The federal and territorial governments are investing in green infrastructure projects in Yellowknife. The government says in their press release that the projects will safeguard the environment, grow the economy and improve the quality of life for those living and working in the North.
The Honourable Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities; the Honourable Wally Schumann, Minister of Infrastructure and Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment; the Honourable Robert C. McLeod, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Minister of Finance and Minister of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation; and Michael McLeod, Member of Parliament for Northwest Territories were together in Yellowknife to make the investment announcement. They revealed that the $24.6 million funding will be for turbine and generator upgrades for the Snare Forks Hydroelectric Facility on Snare River.
The facility handles energy load swings and storage for the Snare Forks Power System which includes four separate hydro plants. This system serves four nearby communities in the North Slave Region – Yellowknife, Bechoko, Detah and Ndilo. The press release states that these upgrades will generate cleaner energy and help prevent unscheduled shutdowns, which means less diesel will be used.
