‘Not the time for new shoes’: GN tables ‘disciplined’ $2.5B budget
Department of Health gets the biggest share of proposed operating budget
Nunavut Premier and Minister of Finance John Main tables his government’s 2026-27 operating budget on Monday. (Photo by Mosha Folger)
Nunavut’s Department of Health is getting the biggest share of what Premier and Finance Minister John Main calls a “disciplined” operating budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year.
The proposed spending plan he introduced Monday includes approximately $2.47 billion in operating expenses — which means how much money each department can spend. That money represents an eight per cent increase in spending over the last fiscal year, which ended on March 31.
“This budget doesn’t pretend that Nunavut’s challenges are simple,” Main told the legislative assembly Monday, delivering his first full budget since becoming premier last year. Main also serves as the government’s finance minister.
The budget earmarks $663 million for the Health Department, a 14 per cent increase over last year’s $580 million. That makes up the biggest share of the budget and the highest increase of all the GN’s departments.
“That includes additional staffing to respond to Nunavut’s suicide crisis,” Main told the assembly.
Every department is set to get a slight increase in operational funding in the budget. After Health, some of the most expensive departments are set to be education at $310 million, Nunavut Housing Corp. with $296 million, Transportation and Infrastructure’s $281 million, while Family Services will get $252 million.
Main came to the assembly in what he said were “well-worn pair of shoes” he has had for about 10 years.
“I’m trying to get one more year out of them,” he said.
Traditionally, before delivering a budget, finance ministers in Canada buy a new pair of shoes. The footwear often serves as a metaphor for their goals with the budget. Main departed from that tradition by wearing an old pair.
“It was not the time for new shoes,” Main said. “Rather, [we] put the money somewhere where it will make more impact.”
Before the government tabled this year’s budget, MLAs approved a $724.9 million interim budget in March to cover the government’s operating expenses until the full budget is passed.
This budget comes as the Nunavut government is expecting an almost eight per cent increase in revenue this fiscal year, mostly stemming from a 5.3 per cent increase in federal transfers to the territory. Total revenue is estimated to reach $3.5 billion, with the Ottawa responsible for roughly $2.47 billion.
Now the MLAs are set to debate the budget proposal with representatives from all 16 departments appearing at the assembly to answer questions from the MLAs.
The assembly’s spring session started on May 21 and is set to sit until June 11.
“$663 million for the Health Department”.
That’s more than $16,000 from each person in Nunavut next year, for the Airline Subsidization Department.
Perhaps it’s time to get serious about planning for Nunavut’s future.
Let’s start a serious initiative to produce the health care professionals we need in Nunavut.
Perhaps a stream that provides students with the guidance and support to become doctors, nurses and nurse practitioners. Also social workers, nutritionists, and lab technicians.
There could be good jobs for all Nunavummiut if we do it right. Or we could continue to pay for the construction of new hospitals in Ontario and subsidizing air travel.
Your call, Premier.
In order to become a Dr or a nurse it takes a lot of schooling and hard work, please tell me what the graduation rate is in Nunavut? I’ll tell you what it is, its below 50%, in probably one of the easiest systems in Canada, yes, it would be nice to see fellow Inuit in roles like this, but if they cannot pass high school, I don’t think medical school is on the table.
Time to cancel that Netflix subscription
Now that the, “get one more year out of these shoes” PM/Finance Minister has now announced his $2.47 billion dollar budget. Wondering out loud. Is in-depth analysis and questioning required to understand where they put this money, why and how it will be used to improve, maintain or fix identified issues? Or do they just kind of “wing it”?
Not sure? Well get some popcorn. Turn on your PC/TV/Phone and tune into the Legislative Assemblies Live webcast starting Tuesday May 26th. Let’s see if your MLA’s will be able to find out through detailed and inquisitive questioning regarding this budget; if it makes sense or it the PM and his cabinet “just winged it”. You will be able to watch the questions asked of the Ministers and their department heads; who will try and explain themselves, without explaining anything. It is going to be entertaining. I promise you.
With that promise made and in the spirit of trying to improve the upcoming entertainment value, and more importantly trying to understand how this money will be used in some of the departments that clearly have major issues (and because no one wants to pump money into something that is not working…wink) we have provided a few questions that someone might want to ask to understand if this money is actually going to be well spent:
CHILD & FAMILY SERVICES:
1) How many jobs are vacant presently? How much of the new budget is for salaries?
2) What is the departments recruitment plan? Is there money in this budget specifically for that?
3) Have leadership positions been changed given poor performance from the Department?
4) How many of the previous (2023-2025) Auditor Generals (AG) Recommendations to Child & Family services have actually been implemented?
5) What EXACT steps has the Government & Minister taken to ensure monitoring, review and analyses of the AG measures which were actually implement?
6) Why is the AG back again for another follow up (2nd time in the last 3 years)?
7) What is the status of Inuit foster parenting program?
HEALTH CARE:
1) How many staff members does the health department currently need?
2) What is the recruitment program and is their money in this budget specifically for that?
3) How many temporary closures of facilites has occurred in the last year? Does the new budget money ensure these closures will stop?
4) Are there trained professionals available for suicide prevention in each community?
5) Have previously identified leadership issues been resolved?
6) What is the plan to expand health care services in Arviat given the eventual arrival of a university there?
HOUSING:
1) How many of the 316 homes that NCCD was to provide to NHC under the sole source contract and deliverable in Oct 2024 and December 2025 are currently occupied? (Not still under construction “OCCUPIED”).
2) Where is the most recent update of delivery dates for those 2025-26 units? Last update on NHC website is from July 2025 This even after the AG report on NHC said transparency was an issue and NHC claimed it would fix it.
4) How many units overall EXACT number have been delivered and occupied to date under the entire Nunavut 3000 Project 2023-2030?
3) What did the $30 million extra paid in Feb 2025 by NHC to NCCD (NCC 3000) pay for when the NHC CEO during Legislative Assembly meeting and Hearings say was a “fixed priced contract”?
4) Why would NHC have paid NCCD (NCC 3000) $30 million in “extras” when it was failing to meet its contractual obligations?
5) Have more “extras” been paid to NCCD (NCC 3000) since February 2025?
6) Did NCCD assign its 2025-26 contracts to NCC 3000 and did NHC approve this?
7) What guarantees contractually does NHC/GN have in the event of a contractor failure?
8) Where is the detailed list of where this new budget money is going, how many units will it create, where and when and by whom?
9) Who is coordinating the FED money being pumped into Housing and the relationship with NTI and other third-party players. Who is responsible and accountable?
10) How many of the AG Report recommendations on NHC & Housing been implemented. What are the steps in place to measure and analyses their effectiveness and results?
11) Where is the full comprehensive audit and investigation into Nunavut 3000’s failures?
EDUCATION:
1) How much money is the GN investing in the new University in Arviat? Is there money allocated in this budget for that?
2) Has the GN been presented the business plan for the University?
3) Who will pay for Infrastructure upgrades required in Arviat as a result of the University. Is there money in this budget for that?
4) Who will pay for student and staff housing in Arviat. Is there money in this budget for that?
5) How much money from the budget is allocated directly to programs to keeping children in school?
6) What is the status of Programs designed to protect the Inuit languages? Is there money in this budget dedicated to that objective?
7) What is the plan to standardize the curriculum to bring it on par with southern education programs? Is there money for this in the budget?
8) What is the plan to drive more inuit graduating students into teaching jobs? is money allocated for that in this budget?
9) What is the plan to educate and hold parents responsible to ensure children “go to” and “stay in” school from K to 12? Is money allocated for that in this budget?
A few other ones for good measure:
1) How much GN money has the Modular Housing Factory in Arviat received? Is there more money in this budget allocated to that? Does the GN Forsee having to subsidize the Factories operations? If yes. How much money and is there money for that in this budget?
2) What is the GN’s plan regarding the Baffinland Mine and its fiscal challenges?
3) Why is the GN outsourcing to private enterprise the future Hydro dam in Iqaluit when the GN already owns Qulliq Energy? What money will the GN invest in this project? Is there money allocated in this budget for that?
4) Does the GN plan to invest in the Hope Bay Mine. Is there money in this budget for that?
Pretty sure none of these will get asked but it was worth a try. Still watch the webcast if you can (or watch the rerun available on the LEG’s website). It will still be entertaining. Promise!
With all the programs that say they are provided to reduce Nunavut suicide crisis, is there any idea in how successful they are?
A way might be to look at the people who have taken advantage of programs, sports, music, arts, sewing, counseling, levels of education, time spent on the land, time working a job, ect…. is there something that does help reduce suicides? Will a person sitting in and office help reduce it?
Forgot to buy new shoes or kamiik?