Ottawa doles out money to help tackle climate change across the North

By Nunatsiaq News January 9, 2018
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Nunavut will get $1.7 million from the federal government over the next four years to help its communities better adapt to climate change.

The money flows from Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada’s Climate Change Preparedness in the North program, first announced in the 2016 federal budget.

Federal Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Carolyn Bennett, pictured here visiting Kuujjuaq in 2016, said the climate change adaptation fund is meant to support traditional knowledge in Indigenous communities. (Nunatsiaq News file photo)
Federal Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Carolyn Bennett, pictured here visiting Kuujjuaq in 2016, said the climate change adaptation fund is meant to support traditional knowledge in Indigenous communities. (Nunatsiaq News file photo)

The first $21.8 million investment targeted the assessment and planning phase of climate change projects in the North, which includes all three territories and the Inuit regions of Nunavik and Nunatsiavut.

An additional $5 million a year announced in 2017 will go towards the implementation of those projects.

“Nunavut is experiencing the effects of climate change firsthand, and we are especially vulnerable to its impacts,” said Nunavut’s environment minister, Elisapie Sheutiapik, in a release on Wednesday, Jan. 3.

“The funding received under the Climate Change Preparedness in the North program helps us develop projects to adapt and ensure long-term resiliency in the territory.”

The Government of Nunavut has yet to say which projects might receive some of the $1.7 million flagged for the territory.

But both the GN and Nunavut communities will take part in selecting the projects that will receive the funding.

Carolyn Bennett, the federal minister of Crown-Indigenous relations and northern affairs, said the investment is meant to support traditional knowledge in Indigenous communities, with a focus on “ice-based operations” and access to on-the-land and recreational activities.

“This agreement will improve Nunavut’s autonomy and capacity to achieve these goals and to help Canada meet its international commitments while renewing the Inuit-Crown relationship on the basis of recognition of rights, respect and partnership,” Bennett said in the Jan. 5 release.

For more information on funding guidelines and how to apply, Nunavummiut can contact the program by email at [email protected] or by phone at 1-800-567-9604.