Boil-water advisory lifted in Sachs Harbour, N.W.T., after nearly 9 months

This article is new today!

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-30 20:36:49.0
Tags: [National, Infrastructure, Healthcare]

The Northwest Territories' chief environmental health officer has lifted a nearly nine-month boil-water advisory for Sachs Harbour, originally issued on February 9 due to frozen intake pipes, truck-fill lines, and associated damage to the municipal water system. The Hamlet of Sachs Harbour and the territorial Department of Municipal and Community Affairs resolved the infrastructure failures, approving a new water treatment plant that is now functioning normally. The Department of Health and Social Services recommends that residents and businesses flush water systems by running faucets for one minute and clean water-using equipment such as coffee makers and ice-making machines. Officials confirmed that no illnesses were associated with the drinking water during the advisory period.

2 years on, the Nunavut government is still trying to get elder mobility vans on the road

This article is new today!

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-30 11:00:00.0
Tags: [National, Transportation, Seniors, Social Services, Infrastructure]

Two years after the Government of Nunavut spent $1 million purchasing five elder mobility vans for Iqaluit, Cambridge Bay, Coral Harbour, Pangnirtung, and Rankin Inlet, the vehicles remain parked and unused due to a failure to secure operational funding. The initial pilot project contract with the non-profit Northern Future Skills Development expired after the territorial government budgeted only for vehicle purchases and shipments without providing management funds. Premier John Main announced that the government has now approved $1.25 million in funding for the current year to establish an operational policy and seek new organizations to run the transportation service.

Five more public housing units open in Behchokǫ̀, N.W.T.

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-29 23:15:30.0
Tags: [National, Housing, Indigenous, Social Services, Infrastructure]

Housing N.W.T. has completed and turned over keys for five new public housing units in Behchokǫ̀, consisting of a four-unit building and a three-bedroom single-family home. The modular units were built in Hay River, shipped to Behchokǫ̀ for assembly in April, and are designed to replace older public housing units that have reached the end of their usable life. This deployment follows a territorial needs assessment released in March by Housing N.W.T. indicating that over half of households in Behchokǫ̀ face housing challenges, alongside the recent arrival of eight additional public housing units and one more duplex expected by the end of the year.

Experts highlight the 'double-edged nature' of Starlink in the North

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-29 20:00:00.0
Tags: [National, Technology, Infrastructure, Indigenous]

The federal government is pursuing made-in-Canada satellite alternatives to Starlink amid network sovereignty concerns and geopolitical risks highlighted by Prime Minister Mark Carney. Ottawa-based satellite communications company Telesat plans to deploy 225 low Earth orbit satellites to compete with Starlink, utilizing a $1-billion launch contract with SpaceX. Meanwhile, academic studies of Northern communities—where Starlink provides download speeds averaging over 100 megabits per second—warn of a 'double-edged' social impact, including accelerated online harms like cyberbullying, gambling, and scams.

Proposed new residential development in Whitehorse clears another hurdle

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-29 18:46:19.0
Tags: [National, Housing, Infrastructure, Municipal]

The Whitehorse city council unanimously passed a master plan for the proposed Highland Estates residential development by Lobird Living Corp., clearing a key hurdle to add 16 country-residential lots near the Lobird mobile home park. The project addresses a severe local housing shortage highlighted by the city's 2026 assessment noting a deficit of 2,800 housing units. Individual lots are estimated to cost about $400,000, with total home construction costs projected to exceed $800,000. Further progress requires additional municipal processes, including zoning bylaw amendments and lot subdivision.

Canada to invest up to $1.6B in Toronto-based AI company Cohere

Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-29 17:12:24.0
Tags: [National, Economy, Technology, Industry, Infrastructure]

The federal government of Canada announced an equity investment of up to $1.6 billion in Toronto-based artificial intelligence company Cohere as part of a broader $7 billion funding round led by Germany's Schwarz Group. The funding will support model development, products for regulated industries, and computing infrastructure, with Cohere committing to invest at least $1.7 billion in new computing infrastructure in Canada by 2030. Additional participants in the funding round include Nvidia and BCE subsidiary Bell Canada, ensuring Cohere's incorporation and headquarters remain in Canada.

24 Sussex reno drive nears $6M, unveils fundraising 'council'

Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-28 16:53:53.0
Tags: [National, Infrastructure, Governance]

The fundraising campaign to restore the uninhabitable official prime ministerial residence at 24 Sussex Drive in Ottawa has neared $6 million, backed by over 4,000 donations toward a $50 million goal managed by the Rideau Hall Foundation. Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the crowdfunded project in June, which excludes corporate and anonymous donations and requires a public donor list. The Rideau Hall Foundation established a 23-member "Council for 24 Sussex"—including gardener Mark Cullen, eyewear founder Roger Hardy, and investor Deanna Zumwalt—to promote further donations. The federal government initiated a procurement process for the rehabilitation project, aiming to select seven finalists in a national design competition before awarding a design and construction contract by the fall of 2027.

24 Sussex restoration campaign secures $5.7M as public appeal launches

Source: Global News Politics
Date: 2026-10-28 13:35:58.0
Tags: [National, Infrastructure, Governance]

The Rideau Hall Foundation has launched a public fundraising campaign to secure $50 million toward the restoration of 24 Sussex Drive, announcing that $5.7 million has already been raised through more than 4,000 contributions. The campaign is part of a broader federal plan introduced by Prime Minister Mark Carney utilizing a national design-and-build competition to overhaul the vacant 35-room prime ministerial residence, which has been empty since 2015 due to severe structural damage, rodent infestations, and electrical issues. While the National Capital Commission originally estimated restoration costs at approximately $37 million in 2022, total expenses are now projected to exceed $100 million, with ongoing vacant property maintenance costing taxpayers roughly $150,000 annually. The Rideau Hall Foundation also established the Council for 24 Sussex, a group of philanthropic volunteers, and expects to announce the winning architectural proposal by Canada Day.

Akaitcho First Nations assembly kicks off in Dettah

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-27 10:00:00.0
Tags: [National, Indigenous, Infrastructure, Energy, Governance, Resources]

The Akaitcho Territory Government held its annual general assembly in Dettah, N.W.T., bringing together leadership from the Deninu Kųę́ First Nation, Łutsel K'e Dene First Nation, Salt River First Nation, Tthebatthie Denesųłiné Nation, and Yellowknives Dene First Nation to discuss shared priorities. The assembly addresses major regional infrastructure projects referred to the federal government's Major Projects Office, including the Arctic Economic and Security Corridor and the Taltson Hydro Expansion, which have faced wavering support and criticism over inadequate consultations from nations like Deninu Kųę́ and Łutsel K'e. Additionally, the assembly follows up on a 2025 initiative by a committee of elders to rename the Great Slave Lake to remove its derogatory historical connotations. Northwest Territories Premier R.J. Simpson and Justice and Environment and Climate Change Minister Jay Macdonald are scheduled to attend.

First Nations-first ministers' meeting brings funding announcements and mixed reviews

Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-26 22:37:54.0
Tags: [National, Indigenous, Finance, Infrastructure, Emergency, Governance]

Prime Minister Mark Carney convened the first Indigenous-focused first ministers' meeting in over two decades in Ottawa alongside the Assembly of First Nations, led by National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak. Carney announced proposed federal funding ahead of the Nov. 5 budget, including more than $2.5 billion over five years for emergency preparedness in First Nations communities and more than $630 million over four years for First Nations and Inuit policing. Additionally, Carney committed to exploring the reform or abolition of the 1876 Indian Act and instructed his finance minister to collaborate with First Nations on new revenue-sharing mechanisms, such as a potential sovereign wealth fund.

N.W.T. gov't working to reopen Yellowknife treatment centre for children with complex needs

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-26 11:00:00.0
Tags: [National, Healthcare, Social Services, Infrastructure]

The Government of the Northwest Territories' Department of Health and Social Services is working to reopen the Territorial Treatment Centre at 5218 52nd Street in Yellowknife, which has been closed since late 2021 due to staffing shortages under former operator Unlimited Potential Community Services. Three contractors have submitted bids ranging from $255,408 to $450,000 to complete necessary renovations to the nine-bedroom residential facility, including bathroom, kitchen, flooring, and furnishing upgrades. The initiative aims to provide local psychiatric and behavioural support for children aged eight to 12, thereby reducing the need to send vulnerable northern youth to out-of-territory facilities in Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan.

First Nations want tangible results as 'historic' first ministers' meeting opens

Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-26 08:00:00.0
Tags: [National, Indigenous, Governance, Infrastructure, Energy]

First Nations leaders and Canada's first ministers convened in Ottawa for the first Indigenous rights first ministers meeting in two decades, led by Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak and federal officials. The Assembly of First Nations circulated discussion papers seeking commitments on economic prosperity, policing, constitutional rights, health, and education, alongside a draft 'Declaration of a Shared Path Forward' proposing annual meetings. Grassroots groups, including the Truth Before Reconciliation Network and Onion Lake Cree Nation, staged protests and issued a cease-and-desist notice, arguing that elected chiefs do not adequately represent inherent treaty rights-holders amid rising tensions over major resource infrastructure projects.

A ‘reset’ or ‘one and done’? First Nations and first ministers set to hold historic meeting

Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-25 08:00:00.0
Tags: [National, Indigenous, Governance, Infrastructure, Resources, Mining]

The Assembly of First Nations, led by National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, and Canadian first ministers are holding a historic, closed-door First Ministers' Meeting in Ottawa to redefine relations, discuss infrastructure, healthcare, and economic development, and address major project involvement. Notable absences include the premiers of Alberta, British Columbia, and Quebec, while several Indigenous leaders have expressed skepticism over meeting formats, speech restrictions, and stalled federal Indigenous legislation under Prime Minister Mark Carney. The federal government, through the Privy Council Office and Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty, plans to announce new community supports during the one-day conference.

Ottawa ‘not responsible’ for regulating AI data centre electricity use: minister

Source: Global News Politics
Date: 2026-10-22 17:21:43.0
Tags: [National, Nova Scotia, Technology, Energy, Infrastructure]

Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon stated before the Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology that the federal government is not responsible for regulating electricity usage by AI data centres, noting that power regulation falls under provincial jurisdiction. Solomon revealed that the federal government has received over 160 proposals for data centre developments and signed memorandums of understanding with approximately four companies. The discussion highlighted a specific $10-billion AI data centre project in Point Tupper, Nova Scotia, being developed by EverWind Fuels with a 20-year lease signed by U.S. AI firm Anthropic, which is slated to draw 95 megawatts in its first phase and expand to 420 megawatts by mid-2028.

Federal government announces $60M in additional funding to national sports organizations

Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-22 13:01:11.0
Tags: [National, Culture, Infrastructure]

Federal Secretary of State for Sport Adam van Koeverden announced nearly $60 million in supplemental funding for 62 national sports organizations (NSOs) during the 2026 fiscal year. This rollout is part of a broader $660 million sport support funding commitment over five years aimed at NSOs, multi-sport organizations, and Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network (COPSIN) members. Specific allocations previously detailed include $1.8 million for Canada Basketball, $2.77 million for Alpine Canada, close to $800,000 for Wheelchair Canada Basketball, and $5.4 million for COPSINs. The funding is part of a larger $1 billion federal investment in sports that also encompasses $43 million for direct athlete support, $50 million for hosting events, and various facility infrastructure projects across Canada.

Q&A | Yukon energy minister says power bills could go up by 53% without federal help

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-22 12:31:09.0
Tags: [National, Energy, Infrastructure, Affordability, Governance]

Yukon Energy Minister Ted Laking announced that Yukon power bills could increase by 53 per cent without federal funding support to address critical power infrastructure upgrades and a projected 60 per cent rise in grid demand over the next decade. Laking is lobbying the federal government in Ottawa for a 75-25 per cent cost-sharing partnership for infrastructure projects, noting that connecting to the British Columbia power grid is estimated to cost over $4 billion, which far exceeds the territorial government's $2 billion annual budget. In response to recent grid capacity strains, the Yukon government has repealed the Clean Energy Act, reallocated electric vehicle rebates toward home energy efficiency and heat pumps, and planned thermal backup generation utilizing Whitehorse Power Centres.

Some of Canada's top scientists push for changes to Carney's new major projects bill

Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-22 08:00:00.0
Tags: [National, British Columbia, Environment, Infrastructure, Energy, Governance]

More than 50 fellows of the Royal Society of Canada published an open letter urging Parliament to make six significant amendments to Bill C-39, the Building Canada Strong Act. The 243-page bill aims to fast-track major energy and infrastructure projects by establishing a one-year review deadline and pre-approved regions of national interest, while amending over a dozen federal laws including those protecting species at risk, fisheries, and water quality. Scientists, including representatives from the University of British Columbia and Queen's University, warn that eliminating the five-year sunset clause from the original Building Canada Act (Bill C-5) and weakening environmental oversight could drive irreversible harm and species extinction, such as the endangered southern resident orca population. Federal ministers, including Dominic LeBlanc, defended the legislation before a special legislative committee, arguing that clearer timelines and robust oversight can coexist.

Carney appoints astronaut Jeremy Hansen to advise government on new space strategy

Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-21 22:01:14.0
Tags: [National, Technology, Infrastructure, Defence, Trade, Governance]

Prime Minister Mark Carney appointed Artemis II astronaut Jeremy Hansen as a special adviser on space strategy to counsel the Prime Minister and Industry Minister Mélanie Joly on national sovereignty, security, and global contributions. The appointment coincides with Canada shifting its space partnerships toward the European Space Agency and away from American private firm SpaceX, drawing commentary from U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra. Additionally, Defence Minister David McGuinty announced a $20-million agreement for a space launch complex in southern Newfoundland to ensure independent and reliable orbital access during geopolitical tensions.

$463M Port of Saint John project aims to boost New Brunswick exports

Source: New Brunswick - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-21 21:29:02.0
Tags: [National, New Brunswick, Infrastructure, Transportation, Trade, Economy]

Federal Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon and New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt announced a $463 million infrastructure initiative called the Saint John Trade Corridor, marking the first project funded through the federal Trade Diversification Corridors Fund. The federal government is contributing $254 million, the Government of New Brunswick is providing $116.5 million, and project delivery partners are supplying the remaining $92.5 million. Key components of the project include dredging the main channel at Port Saint John to allow two-way traffic at high tide, constructing a new 2,787-square-metre Canada Border Services Agency container examination facility, stabilizing shorelines to protect rail capacity at the NBSR Bayshore Rail Terminal, replacing over 100 kilometres of existing rail, and reconstructing the Simms Corner intersection to alleviate congestion and improve safety.

Premier Ford and Prime Minister Carney Launch New Action Plan to Protect Workers from Tariffs and Strengthen Ontario Industries

Source: Ontario - Premier's Office
Date: 2026-10-21 19:30:00.0
Tags: [National, Ontario, Economy, Trade, Labour, Industry, Infrastructure, Mining, Energy]

The Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada announced a combined $8.7 billion action plan to protect workers and industries from U.S. tariffs. The package includes the Joint Steel Action Fund with $3.55 billion from the federal government and $1.67 billion from Ontario, an additional $2.5 billion over two years for large-scale automotive capital projects (up to $1.5 billion federal and $1 billion provincial), and a federal commitment of up to $1 billion over three years for essential road infrastructure in Northern Ontario’s Ring of Fire region. Additionally, light-duty vehicle greenhouse gas regulations will be maintained at 2026 levels (172 grams per mile) through 2029 to provide trade-related relief to the automotive sector.