Ottawa to pump $214M into Iqaluit water system

Federal funding to be used for new water reservoir, improvements to city’s distribution system, PM says

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, speaking on screen from Ottawa, announces a $214-million plan to improve Iqaluit’s municipal water system during a virtual announcement Friday morning, attended by (from left to right) Iqaluit chief administrative officer Amy Elgersma, Mayor Kenny Bell and Premier P.J. Akeeagok, who took part from Iqaluit city hall. (Photo by David Venn)

By Nunatsiaq News

The federal government will spend $214 million to build a new water reservoir in Iqaluit and improve the city’s water distribution system, which has been under pressure as the city grows.

Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. president Aluki Kotierk, Iqaluit Mayor Kenny Bell and city councillors gathered in Iqaluit’s city hall to hear Prime Minister Justin Trudeau make the announcement virtually Friday morning.

“This is a positive change for the city of Iqaluit and the local economy,” Trudeau said, adding that making sure Iqaluit has clean drinking water is “a top priority” for the federal government.

Ottawa’s money will go toward the excavation and construction of a new reservoir beside the existing Lake Geraldine water source and to improve the city’s water distribution system.

The federal government money will flow to the city, which will spend it over four years during which “most of the job will be completed,” Bell said during the announcement.

“[The funding is] going to give us a foundation to build on — something that we’ve been asking for a number of years. Our infrastructure is in critical need … and this is going to help us greatly,” he said.

The city has been in need of new water infrastructure for years, with one councillor saying recently that it’s the biggest barrier to development in the city.

City staff sent an application for funding to Northern Affairs Minister Daniel Vandal’s office in October, Bell said.

The application was then expedited, with Vandal, who also attended the meeting virtually, saying the department had turned around the application in “a relatively short amount of time.”

“This is something that was a priority,” Vandal said. “This will be, we hope, a long-term solution.”

The money comes from Infrastructure Canada’s Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation fund.

Nunavut MP Lori Idlout — a member of the NDP — also took part in the announcement. The NDP and Liberals reached an agreement in March that will see the New Democrats support the minority Liberal government in the House of Commons until 2025.

Idlout has been asking for the federal government to allocate money to solving Iqaluit’s water problems since she took office.

She spoke of Iqaluit’s resilience during last fall’s water emergency. Between Oct. 12 and Dec. 10, people in Iqaluit were told not to consume the city’s treated water due to the fuel contamination in the municipal water supply.

In January, after fuel contaminated Iqaluit’s water supply again, Idlout wrote a letter to federal Infrastructure and Communities Minister Dominic LeBlanc asking for $180 million.

Trudeau commended those in Iqaluit who “stepped up” during last October’s water emergency when Iqaluit’s municipal water supply was contaminated with fuel, and thanked people for pulling together and delivering water to the most vulnerable.

“You were there for each other,” Trudeau said.

The federal government also helped local officials manage the crisis last fall, by deploying a Canadian Armed Forces operation to purify water from the Sylvia Grinnell River and have it distributed to the community.

Trudeau mentioned the effects of climate change — including melting permafrost and soil erosion — are having an impact on municipal infrastructure.

Akeeagok agreed, saying that the funding will help mitigate the impacts of climate change and allow the city to grow.

He said he was thankful that the federal government stepped up in helping to pay for better water infrastructure.

“Access to clean, safe water is a right that should be available in any community. Nunavummiut have struggled to gain this basic right for far too long,” Akeeagok said.

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(31) Comments:

  1. Posted by Arg on

    Does this mean Kenny is going to run again? Happy for this announcement but not happy about the rumours.

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    • Posted by 1 term on

      No he promised only one term. There’s other people that are going to run and win next time. He said only 1 term mayor i hope. He does not treat people respectful

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  2. Posted by Lol on

    I’m actually laughing because Idlout and the NDP actually achieved what they wanted. I thought it was an insane ask but here it is announced. Nunavut thanks the Canadian tax payers.

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  3. Posted by 867 on

    In the eyes of the Feds, Iqaluit is the only town in Nunavut.

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    • Posted by HumpaHumpa on

      iqaluit got a lagoon just like the chocolate lake in Willy Wonka Wich Needs Lots of Fixing Too, Money Well Need it

    • Posted by 979 on

      Lots of work put into requesting funding, studies, meetings, discussion, if you want something work for it, holding your hand out for money doesn’t work.

  4. Posted by Lacking Trust on

    How do we know the City did their homework properly and that this will be enough to get the work done?

    We still haven’t been told conclusively where the contamination came from.

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    • Posted by Ms. Information on

      Despite the various insinuations, I don’t think there’s anything in this announcement about the treatment plan. Build the new reservoir, replace a bunch of utilidor, that’s all I see. It’s about quantity (quantity stored, delivered), not about quality. Which seems like a missed opportunity.

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    • Posted by Came from on

      You will not know as city officials will not tell you were the smell came from,

      US military dumped tons of fuel from north 40 and down wards all contaminated base area all down by lower base and fuel is seeping into the pipes todate.

      Eyes and ears

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  5. Posted by Inuit vs Allak? on

    how are Inuit getting movement on water faster than the allaks? some allak communities have been under a boil water advisory for over 20 years? Is it cuz we pay taxes? there needs to be an in-depth journalistic investigation on this.

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    • Posted by I get it on

      I understand what you’re saying. Equality.

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      • Posted by Confusion on

        I don’t. I have no idea what the poster is talking about. Could someone please help me understand?

        What other water issue is being talked about here?

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  6. Posted by Umingmak on

    Must be an election coming, because Trudeau only pretends to care about the north during an election campaign

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    • Posted by TakeDa$$Run on

      thanks to the election my toilette,bath and sink will be flowing with water from the Feds Money , dont worry be happy

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  7. Posted by Uvanga on

    Hope to see our water system improved and built above ground pipes like Inuuvik and Nuuk. Less labour and easier access when it needs fixing. This system can help with beautifying the city as well. Our aging water pipes are underground and very difficult to access during the cold winter weather. Great news on the much needed funding.

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  8. Posted by still here on

    I pray there is federal government oversight on this or OMG! Most likely to lay the pockets of larger construction firms so that they continue to only work in the winter months in iqaluit

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  9. Posted by Concerning on

    This is great news for Iqaluit. In response to why Iqaluit not other places, the Minister made it clear that they have not received applications from other places. Maybe often we might think complaining is enough to get help rather than filing paper work as the city did to get solid support.
    It felt like a true Trump moment when the Mayor questioned or stated that Nunatsiaq doesn’t report properly on news. Sad its done in front of every decision maker in the territory and the federal government.

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    • Posted by still here on

      odd how the city files the right paperwork, chlorine count in my utilidor up pipe leaking water, proven to be cities issue at the main and signed off by a director at the time, but refused to be repaired by city as they said it may have been an aberration, so i guess i need to fill out paper work every year the feds should treat the city like the city has treated every one else especially tax payers, where would be if the FEDS acted like the city does? atrocious!

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    • Posted by Truth on

      Mayor does not like nunatsiaq cause they report the truth about him . He thinks he can tarnish people publically. Nunatsiaq should sue him honestly .

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  10. Posted by Yay on

    Long over due! These projects will also support the community by hiring local Inuit and using Inuit owned businesses. And I totally agree that the waterlines should be brought above grade!!

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  11. Posted by delbert on

    Great News. All people deserve clean drinking water. All this funding from the feds. It would be nice see the entire document. If the funding is spend over 4 years. Is there a plan to manage the project. If there are cost over runs who will cover the cost. How much work will be given to Inuit companies? Is there any cost sharing between the Feds, city or GN. Will the federal government audit the spending and monitor the bidding process? It would be good to have some over site of this project. Considering the large amount of money being spent. Unfortunately there is history of mismanagement with funds here in Nunavut. So the tax dollars that coming to do this project will need to managed properly.

  12. Posted by Facts and details please. on

    Interesting that money floes to Iqaluit when the white population cries. What about the other communities in Nunavut that are under constant boil water advisories?
    What about all the reserves around Canada that haven’t had a glass of clean water in years?
    I wonder if this is nothing but a white vs brown flow of money?

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    • Posted by Northern Guy on

      Almost one third of Nunavut’s population resides in Iqaluit. If that isnr reason enough look at it this way. The GN can now concentrate its infrastructure spending on your community while the Feds take care of Iqaluit. Stop making this a race issue when it clearly isn’t.

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      • Posted by Abandoning the Vision on

        In 20 years, Iqaluit’s proportion of the population of Nunavut increased from 17.2% to 21.5%, which is a 25% increase. Considering the birth rate in the non-Iqaluit communities is much higher than Iqaluit, this is actually really indicative of how many people are relocating to Iqaluit. This is due to the GN essentially abandoning decentralization, without admitting it. If it continues, Nunavut will end up exactly like NWT where half the population lives in Yellowknife which is made up of only 23% Indigenous people while the rest of NWT is 74% Indigenous.

        If you actually think that the ever-growing number of people brought up to Iqaluit from the South that control the GN’s Business Plans, Main Estimates, and Capital Estimates, will ever concentrate their infrastructure spending on a community other than their own, well… I want some of whatever you’re on.

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        • Posted by Rethink on

          Iqaluit is the biggest Inuit community in Nunavut. Anything that benefits Iqaluit benefits the biggest group of Inuit in one town.

  13. Posted by S on

    $218 million equates to 600 efficiently-built housing units; OR every public housing unit in Nunavut completely stripped inside every room, resealed, drywalled, painted, refloored, and all plumbing repaired; OR ,,,,,,

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    • Posted by anon on

      And none of those units can be built without an expanded and repaired water infrastructure system.

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  14. Posted by Foreigner 101 on

    It would logical as well to stem the boomtown growth. Spread the gov services out to better situated villages that have plenty of drinking water.

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  15. Posted by Northern Guy on

    I have to say that I am extremely pleased with the performance of our new MP. The difference between her and her predecessor Ms. Qaqqaq with resoect to their competence and general understanding on how to get things done is astonishing. Keep up.the good work Ms. Idlout!

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  16. Posted by Ian on

    Whine, whine, whine, Iqaluit got all this, poor rest of us, we are the biggest taxpayers in Nunavut , we actually do some work. To try and make Nunavut work. The capital should never have been here, poorly planed.

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  17. Posted by John K on

    Please supervise us …

    Please stop just throwing cash at us for NTI to place behind racial barriers …

    Please don’t assume we are capable of handling this because I really don’t know that we are …

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