Federal government trying to improve supply chain in northern Canada

OTTAWA — On Dec. 18, the Minister of Transport, Pablo Rodriguez, announced an investment of over $10 million for six projects under the National Trade Corridors Fund in the North and Arctic.

This commitment will fund infrastructure projects and studies that address the unique transportation needs and priorities of Northern and Arctic communities.

The Government of Canada will contribute:

• Up to $3.1 million to Air Inuit Ltd. for a project that improves cargo storage in the North at the Puvirnituq airport. This expansion will allow for more efficient distribution from the Puvirnituq hub towards the upper Hudson region.
• Up to $1.9 million to C-CORE for a project that uses satellite-based remote sensing to provide safer and more cost-effective infrastructure operations in the North to support operational decision-making for runways, highways, ice roads, and sea ice travel infrastructure.
• Up to $362,500 to Nayumivik Landholding Corporation for a study to examine the feasibility of constructing a deep-water wharf at Ungava Bay.
• Up to $3.5 million to BGC Engineering Inc. for the development of innovative data management systems that improve the safety, reliability, and resiliency of three transportation corridors, helping to improve safety and preserve infrastructure in the North of Canada.
• Up to $131,250 to the Canadian Arctic Innovation Association for the now completed research study that explored the potential use of cargo airships and similar transportation vehicles as a viable mode for transporting goods and services in remote communities in the North.
• Up to $1.6 million to the University of Alberta for a project that focuses on mapping the permafrost and ground ice along the Mackenzie Valley Highway and Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway in the Northwest Territories, using tools that will create a better understanding of the influence of surface and groundwater on permafrost soils and aggregate resources.

“We’re investing in projects that address some of the unique transportation challenges of the North because we understand we can make a difference in people’s lives by strengthening our supply chains for everyone. Northerners need to count on transportation infrastructure that is robust and adapted to their needs, and these projects allow us to keep increasing resilience for those crucial trade corridors,” said Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Transport.