Residents of the Northwest Territories to benefit from upgrades to wastewater and solid waste infrastructure

From: Infrastructure Canada

News release

Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, August 12, 2021— Across the country, Canadians are feeling the impacts of COVID-19 on their families, their livelihoods, and their way of life. Together, the governments of Canada and the Northwest Territories are taking decisive action to support families, businesses and communities to ensure community infrastructure is safe and reliable, while looking ahead to see what more can be done in these unprecedented times.

Today, Michael McLeod, Member of Parliament for the Northwest Territories, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and the Honourable Shane Thompson, Territorial Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, announced joint funding for seven wastewater and solid waste projects across the Northwest Territories.

The Government of Canada is investing over $5.1 million in these projects through the Green Infrastructure Stream (GIS) of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. The Government of the Northwest Territories, Northwest Territories’ communities and Indigenous recipients are providing more than $1.7 million towards these projects.

Among the projects funded, improvements to the Fort Smith landfill will increase the Town’s capacity to manage and treat solid waste and reduce landfill by approximately 50% by diverting organic waste. Once completed, the upgrades to the Fort Smith landfill will provide residents with an environmentally sustainable and cost-effective waste management system for years.

All orders of government continue to work together for Northerners to make strategic infrastructure investments in communities across the territory when they need it the most.

Quotes

“Ensuring that communities across the Northwest Territories have modern wastewater and solid waste infrastructure is vital to building strong communities and ensuring capacity for future growth while protecting the environment. Through the Investing in Canada Plan, the Government of Canada invests in thousands of infrastructure projects in all areas of the country, creating jobs and strengthening communities at a time when it is needed most.”

Michael McLeod, Member of Parliament for the Northwest Territories, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Federal Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

“In partnership, Federal, Territorial, Indigenous and Community Governments are committed to investing in infrastructure projects with the intent of increasing the quality of life for NWT residents. To this end, we are further investing in projects that address communities’ needs for upgrades to solid waste and wastewater facilities. These projects will increase capacity at existing facilities to allow for safer and more efficient core infrastructure.”

The Honourable Shane Thompson, Territorial Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs

“The Town of Fort Smith’s Landfill Expansion project supports our strategic goal of becoming a leader in sustainability and in achieving the objectives identified in the Town of Fort Smith’s Waste Management Strategy. This has enabled us to rethink what we do with waste and take the necessary action to manage it better. The long term health of the environment depends on us.”

Her Worship Lynn Napier, Mayor of Fort Smith

Quick facts

  • Under the Investing in Canada Plan, the federal government is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada’s rural and northern communities.

  • To support Canadians and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new stream has been added to the over $33-billion Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program to help fund pandemic-resilient infrastructure. Existing program streams have also been adapted to include more eligible project categories.

  • Across the Northwest Territories, the Government of Canada has invested more than $565 million in over 130 infrastructure projects.

  • Across Canada, since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic the Government of Canada has contributed $9.7 billion to 3,500 infrastructure projects.

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Contacts

Emelyana Titarenko
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities
873-355-9576
emelyana.titarenko@infc.gc.ca

Jay Boast
Communications Planning Specialist
Municipal and Community Affairs, Government of the Northwest Territories
867-767-9162 ext. 21044
jay_boast@gov.nt.ca

Media Relations
Infrastructure Canada
613-960-9251
Toll free: 1-877-250-7154
media@infc.gc.ca
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