Just build it already!
Federal ministers are great at doling out funding, but at least 1 reader wants to see results
Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty announces $155 million in funding for infrastructure in Nunavut at a July 23 news conference. Alty is flanked by several Nunavut politicians, including, from left to right, Nunavut deputy Premier George Hickes, Minister Responsible for Nunavut Housing Corp. Cecile Nelvana Lyall, and Iqaluit Mayor Solomon Awa. (File photo by Mosha Folger)
Sometimes money seems to flow so fast out of Ottawa or the legislative assembly that it’s hard to keep up.
That’s a concern one Nunatsiaq News reader recently pointed out about how often governments — especially the federal government — hold news conferences or issue news releases about spending. But they seem to make less of a splash once the money is spent.
“Enough of the press releases, the $100 million here and $300 million there, announcements,” the anonymous commenter said, using the pseudonym Think About It.
The comment appeared under a news article about Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty’s July 23 announcement that the federal government is giving Nunavut $155 million to fund housing, post-secondary and health-care infrastructure.
That’s $81.3 million over 10 years to support housing and post-secondary projects and $74.1 million for health infrastructure over three years, to be allocated by the Government of Nunavut.
“Please just build some […] houses already,” the comment continued. The writer used some stronger language — a colourful adjective in front of “houses” — that conveyed their frustration.
The housing shortage, of course, has long been one of the biggest social issues affecting the North, including Nunavut and Nunavik.
Nunavummiut have been hearing about the territorial government’s Nunavut 3000 plan to build 3,000 new homes between 2022 and 2030. But the progress has been painstakingly slow.
Liberal politicians are always eager to tell the world about the money they’re doling out to Nunavut for this, that or the other thing. But there doesn’t always seem to be corresponding hoopla whenever whatever the money is spent on gets built.
Certainly, the frustration with seeing those politicians shovel money at housing without really seeing a noticeable change in the housing supply is understandable.
In recent months, federal cabinet ministers have made a string of funding announcements in a variety of areas that include housing, education, health care and energy.
On July 29, federal Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin announced $7 million for clean energy projects in Nunavut, Yukon and Northwest Territories. That includes nearly $3 million for solar and other energy projects in Resolute Bay, Chesterfield Inlet, Arviat, Cambridge Bay and Baker Lake, according to a news release from the Department of Natural Resources.
In April, Northern Affairs Minister Rebecca Chartrand announced $13 million for four projects, including remotely operated vehicles to map the ocean floor around the Qikiqtaaluk Region.
Even Nunavut MP Lori Idlout got in on the action. Earlier that month, she announced $108 million for upgrades to Iqaluit’s sewage system.
Don’t take this the wrong way. The money is great. Keep it coming!
But to the point made by the commenter on the article about Alty’s $155 million, it would be helpful if politicians were as enthusiastic about showing off the results of their spending as they are about announcing the spending in the first place.
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