More money slated for Nunavut municipalities: Kusugak

Municipalities in Nunavut will receive $6.7 million more from the Government of Nunavut this fiscal year through the territory’s community and government services department, says the department’s minister Lorne Kugusak.

Municipalities will receive $4.4 million more for their operations, Kusugak said March 7 in the legislature’s committee of the whole, whose members are examining the GN’s departmental budget plans for 2011-12.

“We realize that municipalities have not received an operating increase since 2005,” Kusugak said.

As well, Kusugak’s department has slated $2.5 million so municipalities can buy or lease heavy equipment. Each community will receive more than $100,000, Kusugak said.

The proposed increases in store for municipalities were praised by Alan Rumbolt, MLA for Hudson Bay and chairman of the standing committee on community and economic development, who said the committee was “pleased.”

The entire budget for the community and government services department comes in at $360 million.