Northern Development Funding on the Way

Northern Development Funding on the Way

Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at 16:39

The first projects to be awarded funding under the Canada-Saskatchewan Northern Development Agreement have been announced.

The 5-year, 20-million dollar agreement is funded with 10 million dollars each from the provincial and federal governments.

Eight projects from across the North have received a combined 2.7 million dollars in funding.

The projects include an upgrade to the Athabasca Seasonal Road at an estimated cost of just under 2 million dollars.

Northern Development Board CEO Dean Desjarlais admits that represents a large chunk of the funding announced today, but says it’s a project that has a high priority.

Desjarlais is also hopeful the money will reduce the projected cost of the proposed all-weather road network in the Far North and jumpstart negotiations regarding the funding of those roads.

Some of the other northern projects to receive funding today include a construction apprenticeship training program and a program to teach high school students how to become entrepreneurs.