Millions flow from Ottawa for housing, health, education infrastructure

The governments of Canada and the Northwest Territories have entered into two agreements that will help deliver affordable housing and support critical infrastructure for Northerners.

Together, these partnerships will deliver over $655 million in housing and infrastructure, stated a release.

As part of this collaboration, Build Canada Homes and Housing NWT have reached an agreement in principle to support the delivery of at least 560 affordable housing units through a planned combined investment of approximately $480 million.

The planned investment totals more than $480 million, including $200 million from BCH, $190 million from the GNWT, and $90.5 million from other funding sources including private capital, stated a release.

The housing portfolio will include at least 380 social housing units, approximately 130 affordable housing units, and 50 transitional or supportive housing units, helping meet a range of housing needs.

This agreement will also support partnership opportunities between the federal government, the GNWT and developers, including Indigenous governments and organizations, non-profit organizations and the private sector.

At an announcement at the former Hilltop Apartments site in Yellowknife, federal Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty was joined by her territorial counterparts Lucy Kuptana, minister responsible for Housing Northwest Territories, and Health and Social Services Minister Lesa Semmler.

“This is exactly the kind of partnership that Build Canada Homes was created to support, when the response to local needs brings partners together and delivers more housing where it’s needed most — and we’re just getting started,” said Alty, who is also the NWT’s sole MP.

Alty noted that building homes is only part of the equation, as supportive infrastructure for families and businesses is also needed.

“Over the past year, many of you have heard our government talk about Building Canada Strong through major projects like the Mackenzie Valley Highway and the Taltson Hydro Expansion, that will transform our economy, strengthen our sovereignty and create new opportunities,” she said.

“The success of these projects depends on communities having a strong foundation and the infrastructure they need to succeed.

“That’s why we’re also finalizing another agreement to address critical infrastructure needs and help build stronger communities for generations to come through the provincial and territorial stream of the Building Community Strong Fund.”

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The two levels of government have also finalized an agreement under the Provincial and Territorial stream of the Build Communities Strong Fund to build and renew infrastructure across the territory.

With this agreement in place, the Northwest Territories will receive up to $82.4 million to support infrastructure projects and priorities related to housing and post-secondary education over 10 years, as well as up to $74.5 million in health infrastructure funding over three years.

This investment will help prioritize infrastructure projects that support housing supply, strengthen community infrastructure, and improve access to health and post-secondary education facilities across the Northwest Territories.

In addition to this funding for the territorial government, the Northwest Territories is slated to receive $18.7 million in 2026-27 through the Community stream of the Build Communities Strong Fund.

This funding supports local infrastructure priorities identified by communities, including investments in water systems, transportation networks, and community facilities.

Minister Kuptana said too many Northerners continue to struggle and find housing that is safe, affordable, and suitable for their needs.

“Housing is about much more than buildings; it supports healthy families, education, employment, mental wellness, and strong communities,” she said.

“Today marks a major step forward,” she said. “Housing requires infrastructure that supports it, and the Build Community Strong Fund will provide significant investment for housing-related infrastructure, health infrastructure, educational facilities, and community infrastructure across the North.”

Housing NWT will also address derelict housing, such as the site she was standing on.

“Through this agreement, we will work with communities and Indigenous governments to remove derelict residential buildings and prepare more sites for future housing.

“As projects move forward, they will create opportunities for Northern businesses, support local involvement and help build skills and experience across the construction sector.”

Minister Semmler said she has “heard loud and clear” from residents across the Northwest Territories: people want equitable access to healthcare.

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“They want to spend less time traveling and leaving the NWT for essential services, and more time receiving care in their own territory and communities surrounded by family and supports,” she said.

Semmler said while decisions about specific health infrastructure projects have not been finalized, she did list off priorities that “reflect the needs I have heard from one end of the territory to the other.”

They include:

• New health cabins for Jean Marie River, Kakisa, Tsiigehtchic, Wekweètì , Nahanni Butte, and Colville Lake. Said Semmler: “When our practitioners travel with these new facilities, they will be able to overnight. They will be able to have more specialists and doctors, nurse practitioners, dentists.”
• Other critical upgrades to the health center in Fort McPherson and continued investments in Inuvik, including expanded CT Scan service and new medical equipment.
•  Significant investments in Yellowknife, including an MRI suite, the Łıwegǫ̀atì Building Indigenous Wellness Clinic, and other facility improvements.
• And territorial investments in medical equipment in every region of the Northwest Territories.

Semmler, a former nurse in the Beaufort Delta, said she wanted to highlight the importance of expanding CT and MRI capabilities in the NWT.

“These are not luxuries. These are essential diagnostic tools used every day across Canada. Northerners deserve the same timely access to these services as Canadians elsewhere in the country,” she said. “This investment is about fairness. It’s about equity. It’s about ensuring that whether you live in one of our smallest communities or in our capital city, you have access to the health care you need when you need it.”

Launched in September 2025, Build Canada Homes is Canada’s new federal agency, with the mandate to scale up the supply of affordable housing.