Spring 2004Planning Digest V.8.1
A recent study suggests that the Northwest Territories' economy could remain the fastest growing in
Canada for the next decade (Reference 2). The NWT's red-hot economy is expected to be steady
for the next year, then take off again with the construction of the Snap Lake Diamond mine, 220
kilometres northeast of Yellowknife. However, the booming economy is already taking its toll on
health, social and infrastructure services in the territory as the government struggles to keep up
with an aboriginal and non-aboriginal population boom.
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In general, the growth of Canada's aboriginal
population is outpacing non-aboriginals by a
staggering margin. Statistics Canada released
n e w i n f o r m a t i o n o n C a n a d a ' s a b o r i g i n a l
population in January, 2003 (Reference 10),
and in the 2001 census , 976 ,300 peop le
i d en t i f i e d t h emse l v e s a s No r t h Ame r i c an
Indians, Métis or Inuit. This count was 22 per
cent higher than the 1996 figure of just under
800,000. In contrast the total non-aboriginal
populat ion grew only 3.4 per cent between
1996 and 2001.
The highest concentration of aboriginals is in
the North. The 22,720 aboriginals in Nunavut
represent 85 per cent of the territory's total
population, which is the highest concentration
in the country. Aboriginals make up 51 per
cent of the Northwest Territories' population,
and 23 per cent of Yukon's.
In March 2003, the Canada Mor tgage and
Housing Corporation hosted a forum on housing
in the City of Yellowknife (Reference 9). The
closed event was attended by more than 100
individuals representing developers, bankers,
landlords, and representatives from all three
l e v e l s o f g o v e r n m e n t i n t h e N o r t h w e s t
Te r r i to r ies . The key i ssues f rom the fo rum
identified included the need for more project
capital and easier financing, the high cost of
l a n d d e v e l o p m e n t i n t h e n o r t h , a n d t h e
shortfall in building capacity given the lack of
skilled trades people.
Communities in the Northwest Territories and
Nunavut are being challenged to keep up with
the growth demand for developed land. Land
deve lopment i s an expens i ve and complex
a c t i v i t y i n n o r t h e r n c o m m u n i t i e s ; i t i s a
process that may normally require a window of
3 to 5 years depending upon the community
(Reference 5).
In add i t i on , i t i s on l y one o f a number o f
competing priorities that communities have to
address, with limited funds. A development
n e e d s a s s e s s m e n t c o m p l e t e d b y t h e
G o v e r n m e n t o f t h e N o r t h w e s t Te r r i t o r i e s
(GNWT) in 2003 (Reference 4) identified that
a p p r o x i m a t e l y 8 0 p e r c e n t o f t h e s m a l l e r
communities may have sufficient inventory of
vacant lots to meet their development demands
in the next five years. However, the land use
documentation in most of the communities may
not reflect the changing land use demands that
these communities must address in the next
five years. It was recognized that most of the
s m a l l e r c o m m u n i t i e s n e e d t o r e v i e w t h e
administration of existing development sites
because the demand may exceed the inventory
for particular land uses.
Kenneth R. JohnsonDevelopment Needs for Northern Communities
The Challenges Associated
with the Continuing “Boom ”
Spring 2004Planning Digest V.8.1
One impo r t an t i s sue m i s sed i n t he GNWT
assessment is the proximity and problems for
community waste management. The Dogr ib
Commun i t y Se r v i c e s Boa rd ha s e xp r e s s ed
concerns that odors f rom landf i l l s i tes and
sewage lagoons (Reference 1) are making some
p e o p l e i n t h e i r c o m m u n i t i e s s i c k . T h e
c ommun i t i e s a r e g r ow i n g , a nd e x p and i n g
toward municipal waste sites. Relocating waste
management facilities is not a simple matter
because of the requirements from the various
regulatory and non-regulatory stakeholders, and
because of the simple fact that the capital
co s t s f o r a new was te f ac i l i t y ( l and f i l l o r
s e w a g e l a g o o n ) a r e i n t h e h u n d r e d s o f
thousands of dollars, and the access roads to
these facil it ies are approximately $250,000
per kilometre (Reference 5).
B u i l d i n g a n e w s u b d i v i s i o n t o m e e t F o r t
Simpson's housing needs isn't a simple process
(Reference 8). The Liidli i Kue First Nation
(LKFN) has proposed to create 40 to 50 new
housing units, but the proposed development
area is unsurveyed Commissioner's land. This
land falls under the administrative jurisdiction
of the Government of the Northwest Territories,
a n d d e m a n d s a l e n g t h y p r o c e s s b e f o r e
development can actually begin. The process
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involves obtaining solicited letters of support
f r o m t h e M é t i s L o c a l , t h e D e h C h o F i r s t
Na t i o n s and t h e Dene Na t i o n , a s we l l a s
stakeholder consultations. At the end of this
process, the land may be transferred from the
GNWT to the Village of Fort Simpson, who, in
t u r n , c a n s i g n o v e r t h e l a n d t o N o g h a
Enterprises, the LKFN's economic development
arm.
The Capital City of Nunavut, Iqaluit remains
one o f the fas tes t g rowing communi t ies in
Canada, 4 years after the boom associated with
the creation of Nunavut. According to Statistics
Canada, Iqaluit's population grew to 5,236 in
2001 - an increase of almost 1,000 over five
years, and the trend is supposed to continue
for a number of years.
According to Iqaluit developers it's becoming
increasingly difficult to find land on which to
build (Reference 7). Contractors have stated
that the lack of sites has driven prices so high
t h a t c ompan i e s c an ' t a f f o r d t o d e v e l o p -
unserviced lots may cost as much as $60,000.
In the fall of 2003, the City of Iqaluit turned
down a proposal to develop a subdivision called
Tundra Valley East area, after politicians and
residents demanded that the land be put aside
and not developed because of the potential
impact on a traditional land use area. The City
has at least one pro ject in the pre l iminary
stages, but that development may not start
until 2006.
By the end of 2003, the City of Yellowknife
had approximately 1000 more housing units
that it did at the beginning of 2002 (Reference
3 ) . Th i s g r ow th t r ans l a t e s i n t o o ve r $45
mi l l i on in r es iden t i a l r e l a ted cons t ruc t i on
approved by the C i ty in 2003 a lone. Th is
g r ow th i s we l l o n t h e wa y t o b e a t i n g t h e
estimates of early 2002, which suggested that
1400 to 1600 housing units would be required
in the City by 2007. The total value for all
construct ion in Yel lowknife was a whopping
$85 million in 2003.
Development demands on communities are also
e m e r g i n g f r o m o u t s i d e t h e c o m m u n i t y
boundar ies . Resource deve lopment b r ings
sma l l t empora ry c i t i es fo r exp lo ra t i on and
construction, and these camps are often using
t h e e s t a b l i s h e d n e a r b y c o m m u n i t y
i n f r a s t r u c t u r e ( R e f e r e n c e 6 ) . T h e u s e o f
infrastructure of nearby communities simplifies
the regulatory and logistical demands for the
s m a l l s c a l e w a t e r , s e w e r , a n d w a s t e
Development Needs for Northern Communities
The Challenges Associated with the Continuing “Boom ”
landfill in Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories
View toward downtown Yellowknife
Spring 2004Planning Digest V.8.1
The development in the City of Iqaluit has produced some unique structures; this complex is know as "Legoland".
management systems associated with camps.
Howeve r, c amps a r e o f t en u t i l i z i n g t h e s e
services without the appropriate compensation
to the loca l gove rnments . Th i s add i t i ona l
service demand may push the capacity limits of
some community systems, which were never
designed to respond to resource based needs.
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T h e d e v e l o p m e n t a n d s u s t a i n i n g o f
infrastructure in cold region communities has
a l w a y s b e e n i n f l u e n c e d b y a v a r i e t y o f
f i nanc i a l , admin i s t r a t i v e , ope ra t i ona l and
regulatory factors. Over the past 10 years the
comp lex i t y o f these f ac to r s has i nc reased
substant ia l ly wi th changes to the avai lable
f i n a n c i a l r e s o u r c e s , t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i v e
structures, the operational responsibilities, and
the regulatory environments.
Many o f these changes have increased the
o v e r a l l c o m p l e x i t y o f i n f r a s t r u c t u r e
development, and sustainability in cold region
communit ies, part icular ly at the community
leve l . Many communit ies are f inding the
demands o f these comp lex i t i e s t o be we l l
be yond the i r f i nanc i a l and admin i s t r a t i v e
resources, and as a consequence are placing
themselves in very undesirable situations with
regard to community funding and regulatory
compliance.
Many cold region communities are seeking, and
receiving the needed technical and capacity
a s s i s t a n c e f r o m s e n i o r g o v e r n m e n t s a n d
consul tants . However, these resources a re
discovering that new and innovative approaches
wi l l u l t imately be required in the future to
m e e t t h e c h a l l e n g e s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h
development needs for northern communities.
Kenneth R. Johnson is a
S e n i o r P l a n n e r a n d
Engineer with Earth Tech
Canada in Edmonton. He
has been wo rk ing w i th
n o r t h e r n A b o r i g i n a l
communities since the early 1980's on land
use and infrastructure related problems.
He is a nationally recognized expert in cold
region community infrastructure, and he
maintains an award winning website called
Cryofront (www.cryofront.com).
Development Needs for Northern Communities
The Challenges Associated with the Continuing “Boom ”
The town centre of the City of Iqaluit has experienced unprecedented growth since the creation of Nunavut in 1999.
Kenneth R. Johnson is a
S e n i o r P l a n n e r a n d
Engineer with Earth Tech
Canada in Edmonton. He
has been wo rk ing w i th
n o r t h e r n A b o r i g i n a l
communities since the early 1980's on land
use and infrastructure related problems.
He is a nationally recognized expert in cold
region community infrastructure, and he
maintains an award winning website called
Cryofront (www.cryofront.com).
Kenneth R. Johnson is a
S e n i o r P l a n n e r a n d
Engineer with Earth Tech
Canada in Edmonton. He
has been wo rk ing w i th
n o r t h e r n A b o r i g i n a l
communities since the early 1980's on land
use and infrastructure related problems.
He is a nationally recognized expert in cold
region community infrastructure, and he
maintains an award winning website called
Cryofront (www.cryofront.com).
Kenneth R. Johnson is a
S e n i o r P l a n n e r a n d
Engineer with Earth Tech
Canada in Edmonton. He
has been wo rk ing w i th
n o r t h e r n A b o r i g i n a l
communities since the early 1980's on land
use and infrastructure related problems.
He is a nationally recognized expert in cold
region community infrastructure, and he
maintains an award winning website called
Cryofront (www.cryofront.com).
1. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Expansion a Growing Problem for Dogrib Towns.
January 30 2004.
2. Ibid. NWT at Start of Decade-Long Boom.
December 8, 2003.
3. Ibid. No End in Sight for Yellowknife.
July 17, 2003.
4. Department of Municipal and Community Affairs,
Government of the Northwest Territories.
Land Development Needs Assessment. March, 2003
5. Johnson, Kenneth R.
Water and Sewer Infrastructure in Northern Communities
Comprehensive Summary. November, 2003.
6. Northern News Services. Bracing for Impact.
December 12, 2003.
7. Ibid. Housing Crunch in Iqaluit. November 10, 2003.
8. Ibid. This is Our Land - We Want to Develop It.
September 5, 2003.
9. Ibid. Search For Housing Answers. March 19, 2003.
10. Ibid. Aboriginal Growth Spurt. January 27, 2003.
References
Aboriginal Peoples of Canada: A Demographic Profile, 2001 Census (Analysis series, 2001 Census)
Graph Population reporting Aboriginal ancestry (origin), Canada, 1901-2001
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