Feds earmark $50M for Grays Bay preconstruction
Additional $5 million to support low-carbon heating pilot project
David Omilgoitok, co-chair of West Kitikmeot Resources Corp., speaks to the media at Iqaluit’s Unikkaarvik Visitor Centre on Wednesday. Standing beside him are Nunavut Member of Parliament Lori Idlout and federal Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson. (Photo by Daron Letts)
Preconstruction work inched another step closer for the Grays Bay Road and Port project after the federal government announced up to $50 million in funding.
Federal Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson announced the funding at a media event at Iqaluit’s Unikkaarvik Visitor Centre on Wednesday, alongside David Omilgoitok, co-chair of the Inuit-owned project proponent West Kitikmeot Resources Corp.
“In Nunavut we don’t have farms and we don’t have forestry – we don’t have a lot of primary industries,” Omilgoitok said in an interview after the event. “This funding will provide jobs, income – bettering people’s lives.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney referred the proposed $1 billion project to the Major Projects Office in March.
The office is working with West Kitikmeot Resources Corp. to streamline regulatory processes and speed up construction of a 230-kilometre all-season road. It will run from the northern end of the Tibbitt-Contwoyto winter road to a deep-sea port at Grays Bay on Coronation Gulf.
The infrastructure will provide winter road access from southern Canada to the Kitikmeot and to the northwest passage, aiding national defence and search and rescue. It will also improve access to mineral deposits at Izok Lake, Hackett River and High Lake.
The project could result in 500 more jobs during the four years of construction, 100 jobs for regular operations and a 20-per cent bump in GDP for Nunavut, projected Brendan Bell, CEO of West Kitikmeot Resources Corp.
“We are going to do our best to maximize jobs,” he said.
The preconstruction work that will benefit from the latest funding includes a wharf, airstrip and fuel farm, he said.
When are the affected communities going to be consulted on this project. It seems to be greenlit without any of the normal regulatory processes that are required for every other major project. KIA’s support does not automatically mean the communities are in favour. It just means that KIA, and more importantly, their leadership, will benefit.
Where is the business case and business plan? Because that should exist before spending $50M on pre-construction?!
NIRB has been in all the Kitikmeot communities and were in the NWT getting community input and they have been consulted since the project was submitted in 2024.
Wait tell the Greta thundbergs and greenpeaces of the world get there way
lol, good one. This isn’t nearly high profile enough for Greta and her floatilla friends. There would be no journalists, and no threat of arrest, so doesn’t check the boxes required for the attention seeking activist types.
“The preconstruction work that will benefit from the latest funding includes a wharf, airstrip and fuel farm, he said.”
I swear there was just an article on Canada giving up on the construction of a wharf and fuel farm in the Arctic. Oh yeah thats right, Nanisivik.
https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/nanisivik-needed-another-200m-says-department-of-defence/
Here we go again! But this time its going to also have a road that sinks into the Tundra as permafrost gives way. Very exciting. As a taxpayer I wish we had a bit more power over decision making. At-least let me burn my money in a little pile for warmth over contributing to this.
Lori when paid by Nuluujaat Land Guardians and LHOS – No we cant have Baffinland build rails or increase its output it will disrupt wildlife
Lori when paid by Liberal party – Yes I will stand for this photoshoot and support building 230KM road that cuts directly through the wilderness and is planned to connect to the 800KM all season road planned for the NWT that cuts directly through the wilderness.
Comical.
build the road , start a new community, build hydro dams , make caribou conservation area BIG , long road will need rest stops , gas stations , motels , hotels, lodges and lots of people!
get everything out of the ground , start new mining towns for Izok lake and High lake and Ulu mine , all the stuff industries need will be coming up from the south. just a beginning for this road .