Feds invest $3.1M to improve public spaces

As the territory recovers from the epidemic, the federal government will invest $3.1 million over the next two years in nine different N.W.T. towns to make public places more accessible and appealing.

Dan Vandal, the federal minister of Northern Affairs, revealed the funds at a press conference on Monday.

“The COVID-19 pandemic… showed us how much we missed coming together in our public spaces… as Canadians took the necessary precautions to stay safe and protect friends and neighbours from the pandemic,” Vandal said.

CanNor’s Canada Community Revitalization Fund provided the funding. Docks, arbours, and boardwalks are among the projects, as are basketball courts, fire pits, and picnic spots.

The purpose, according to Vandal, is to boost economic growth, create jobs, and provide a safe environment for people to gather together again.