Finance Minister Robert C. McLeod says he is optimistic about the federal governmentSA国际影视传媒檚 investments in the Northwest Territories.
The 2019 federal budget tabled March 19, will see a range of investments come North over the next several years, from infrastructure to post-secondary education.
McLeod said he was excited to see a major investment SA国际影视传媒� $13 million over five years SA国际影视传媒� going to the Dechinta Centre for Research for the delivery of culturally appropriate and community-developed programs.
SA国际影视传媒淚 might add that there were some amendments made to the Canada National Parks Act to legally establish the Thaidene Nene National Park Reserve as well so we were pleased with that,SA国际影视传媒� said McLeod.
One major infrastructure project receiving federal funding is the proposed Taltson hydroelectric expansion project. The department of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) will receive $18 million over three years to support the initial planning of the project, which is expected to cost over $1 billion, said McLeod.
SA国际影视传媒淲e have to put a plan together right to go forward for an additional request because the overall cost for the Taltson expansion project is fairly high,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
SA国际影视传媒淪o this will do the planning and itSA国际影视传媒檒l give us an opportunity to put a business case forward to see if we can get further funding for the actual construction of the project.SA国际影视传媒�
Building infrastructure such as highways into remote communities is a key part of lowering the high cost of living in the North, said McLeod, citing the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway as an example.
SA国际影视传媒淭he cost of living has gone down (in Tuktoyaktuk),SA国际影视传媒� said McLeod.
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 from Inuvik, so I see a lot of vehicles from Tuktoyaktuk in Inuvik. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 a direct result of the road being built there. Infrastructure investments allow people, in my opinion, to get some job opportunities and provide opportunities for a lot of communities to hopefully lower their cost of living.SA国际影视传媒�
McLeod said he would have liked to see the full cost of the Mackenzie Valley Highway included in the budget.
SA国际影视传媒淵ou always want to see more money in the budget but weSA国际影视传媒檙e optimistic with the money that we have been getting,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 been a lot of infrastructure investments made in the NWT. So we continue to go down that path and try to secure as much funding for the North as we possibly can.SA国际影视传媒�
The renewal of the Mineral Exploration Tax Credit for five years is SA国际影视传媒渉uge,SA国际影视传媒� said McLeod.
SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 a number of little things that continue to try and encourage investment in the Northwest Territories and at the same time try to bring the cost of living down,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
SA国际影视传媒淪o we think itSA国际影视传媒檚 a start. WeSA国际影视传媒檒l work with what we have.SA国际影视传媒�
The finance minister said territorial MP Michael McLeod works SA国际影视传媒減retty hard on behalf of the territorySA国际影视传媒� on Parliament Hill.
SA国际影视传媒淲e work with our counterparts in Ottawa to make them aware of the challenges of living in the Northwest Territories,SA国际影视传媒� said McLeod.
SA国际影视传媒淎nd ISA国际影视传媒檓 glad to see that theySA国际影视传媒檙e starting to understand that. We invite them up as much as we can.SA国际影视传媒�
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