麻豆影视

Skip to main content

Nunavut water shortage shows lack of infrastructure funding: researcher

Share

A water shortage in Nunavut has prompted the region's territorial government to declare a state of emergency, leading experts to re-evaluate water infrastructure in areas they say lack necessary funding.

"Families are frustrated. Businesses are frustrated," MP Lori Idlout told 麻豆影视 Channel. "Water is such an essential human right."

Iqaluit, which reported a water shortage last week, is now working on getting regulatory approval to pump in water from a nearby lake.

Joanna Quassa, Nunavut's acting minister of community and government services, said in a statement Friday that the federal government is "committed to working with the City of Iqaluit to ensure water levels will meet the needs of the residents of Iqaluit through the upcoming winter."

Researchers assessing the ripple effects of water scarcity have declared an urgency for the federal government to effectively respond to shortages with required investments.

"It is a human right to have access to [water]," sustainability researcher Kaylia Little told 麻豆影视 Channel on Sunday.

"Not having access to enough water for an entire city, not only any city but the capital of the territory, is going to have widespread effects on the whole region."

Little conducted research for the Arctic Institute on the Iqaluit water crisis 鈥 particularly focusing on on how water shortages relate to Arctic infrastructure.

"What we know is that the investments [towards water infrastructure] that have been made historically in the region have been vastly below those in the south," she said.

"Due to the unique nature of the climate and the need to ship in materials, you actually need to double or triple the cost of building in the south. Instead of doing that we've been investing less and therefore the infrastructure is aging."

Climate change, she said, is also going to have an increased impact on the stability of the existing water infrastructure. And she pointed to complications with rebuilding that existing infrastructure.

"Unfortunately the weather and the sea ice do have a huge impact on the building season," she said. "Those things are outside of anyone's control. But keeping that in mind and building up ahead of time so this winter while we can't build, we can make those plans for next summer and really make some big improvements."

Little said it's the second time in about nine months that Iqaluit has had a water crisis, and said if the same situation happened in another capital "we would be talking about this more and seeing faster investments being made."

"We have to remember that this is part of Canada, and we need to make those same investments that we're making in places like Ontario and B.C. and make them in the north," Little said.

"And make sure these communities have exactly what they need to live good lives."

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Why brain aging can vary dramatically between people

Researchers are uncovering deeper insights into how the human brain ages and what factors may be tied to healthier cognitive aging, including exercising, avoiding tobacco, speaking a second language or even playing a musical instrument.

The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

A man who was critically injured in a police-involved shooting in Hamilton late Sunday afternoon has died in hospital, says the province鈥檚 police watchdog.

Local Spotlight

For the second year in a row, the 鈥楪ift-a-Family鈥 campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.

Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.

A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.

As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.

A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts 鈥 not for themselves, but for those in need.

A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.

Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.

A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.

Stay Connected