A handful of NWT communities, including Hay River, will be receiving some substantial infrastructure improvements from the federal government.
In total, an investment of $13,908,056 will be going towards Hay River, Fort Liard, Fort Smith, and Fort Simpson. This money will be going towards local projects to improve the local transportation infrastructure in both small and large ways.
The largest project is in Hay River. The community regularly faces damages from springtime flooding. Their share of the money will be going towards raising Airport Road and the water plant access road to help reduce the impact of flooding. There are also plans in place to pave the most hazardous sections of the road with asphalt, and to install water draining infrastructure.
Kandis Jameson, the Mayor of Hay River, explained that raising Airport Road will “make a key area of our town more resilient to flooding and protect essential services. This project is not just about safeguarding our community today — it’s about building a stronger, more sustainable Hay River for the future.”
In the other communities, Fort Liard’s access road will receive major renovations, Fort Smith will have a multipurpose trail constructed around the Thebacha Recreational Area, and Fort Simpson will be adding a wheelchair accessible passenger vehicle to improve local transportation.
Caroline Wawzonek, the Minister of Infrastructure, spoke highly about the Liard Access Road project.
“This project is about more than just improving infrastructure; it opens up new opportunities for Northerners, connecting communities and people while supporting economic development in the region. We are grateful to the federal government for their partnership and continued commitment to strengthening transportation networks in our territory.”
It is believed that each of these projects will help save money in the future by preventing dangerous situations instead of responding to them after they happen.
