The governments of Canada and the Northwest Territories are forwarding infrastructure for Northern Canadian communities, with over $200 million for green infrastructure projects devoted to reducing greenhouse gases, climate change resilience, and water management.

Yesterday, Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities; Wally Schumann, territorial Minister of Infrastructure; Caroline Cochrane, territorial Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs; and Michael McLeod, Member of Parliament for the Northwest Territories, announced the signing of a bilateral agreement that will provide more than $570 million over the next decade in federal funding dedicated to infrastructure projects under the Investing in Canada plan.

“Nowhere is the link between infrastructure and economic prosperity as obvious as it is in the Northwest Territories,” said Schumann. “Creating the North our people want and need means working together with many partners—Canada, Indigenous governments, community governments, business and industry—to create and implement a clear plan for investing in our people in the long term.”

The total funding for green infrastructure will be $208,230,295, which will provide increased structural capacity and increased natural capacity to adapt to climate change impacts, natural disasters, and extreme weather events; increased capacity to treat and manage wastewater and stormwater; and increased access to potable water, among other objectives.

“We are pleased to reach a new agreement with the Northwest Territories to invest in infrastructure projects that will benefit Northern communities for years to come,” said Sohi. “Collaboration and partnership have been at the heart of the success of our Investing in Canada plan and we will continue to work with provinces, territories, municipalities, Indigenous communities, stakeholders, and Canadians from coast to coast to coast.”

The projects supported through this agreement will be cost-shared with the territorial government, municipalities, and other partners. The Government of Canada is providing up to 75 per cent of eligible expenditures for projects in the territories and for projects with Indigenous partners.

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