My North Now was able to speak with Rebecca Alty, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs and MP for the Northwest Territories about the investments in the NWT included in the federal government’s Budget 2026.
One of the investments included in the budget is $3.1 billion over five years to support the construction and maintenance of the Mackenzie Valley Highway.
“It’s been decades discussed, and incredible news last week that the federal government is committed to funding the construction,” said Minister Alty.
This funding is in addition to $400 million announced in September to fund the construction of the Great Bear River Bridge. Minister Alty said construction is expected to begin sometime in January.
“Some of the construction, the areas that have been permitted already, will begin this winter,” said Alty.
When asked how much of the highway would likely be able to be constructed over the five years this funding covers, Minister Alty said that the process of acquiring permits is still underway and that an estimate would be available once the permits were in-hand.
Minister Alty also affirmed that the federal government would be working closely with Indigenous governments to ensure their rights and input are respected.
“Community meetings and consultations are ongoing and will continue throughout the project,” said the Minister.
Minister Alty expressed excitement about the extensions to several tax credits for mineral exploration, as well as the efforts made to digitize the NWT’s library of core samples.
“It’s an incentive for miners, for exploration to be done across the Northwest Territories,” said Alty.
Alty also spoke on the investments in housing that are a part of this Budget, including $13 billion in funding for Build Canada Homes, 10% of which will be focused on Indigenous housing, and the construction of 560 units in Yellowknife in partnership with Housing NWT.
“There’s more housing dollars, which I think is really important for the Northwest Territories,” said Minister Alty.
The budget also includes $1.6 billion to support northern electric infrastructure. While this funding hasn’t be allocated according to Minister Alty, she says it will likely go towards projects that will reduce the NWT’s reliance on diesel generators.
“We see the cost of diesel going up, and so this is an opportunity to get off diesel as well as have the sovereignty of our own energy,” said Alty.
