Federal funding approved to upgrade aging water, sewage lines in Behchokǫ̀, N.W.T.
Local officials would not say how much community will receive until funding agreement is finalized
The federal government has approved funding to upgrade some underground water and sewer lines in Behchokǫ̀, N.W.T., according to local officials.
The money approved is specifically for Rae, whereas a separate application for similar work in Edzo is still pending approval.
The community has been waiting for years for such funding, with several households losing access to running water over the past winters due to frozen pipes.
Behchokǫ̀ Chief Bertha Rabesca Zoe said the federal funding has “tremendous significance.”
“We’ve been having a lot of water issues this past year,” she said. “It’s been, I think, one of the worst winters for frozen pipes, not just in Rae, the main community, but also in Edzo.”
She said her community government will continue to advocate for the Edzo funds.
Rabesca Zoe said that project in Edzo is already designed and would be shovel-ready. It will also be a bigger job, because about 95 per cent of houses there are connected to the main water pipe system, which means it would require more resources.
Pushp Seth, Behchokǫ̀’s senior administrative officer, wouldn’t say how much money the community will receive because a formal contribution agreement has not yet been signed. He said he expected that would happen in a couple of weeks.
Seth said the community applied for the funds two years ago, and has been following up since with support from the territorial government, including after the application was first denied.
The federal government also approved funding for a water intake study and upgrade. Seth said Rae’s water intake is very old, and the community is working with a contractor to determine if it can be repaired or if a replacement is needed.
The federal money comes from the Canadian Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF), which was established in 2024 to fund water and solid waste infrastructure needed to increase the housing supply across the country. The total allocation for the Northwest Territories from the fund is $74.2 million over ten years.
To receive money from the CHIF, municipalities and communities in the territories need to make certain commitments related to climate, such as resilience to wildfires and permafrost thaw.
CBC News contacted Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada for more information but did not hear back before publication.
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Canada: Lead found in water at Iqaluit’s only Inuktitut daycare, CBC News
Iceland: Iceland ramps up flood, avalanche defence projects after major budget boost, Eye on the Arctic
