should wrap up this year

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services

Kivalliq

Local Journalism Initiaitive

A study on the feasibility of creating an inter-community road network in the Kivalliq should be finished this year and provide insight on whether the project will be economically feasible. David Akeeagok, minister of economic development and transportation, stated in the legislative assembly that an engineering consultant has been working on this study since last summer.

“This work involves studying all-season road connections between the communities of Arviat, Whale Cove, Rankin Inlet, Chesterfield Inlet and Baker Lake,” said Akeeagok through interpretation in the legislative assembly March 8.

The project will provide cost estimates for the road’s construction, a 30-per-cent design, economic analysis, community consultations and regulatory groundwork to prepare the project for submission to the land use planning and impact review process.

“Although the geography, population and economy of this part of the Kivalliq region are very promising for road construction, we still do not have sufficient information to say whether building road connections between these five communities would be a good investment,” said Akeeagok. “This project will provide the answers we are looking for and could help build the case for major capital funding.”

Arviat South MLA Joe Saviktataaq questioned Akeeagok in the assembly two days later, saying he was surprised about the minister’s statement that there is not yet sufficient information to justify whether building a road between those Kivalliq communities would be a good investment.

“In the Northwest Territories, they’re connecting their communities as quickly as they can to help their communities be not so tied to airlines,” said Savikataaq. “Mr. Speaker, many of the MLAs here have stated how expensive airline travel is in Nunavut and that’s the only way of getting from one community to another community, unless you go by boat or snowmobile. We want to help Nunavummiut be able to travel freely with the least amount of costs.”

He asked Akeeagok what it would take to determine whether the road network is a good investment or not.

Arviat South MLA Joe Savikataaq asked Minister of Economic Development and Transportation David Akeeagok about the study into whether a Kivalliq road network would be feasible in the legislative assembly. NNSL file photo

“I’m hoping and anticipating that it will (be considered a good investment) and, if it does, we will definitely go into the next level of seeking investment dollars towards this very important project,” said Akeeagok.

Savikataaq replied, “I anticipate that it will say that it is worth connecting the communities, so that the cost of living can go down, so the movement of goods and families will be easier.”