The much anticipated Canadian federal budget – touted as a key piece of legislation that could make or break the Conservative minority government – was passed in the House of Commons on Tuesday evening. “Stimulus” was the overriding buzz-word for the budget and without hesitation proposed government spending did not overlook Canada’s North. Although considered issolated in terms of location, the reprocussions of the global economic contraction have been felt in Canada’s North; the minning and exploration industry have been hit hard, territoral government surpluses have receded. Here is a breakdown of some of the key spending announcements made in this year’s budget:
- Up to $85 million over next two years for enhancing key Arctic research facilities (also included is $2 million to undertake a feasibility study for proposed development of a world-class Arctic research facility — hub for Canadian northern research)
- $90 million over five years towards the North’s regional economic development program
- $200 million over two years to support social housing projects
- $37.6 million through the end of 2010 to help streamline the decision-making process surrounding the Mackenzie Valley Gas Project
For an in-depth look at the 2009 budget, please visit the following link:
http://www.budget.gc.ca/2009/home-accueil-eng.asp
Tags: arctic, budget, canada, government, north, oil, policy
This is the first budget that I’ve ever looked at in my adult life. I mostly rely on reports like yours to point out items in a budget. But in all honesty it would be great if there was some easy to access website where you could follow the money right down to the last contractor getting paid. In the U.S. they’ve set up http://www.recovery.gov to follow their stimulus money. We’ll see how well that works I guess.
It would be really great to be able to follow this money and see exactly how it gets spent. For example: $37.6 million over 2 years “to help streamline the decision-making process surrounding the Mackenzie Valley Gas Project” What the heck does THAT mean? “streamline the decision-making process” Kind of vague. What is going on with that anyway? Aren’t there some serious environmental concerns around that project?
Kristin raises a great point that all too often government budgets have a lengthy list of initiatives with price-tags attached and very little transparency where an average person can view the timeline of such measures unfold. That being said, the Liberal Party made a motion to the most recent federal budget requiring three updates over the coming year as to the overall progress of the stimulus actions mentioned in the budget.
In regards to the Mackenzie Valley Gas Project, this mega project has been in the works for years and from current reports will be held up till sometime near the end of 2009 for an environmental and socioeconomic impact assessment to be completed. This might well be an endless money pit as the project has been invisioned since the 1970s, although if inacted would provided an economic boost to Northern Canada.