These programs help fund water treatment plants in Nunavut. And they’re about to end
MPs Lori Idlout, Bonita Zarrillo call for extension to Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program and Indigenous Community Infrastructure Fund
Nunavut MP Lori Idlout and Port Moody-Coquitlam MP Bonita Zarrillo wrote a joint letter on Jan. 20 calling on the federal government to support Indigenous infrastructure in Nunavut and across Canada. (File photo)
Nunavut MP Lori Idlout and Port Moody-Coquitlam MP Bonita Zarrillo are urging the Canadian government to extend critical infrastructure programs which are set to expire in March.
The MPs issued a joint letter Monday to Infrastructure Minister Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, highlighting the consequences in Nunavut of losing programs like the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program and Indigenous Community Infrastructure Fund.
“These successful programs are on the verge of sunsetting, and the sudden disappearance of infrastructure funding will be deeply felt in Nunavut,” the letter said.
Idlout is the NDP critic for the Departments of Indigenous Services and Northern Affairs, while Zarrillo is the NDP critic for Infrastructure and Communities.
The Investing in Canada program allocates money to projects that improve environmental quality like upgraded wastewater treatment or drinking water treatment infrastructure.
It has contributed more than $129.9 million to infrastructure projects like the Kivalliq long-term care centre in Rankin Inlet, which celebrated completion earlier this month, and new water treatment facilities in Sanikiluaq, Pond Inlet, Arctic Bay and Grise Fiord. Money for the water treatment facilities was announced last year.
The Nunavut government has estimated it would cost $605 million to close the territory’s “water infrastructure deficit.”
Territories have until March 31 to submit project proposals, according to the Government of Canada website, and implementation and completion of approved projects will continue into early 2030.
The Indigenous Community Infrastructure Fund is also set to expire in March.
Administered by Indigenous Services Canada and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, the $4.3-billion fund aims to close the infrastructure gap in areas like water, health and housing.
According to a 2021 news release, $517.8 million was allocated over four years until 2024-25 to fund “shovel-ready infrastructure projects” proposed by Inuit.
The Qikiqtani Inuit Association used this fund in January 2023 to pay for five infrastructure projects across four communities, including the Sanikiluaq Wind Energy Project.
In their joint letter, Idlout and Zarrillo say infrastructure gaps in Nunavut “are the result of decades of under-investments” that can be fixed with sustainable, rather than short-term, funding.
“Providing infrastructure capacity will help unlock the tremendous economic potential that exists for Inuit and contribute towards Arctic sovereignty and security,” the letter said.
The letter ends with both MPs calling on the federal government to fulfill its promise to close Indigenous communities’ infrastructure gap by 2030, urging Erskine-Smith to “be bold and do the right thing for Nunavummiut.”
Erskine-Smith will respond to the letter in due course, said Sofia Ouslis, press secretary to the infrastructure minister, in an email to Nunatsiaq News.
“We know that there is still work to be done,” Ouslis said.
“That’s why we have partnered with the Nunavut government to deliver funding through the Housing Accelerator Fund and are engaged in active conversations about a Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund deal.”
The next thing we’ll hear is that they are going to stop Jordan’s Principle.
The Jordan’s Principle funding for Inuit expires March 31. Nobody knows for sure that if it will be extended or not.
Jordan’s Principle is for First Nation people, which is legally binding. Inuit Child First Initiative (ICFI) is what is specific to Inuit and is set to expire on March 31, 2025. Inuit are excluded from Jordan’s Principle which is why the Trudeau gov’t started ICFI thanks to much lobbying from ITK.
Please do.
Eliminate this Jordan thing.
Families getting thousands of dollars per month for groceries, having beds given to them, clothes given to them, flights for like 6 additional people to go out of territory for a birth, with accommodations and meals covered for all of them… all the while people are still getting CCB and potentially social assistance. It’s getting a little out of hand, and creating the expectation of entitlement for anything and everything.
Feed man a fish and he’s fed for a day
Another stab in the back for citizens by this NDP/Liberal Coalition and our MP and her leader supported this government right to the end.
Perhaps NDP supporters should look in the mirror and ask themselves, “What have we done?”
better than being a Con(vict)servative
Hi Paul. Since you’re upset about these programs sunsetting, am I to understand that you were very proud of the Liberal Government when they announced these programs? You probably tipped your hat to Trudeau and whispered, “Thank you, dear leader”.
This is a little more Buzz Feed than I’m used to from Nunatsiaq. Lori Idlout must be thankful for the full-throated endorsement of her letter.
Almost half of Nunavut was boil water this year. We lack the basic human rights, food, shelter and water. The Human rights of the world. We’re also trying to reach the poverty line.
Ever see the mess hunting camps and hunters leave behind? Garbage everywhere and we demand others clean up the mess we leave.
Disgusting and embarrassing when different people from elsewhere see the mess WE ,as Inuit, make.
What was once our swimming spot is now sewage and the fishing is no longer viable there.
We, Inuit, did that. Period.
Back then the local powers that be did not want their relatives to lose their jobs and rebelled against a sewage treatment plant and water treatment plant. Now sewage flows right into the lake where residents get the water delivery guys get water.