NWT Liberal MP Rebecca Alty says her party’s budget contains measures that could meaningfully advance major projects like the Mackenzie Valley Highway and Taltson hydro expansion.
Speaking from Ottawa on Wednesday, Alty told Cabin Radio the proposed creation of a $1-billion Arctic Infrastructure Fund and increased funding for the Canada Infrastructure Bank could fund projects like those.
“Those are important projects for today, as well as for the future, to grow our economy and create good jobs in the North,” said Alty, who is also the minister of Crown-Indigenous relations.
A former mayor of Yellowknife, Alty also highlighted the budget’s Build Communities Strong Fund, an infrastructure line item for which $51 billion is promised over the next 10 years.
Alty pointed to the water advisory issued for communities in the South Slave earlier this week as an example of the need for improved infrastructure in the NWT. She said this new fund could help address that.
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Speaking about a comprehensive assessment of northern healthcare proposed in the budget, Alty said there aren’t yet any timelines or further details available for that project.
The ministers of national defence, Indigenous services, northern affairs and Arctic affairs are earmarked to lead that assessment.
“What I appreciated seeing in the budget was the fact that the ministers are going to come together and not be working in silos to address this,” said Alty.
“Not only the ministers, but also working with the territorial governments, Indigenous governments to really look at ways that we can improve the system, look at what current funding is available, what assets, what people each government has available, and really seeing ways that we can improve the system.”
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Lastly, Alty noted the budget plans a Critical Minerals Sovereign Fund created by Natural Resources Canada and funded to the tune of $2 billion over five years, starting in the 2026-27 fiscal year.
“Critical minerals are needed from a climate change perspective, whether it’s batteries or solar panels, and we’ve got a lot of the critical minerals that Canada needs in the Northwest Territories,” said the NWT’s MP.
On Tuesday, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre told the House of Commons his party wouldn’t support the budget as proposed.
If the budget fails, that will trigger a new federal election within a year of the last one.
The Liberal minority government needs at least two MPs from other parties to back the budget unless some MPs abstain. That number was previously three MPs, but Nova Scotia MP Chris d’Entremont crossed the floor this week to join the Liberals from the Conservatives.
Asked if she would be encouraging other Conservatives to make a similar move or taking any other steps to get the budget over the line this month, Alty said part of her responsibility as a cabinet member is to educate Canadians about the programs and investments proposed in the budget.
“Residents reaching out to their local MP to let them know their thoughts, I think, is the important part,” said Alty.
