Latest news with #NWT
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Carney has 'nation-building projects' on his mind as he meets with premiers in Saskatoon
Prime Minister Mark Carney's main focus will be on project development as he sits down with provincial and territorial premiers this week. First ministers are gathering in Saskatoon Monday for the first time since the April 28 federal election. Carney told CBC's Power & Politicsin an exclusive interview last week that "major projects" will be his main agenda item for Monday's meeting. WATCH | Carney on U.S. relations, his government's ambitions: "We need to move on these nation-building projects. So projects that bring Canada together, projects that diversify our economy, projects that help us export to new markets and really move this economy forward," Carney told host David Cochrane. "The ask of provinces, the ask of the private sector is: Which projects do you have that reach those criteria? What we're going to do is fast-track the approval, truly fast-track the approval, of those projects." Project approval was a significant part of last week's throne speech read by King Charles. The speech promised to "unleash a new era of growth" by creating a federal project review office and reducing regulatory reviews "from five years to two." The Liberals are aiming to introduce legislation this month that would introduce "up-front regulatory approvals" to major projects in the national interest, according to a federal document CBC News obtained. A number of provinces and territories have already begun floating ideas for major economic projects that they'd like to see happen. N.W.T. Premier R.J. Simpson said his region has "not had the same type of investment in infrastructure that the rest of Canada has seen" during an interview on Rosemary Barton Live that aired Sunday. Simpson said his territory and Nunavut are pursuing a road through the Slave Geological Province, which would connect western Nunavut and an area in the Northwest Territories believed to be rich in minerals. "That's a project that's been talked about for generations, for decades, [but] hasn't advanced yet. So that is one I'm really excited about," Simpson told host Rosemary Barton. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said on Rosemary Barton Live he hopes discussions begin "on what a regulatory process would be moving forward that would provide certainty for the investment into industries that are creating value and provide us as Canadians with that opportunity to become the strongest economy in the G7." "In the meantime, if we have to prioritize projects, that is what it is, but that in itself is an admission that the current regulatory processes need changes and I think that is the broader goal that I would have coming out of this tomorrow and over the next couple of months," he said. Western premiers met last month to discuss a range of issues that included energy, Arctic security and economic corridors. Specifically, the premiers called for Carney's "full support for the development of an economic corridor connecting ports on the northwest coast and Hudson's Bay." Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew wrote to Carney shortly after the election, voicing his support for a similar economic corridor that includes Manitoba's Port of Churchill. He said such a corridor could help western provinces get resources to international markets. WATCH | Kinew says Carney must 'signal seriousness to Western Canada': "If we sit around talking about politics, it's going to be like the family dinner table. We're always going to be arguing. But if we get down to work and we choose some economic projects to build the country — that's how we bring people together," Kinew said in a separate interview on Power & Politics last week. "When we get together for our formal first ministers' meeting with the prime minister, I think you're going to see a unity of purpose." Like Kinew, Ontario Premier Doug Ford wrote to Carney laying out his ideas for major projects that he would like to see developed, including critical mineral deposits in Ontario's Ring of Fire. Moe also sent a list of priorities to the prime minister that included the expansion of pipeline projects. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith sent a letter to Carney in mid-May and said the prime minister has "the opportunity to address serious issues plaguing Canada's economic well-being — and the very real sense of alienation felt across the west." Smith said there are several preconditions necessary to make Carney's nation-building ambitions a success: Include an oil pipeline on the initial list of nation-building projects, abandon the "unconstitutional" oil and gas emissions cap, overhaul the Impact Assessment Act and repeal Canada's industrial carbon tax as well as clean electricity regulations. The Alberta premier also said she's appointed a provincial negotiating team and called on Carney and B.C. Premier David Eby to do the same. "A collaborative approach between the relevant federal departments and the Governments of Alberta and British Columbia that enables a common understanding of project economics, barriers and opportunities will be critical to reaching a positive outcome," Smith said. Carney told Power & Politics that he's seeking to have projects compete for federal approval, with the best ideas winning out. "In effect, we're going to have a competition with projects. Some projects are good ideas, but they're not ready. Others are ready, but they're bad ideas," he said. Carney had previously met with premiers in March and committed to removing internal trade barriers by July 1.
CBC
17 hours ago
- General
- CBC
N.W.T. gov't says it didn't use 'best practices' for lead testing at schools
Less than a week after parents were notified lead samples were found in two Yellowknife schools' drinking water, the N.W.T. government is saying it did not use best practices in the initial testing. In an emailed press release that was sent out late Saturday afternoon, the government said the initial water testing in schools "was not conducted using national best practices for water sampling." The government also noted it also undertook the original sampling process without in-house expertise specific to water testing. It said it didn't engage any third-party experts and didn't consult its own internal water quality experts in advance. CBC requested an interview with the department. The N.W.T. Department of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) previously told CBC it initially decided to test for lead after "increased public attention to the issue," and particularly because of media coverage of testing in the Yukon being delayed. News of lead in the school drinking water broke last week after Yellowknife Education District No. 1 sent notices to parents and staff, stating lead levels in École William McDonald's drinking water were detected at 0.00903 milligrams per litre, while Range Lake School's levels were 0.025 milligrams per litre. Canada's drinking water guidelines state the maximum acceptable level is 0.005 milligrams per litre. Days after the notices were sent out, ECE said in an email that it received its initial test results for water at École William McDonald Middle School and Range Lake North School on Jan. 22. In Saturday's update, the government said "although the original intent was to complete testing quickly with available resources, the lack of expert involvement compromised the reliability of both the process and the results." The territorial government is now re-testing all school water sources where elevated lead levels were previously reported and said "results will be shared as soon as they are received – first with the schools and families, and then with the public." Review of the situation going forward A review of "how this situation unfolded" is currently underway, the government said in its emailed press release. "The GNWT acknowledges the concern this situation has caused. While the original intent of this project was to help confirm the safety of school drinking water, the issues identified in the testing process are now enabling clearer steps to ensure water quality and, if necessary, corrective action," the government wrote. In a statement issued last Wednesday, ECE Minister Caitlin Cleavland said she is "deeply concerned" about the lead levels in the school water but did not commit to making the review itself public.
CBC
2 days ago
- Health
- CBC
N.W.T. gov't says it followed protocol by doing 2nd round of lead tests instead of notifying schools earlier
Social Sharing The N.W.T government says it followed standard practice when it conducted follow-up testing for lead in the drinking water at two Yellowknife schools instead of blocking the taps off and notifying the public earlier. "Health experts raised some questions about the sample gathering methods and whether that could have affected the results," Christina Carrigan, senior communications adviser with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, wrote in an email Friday afternoon. In that email, the department said after the initial sample set was done, any result that exceeded the maximum acceptable concentration of lead under Canadian drinking water guidelines triggered a second sample to confirm the finding. The department also said the office of the chief public health officer recommended the water not be consumed as a precautionary measure. "[Education, Culture and Employment] is now conducting a formal, school-wide series of tests in these two schools to validate the preliminary findings and ensure the safety of the drinking water." Lead levels in École William McDonald's drinking water were detected at 0.00903 milligrams per litre, while Range Lake North School's levels were 0.025 milligrams per litre. Canada's drinking water guidelines state the maximum acceptable level is 0.005 milligrams per litre. Lead was first detected on Jan. 22, and the results were confirmed on April 4. Parents and staff were informed this past Tuesday. 'No safe level' of lead Dr. Anne Hicks, an associate professor of pediatric respiratory medicine at the University of Alberta, said lead in water and food is absorbed in the body the same way calcium and iron are. "So into your red cells, into your bones," she said. Hicks said it's hard to say how much lead is safe to consume, because everyone absorbs and expels it differently. "There's no safe level of lead intake, basically," she said. "The more you take into your body over time, the more likely it is that you'll have an elevated lead level." She said symptoms of high lead in the body will often emerge later, but most lead exposure is mild in Canada. One sign could be low blood iron, anemia or low red cell counts. "It can take a long time for these subtle symptoms to show up." Hicks said the levels found at both schools "are concerning" but that public health officials would best be able to identify the level of risk. "I think the most important thing would be to make sure that everybody is safe," she said. The N.W.T.'s health department told CBC it would not be doing interviews, and the chief public health officer was also not made available for an interview. Education, Culture and Employment has also declined interviews, opting to send email responses instead, and Education Minister Caitlin Cleveland has not been made available for interviews. Parents concerned Sabrina Meilleur, who has children and stepchildren at Range Lake North School, said she thought the school's infrastructure was new and she was surprised to find out there could be elevated levels of lead in the water. "I was shocked, actually," she said. She said she has peace of mind that an investigation is taking place, now that they're testing for it, but she would have liked to have known earlier. "I'm really disappointed it took so long." Yvette Cooper, another parent, said she worries about the long-term effects of lead on children. "It's wildly inappropriate," she said. "Children have been exposed to this for months. "This is a really slow response and this is a huge concern," she added. "My confidence is shaken."
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Climate
- Hamilton Spectator
GNWT fighting five wildfires as extreme summer dry conditions set in
There are now five active wildfires in the Northwest Territories, but there is no immediate risk to the public, save for smoke. An update from NWT Fire info was released shortly after 5 p.m. on Thursday. and there are four new fires burning in the NWT. Largest among the fires is FS002-25, which sits about 30 km southwest of Sambaa K'e. Currently 300 hectares in size and out of control, the fire was spotted Thursday. Wildfire information officer Thomas Bentham said crews were responding by setting up sprinkler systems on cabins and other assets which may be threatened. A second fire discovered today, FS001-25, stands approximately 80 hectares in size and is considered out of control. It's 74 km east of Ford Liard and is not an immediate threat. Near Fort Smith, SS007-25 was spotted yesterday 20 kilometres North of the Salve River. Since then, it has grown from seven hectares to 58 hectares in size and is out of control. Airtankers could not attack the fire today due to strong winds, but ground crews and helicopters are on scene to limit its growth. There is no threat at this time. Two remaining fires sit just 13 and 14 km respectively north of the B.C. border and both were discovered Thursday. The first, FS003-25, is 15 hectares and out of control, while the second, FS004-25, is only one hectare. Crews have begun an attack of FS003-25. In both cases, Bentham said crews have structural protection equipment on hand if the fires threaten any assets. 'The Dehcho, North and South Slave regions are experiencing extreme wildfire weather,' stated Bentham. 'It's hot, dry, with gusty winds, creating a hazardous fire environment that significantly increases the risk of wildfire ignition and spread. This weather is expected to continue into the weekend. 'Please exercise caution while enjoying a campfire and when finished, ensure it is completely extinguished.' Bentham said southerly winds were carrying smoke into the NWT as well. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
CBC
3 days ago
- Climate
- CBC
Sambaa K'e, N.W.T., on alert for possible evacuation as wildfires burn nearby
Sambaa K'e, N.W.T., has issued an evacuation alert due to wildfires burning nearby. An evacuation alert does not mean people have to leave the town at this time. However, they should get ready in case the alert is upgraded to an order. Deanna Jumbo, the band office receptionist, confirmed to CBC that the alert has been issued. Band leaders are meeting Friday to go over their evacuation plan. The N.W.T. government's wildfire map showed three fires burning south of Sambaa K'e as of Friday. Two were listed as smaller in size — 15 hectares and 0.5 hectares — while the one closest to the community was listed at 500 hectares. All are listed as out-of-control. The closest fire is about 30 kilometres southwest of the community. N.W.T. Fire said Thursday afternoon that fire crews were setting up sprinkler systems around cabins in the area.
