ocean Protection Plan, the Airports Capital Assistance Program and Indigenous-specific housing programs.

The Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) released a report on March 29 stating half of the money set aside for Phase 1 of the federal governmentSA国际影视传媒檚 New Infrastructure Plan, between 2016 and 2018, had not yet been attached to projects.

According to the information it gathered, just $7.2 billion of the planSA国际影视传媒檚 $14.4 billion budget had been earmarked so far.

Ontario has received 32 per cent of the funding, while the NWT and other territories have each just accounted for one per cent of what has been spent.

That said, based on population, the NWT has received close to 2.5 times the amount of spending per capita than the national average. For example, in Ontario $161 per capita has been spent under the infrastructure plan. In the NWT, $1,618 has been spent per capita.

SA国际影视传媒淔or Phase 1, aside from the recipients spending the money, I think weSA国际影视传媒檝e done everything that weSA国际影视传媒檝e needed to do,SA国际影视传媒� says McLeod, noting heSA国际影视传媒檚 been monitoring the rollout of NWT money since being elected.

Over the last year and a half, a string of funding announcements have been made, the most recent being to transportation systems SA国际影视传媒� road upgrades, culverts, maintenance throughout the territory SA国际影视传媒� in the last six months.

SA国际影视传媒淲e rolled out all the transportation money, all the wastewater money, made all the commitments to small communities,SA国际影视传媒� says McLeod.

He also highlighted other projects outside the scope of the infrastructure plan.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檝e actually put a lot more money into housing. We announced almost every (Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, or CanNor) project that there was in the system.SA国际影视传媒�

The office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer is an independent body within the federal government that analyzes government spending plans as well as CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 finances and economy.

In looking at the governmentSA国际影视传媒檚 pledged New Infrastructure Plan spending, it submitted information requests to the 32 departments, Crown Corporations and agencies responsible for projects and spending in Phase 1. Its aim was to monitor the rollout of the program and to gauge the impacts it had on economies as it happened, as boosting economies is part of the programSA国际影视传媒檚 mandate.

McLeod says there may be issues with certain jurisdictions reporting its investments, which could account for some for the shortfall in the PBO report, and the PBO also noted in its report that most, but not all, of the groups it reached out to responded with information by deadline.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檝e done really well in the Northwest Territories getting everything out the door,SA国际影视传媒� says McLeod. SA国际影视传媒淭he Government of the Northwest Territories was very well-prepared. They had been working on a number of things that they had had in the system for a while, so it was easy to bring forward. Other jurisdictions havenSA国际影视传媒檛 been so fortunate.SA国际影视传媒�