Ottawa announces light sprinkling of northern community fix-up money

The federal government will use the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency to sprinkle $6.4 million worth of community handout money throughout the three territories, Conservative MP Steven Fletcher announced July 5 in Whitehorse.

This spending will create a new pot of money called the “Community Infrastructure Improvement Fund.”

Municipal governments, including First Nations bands, may apply to the fund for small amounts of money to make repairs or upgrades to infrastructure.

This could include ramps for handicapped people, trails, bike paths, and local docks and roads, the news release said.

It’s part of a national program worth $150 million over two years. The money will flow through Canada’s various regional economic handout agencies.

In the three northern territories, CanNor will dole out the money to successful applicants on a cost-shared basis.

Fletcher, who serves as minister of state for transport, made the announcement on behalf of Nunavut MP Leona Aglukkaq, the minister responsible for CanNor.