Territorial mayors to meet in Whitehorse to push for federal funding
Iqaluit will advocate for more housing, Mayor Solomon Awa says
Iqaluit Mayor Solomon Awa is set to meet with mayors of Yellowknife and Whitehorse to discuss joint efforts to get more federal funding. (File photo by Jeff Pelletier)
Mayors of three territorial capitals are set to meet in Whitehorse next month to discuss their cities’ needs in light of the national Arctic sovereignty push.
Their main ask — money.
“We can blah, blah, blah, but without money, there’s nothing moving,” Iqaluit Mayor Solomon Awa said in an interview Tuesday after announcing the trip to city council.
The meeting between Awa, Yellowknife Mayor Ben Hendriksen and Whitehorse Mayor Kirk Cameron is scheduled for Feb. 20.
In the past year, the North has become the centre of national conversation, Awa said.
All three major national parties have pitched themselves as the best defenders of the region.
In March, then-defence minister Bill Blair announced that Iqaluit, along with Inuvik and Yellowknife, will host military operational support hubs as part of the Liberal government’s $81.1-billion defence policy.
Canada’s goal to boost Arctic infrastructure also made its way into the federal government’s throne speech in May, read out by King Charles.
The federal government will “invest to strengthen its presence in the North, which is an integral part of Canada, as this region faces new threats,” Charles said during the opening ceremony of the 45th Parliament.
Since then, a proposed hydroelectricity plant for Iqaluit became one of six “nation-building” projects the federal government wants to fast-track for approval.
Awa says the three territorial capitals need to tap into the Arctic sovereignty push together.
“We’re trying to make a team with all the three territories to be able to say that we need more help from the federal government,” he said.
For Iqaluit, the biggest need is housing — the city needs to expand to be able to accommodate new infrastructure, Awa said.
Iqaluit is one of 19 Nunavut communities where the need for public housing was classified as “critical” by the territory’s house-building corporation in its 2023-24 annual report.
Awa didn’t say how many or what kind of housing Iqaluit will advocate for.
“Whatever we can get,” he said.
what a visionary. considering nhc has nunavut 3000 going on and the city recieves property taxes. maybe he should call natan. LOL.
What about the futuristic drawings that was on NN with all those buildings? Is that going to be built or it’s just a drawing? Spending money on the drawing but not coming up with concrete plans or financial projections? He doesn’t know what type of housing he is asking for? What about all those studies? They can’t pick one and get funding for real development? Or it’s more bla bla bla lol
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