Municipal and Community Affairs will provide $2.6 million towards closing the funding gap for municipalities in the NWT, MACA Minister Paulie Chinna announced on Oct. 20.

Yellowknife North MLA Rylund Johnson, however, slammed it as a drop in the bucket compared to the ongoing $40-million municipal funding gap.

The move is in line with MACA's commitment to by $5 million, while the gap , according to the NWT Association of Communities (NWTAC). It has been at that level for more than a year, as NWTAC executive director Sara Brown said in August 2019.

As Chinna explained, $2.6 million will go into community funding. Another $4.7 million SA国际影视传媒� to be matched with federal investment through the Safe Restart Agreement SA国际影视传媒� will help communities SA国际影视传媒減ut in place appropriate precautions to manage public spaces and critical services,SA国际影视传媒� which would be allocated this winter.

SA国际影视传媒淪ince its beginning, MACA has worked with the NWTAC and its members on the funding strategy. As part of that ongoing engagement, we are determining how best to allocate the $2.6 million,SA国际影视传媒� Chinna said.

Johnson said he's happy to hear about the new funding but it doesn't go far enough in closing the gap

SA国际影视传媒淢unicipal roads, sewers and basic infrastructure are degrading from a lack of maintenance and unstable footings,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲e defund our municipalities (by) $9.6 million in operations and maintenance, $6.5 million in environmental, $24.3 million in capital for a total of $40.4 million every single year.

SA国际影视传媒淎s we're about to approve one of the largest capital budgets in NWT history, largely due to carry-overs because we can't get the money out the door, it's insulting to our communities. They can get their money out the door, and better than us they will make sure it is spent in our communities and employs local Northerners.

"We in this House don't deserve to build multi-billion dollar infrastructure projects when our communities can't make sure their roads and sewers are funded.SA国际影视传媒�

Johnson then asked if MACA could increase the budget in capital funding for municipalities by $5 million.

SA国际影视传媒淚f we can't find a quarter of a percent in our $2-billion budget then we're truly not in charge of our budget,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Chinna responded that for now $2.6 million is all that is available.

The Yellowknife MLA doubled down with criticism of the way municipalities are funded, saying the process lacks certainty, unlike with education authorities where funding goes through set parameters.

He also pointed out MACA's commitment to work with NWTAC to update policies and options, but he's not convinced it would be completed by 2023. He asked if that work could be sped up.

He then noted that the previous legislative assembly made SA国际影视传媒渁 concerted effortSA国际影视传媒� to close the funding gap but that it didn't keep up with inflation.

SA国际影视传媒淭here needs to be more certainty and I believe legislation is a tool to do that," said Johnson. "Can the minister speak on her plan to make sure that the gap doesn't re-emerge for any progress this assembly does make on it?SA国际影视传媒�

Chinna responded that Covid has presented unusual circumstances and burdened MACA's processes.

SA国际影视传媒淢aking a commitment to work with this is quite complex,SA国际影视传媒� she said, adding that she would follow up with Johnson and discuss the issues with her department.