Federal budget makes little specific mention of the North
CBC
The federal government's latest budget contained little that's new or specific for the North, despite an ongoing housing crunch in the territories, some major infrastructure projects looking for investment, and a warming climate.
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland tabled the 2023 federal budget on Tuesday in Ottawa. The budget is being pitched as a focused plan to address inflation and to position the economy for the future through multi-billion-dollar tax credits to stimulate the clean energy sector.
The relatively brief 250-page document includes no major new funding for housing, even as the population grows and many Northern communities grapple with a generational housing crisis. Both Nunavut and Yukon saw population growth in 2022, and Yukon has been seeing some of the most rapid growth in the country in recent years.
Here are some of the budget investments specific to the North:
Other initiatives not specific to the North include:
In a statement on Tuesday, Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok highlighted some of the budget investments applicable to that territory, including health funding and the Indigenous housing strategy.
The budget initiatives will "contribute to our government's efforts to improve access to housing and health care services here in Nunavut," Akeeagok said.
N.W.T. Premier Caroline Cochrane also issued a statement on Tuesday, listing some of the budget initiatives relevant to her territory, including the health care funding, the introduction of a national suicide prevention line, and investments in clean energy that could support the Taltson Hydro Expansion Project.
She also highlighted the Indigenous housing strategy and said she wants to ensure it benefits the N.W.T.
"The N.W.T.'s housing situation is in dire need of investment, and it is my hope that this new money is a step toward making a significant difference in meaningfully addressing the lack of appropriate housing," Cochrane said.