June 8, 2011 - A key priority of the 16th Legislative Assembly received a welcome endorsement in the federal Budget Monday. The Government of Canada reaffirmed its commitment to spend $30 million per year over the next five years to advance the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk portion of the Mackenzie Valley Highway project.
Premier Floyd Roland says the federal commitment is an important first step in a project that will move the NWT towards greater economic self sufficiency and, in doing so, advance Canada’s sovereignty in our North. “This funding recognizes the importance of supporting exploration, oil and gas development, and other economic opportunities in the NWT for the good of Canada,” he said. “It fits with the federal government’s stated northern strategy and the progress we have made on Devolution and the Mackenzie Gas Project.”
Minister of Transportation Michael McLeod notes that there is a lot of work ahead. “We will work closely with our partners to ensure that this project moves forward,” he said. “We must still address the gap between the federal commitment and the projected cost of the road, but this is still an important step toward our goal of building an all-weather highway from Wrigley to Tuktoyaktuk.”
The Government of Canada had previously provided funding for the completion of the Project Description Report (PDR) for the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk portion of the Highway which has allowed the project to proceed to the environmental review stage. Construction activities could begin as early as this winter.
Since 2007, the Government of the Northwest Territories has focussed significant effort on securing more and improved transportation infrastructure in the NWT and highlighting the benefits that northern development can bring for NWT residents and for Canada as a nation.
For more information, please contact:
Earl Blacklock
Manager of Public Affairs and Communications
Department of Transportation
867-873-7712
867-445-3494 (Cell)
Drew Williams
Press Secretary for Premier/Cabinet
Government of the Northwest Territories
hone (867) 669-2304
drew_williams@gov.nt.ca