Investing in northern transportation infrastructure creates stronger communities in Canada’s north by enabling the mobility of people and goods, as well as supporting new investments, tourism, and greater resiliency to climate change.

“This is an historic day for Canada. Our country is connected by road – for the first time ever – from coast to coast to coast. The federal government is proud to have supported the construction of the Inuvik Tuktoyaktuk Highway. It is a key piece of infrastructure that will have a long-lasting, positive impact on the lives of Northerners. Moreover, this investment will help ensure that the people of Tuktoyaktuk have year-round access to essential services and a reduced cost of living. Congratulations to everyone involved in realizing this important nation-building project.”

The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

“Our shared goal with Northerners is to build strong families, communities and economies in the North. This new all-season road will create new economic development opportunities, provide better connection to essential services for individuals, and help lower the cost of food and supplies for families in Tuktoyaktuk. It will also allow for more Canadians to experience the beauty and majesty of the Arctic and meet the inspiring Northerners who live there.”

The Honourable Carolyn Bennett, M.D., P.C., M.P., Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs

“Transportation has always been at the forefront of enabling Northerners to grow and develop our economy, and never has it been more important in guaranteeing our future growth and prosperity than today. Expanding our transportation system with the opening of the Inuvik Tuktoyaktuk Highway will help us connect residents to new social and employment opportunities, stabilize the cost of living in the territory, increase our resiliency and adapt to the impacts of climate change, and provide better access to natural resources.”

The Honourable Wally Schumann, Minister of Infrastructure, Government of the Northwest Territories

• Building an all-season road to the Arctic coast has been a priority for both territorial and federal governments since the 1960s.

• The Government of Canada has contributed up to $200 million toward the Inuvik Tuktoyaktuk Highway, while the Government of the Northwest Territories has contributed $99 million.

• The Government of Canada will invest more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada’s rural and northern communities.

• More than $10.1 billion of this funding will support trade and transportation projects, including $5 billion that will be available for investment through the Canada Infrastructure Bank.

• $2 billion of this funding will support infrastructure projects that meet the unique needs of rural and northern communities, such as facilities to support food security, local access roads and enhanced broadband connectivity. This funding also includes the $400-million Arctic Energy Fund to advance energy security in the territories. 

Related Products

• Read the backgrounder to learn more.

Associated Links

• Government of Canada’s $180-billion+ infrastructure plan in Budget 2017
• Federal infrastructure investments in the Northwest Territories
• Inuvik Tuktoyaktuk Highway project
• The GNWT Department of Infrastructure

Brook Simpson
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities
613-219-0149
brook.simpson@canada.ca

Greg Hanna
Communications Coordinator
Department of Infrastructure
Government of the Northwest Territories
867-767-9082 ext. 31046
greg_hanna@gov.nt.ca
@GNWT_INF
http://ith.dot.gov.nt.ca/

Infrastructure Canada
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