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NLIS 2
March 21, 2005
(Executive Council)
Budget 2005 affirms
commitments to Labrador development
Premier Danny Williams today reaffirmed
government�s commitment to the continuing development,
diversification and well-being of Labrador. With investments in
infrastructure, the environment and people, Budget 2005 is moving
forward on priorities identified by Labradorians.
�One message we�ve heard loudly, clearly and repeatedly is the need
to plan for the future, for the long-term well-being and prosperity
of the region,� said the Premier. �My government has listened to the
people of Labrador, and, as announced in our Speech from the Throne,
we will develop a Northern Strategic Plan that addresses Labrador�s
social and economic needs, removes barriers to development and
unlocks Labrador�s tremendous potential for growth.�
Investments in Health and Education
Key investments in Labrador�s people involve planning for the
long-term care needs of seniors, improving medical transportation
assistance benefits and addressing the educational needs of Innu
children. Specifically, Budget 2005 allocates:
- $200,000 to begin planning and to
develop conceptual drawings for a new long-term care facility in
Happy Valley-Goose Bay;
- $567,000 is to help Labradorians
overcome the barrier of affordability when accessing the health
services they need outside their communities and region. Of that
amount, $400,000 is earmarked to assist Labradorians by paying the
first $500 of travel expenses per resident annually on eligible
medical travel claims and cost-sharing remaining reimbursable
expenses 50-50;
- $167,000, as recently announced,
allows for the introduction of a $40 round trip fee for Labrador
West residents travelling to Happy-Valley Goose Bay for CT Scans and
laparoscopies; and,
- $500,000 is provided to begin
addressing the issues identified in the Philpott Report on Innu
education.
Accessible and affordable care plays
an important role in a community�s well-being, says Paul Shelley,
Minister responsible for Labrador Affairs. �The people of central
Labrador have told us that long-term care is their top priority, and
the cost of transportation to access medical services has long been
an issue for Labradorians,� said Minister Shelley. �We are pleased
to build, through Budget 2005, on our Blueprint commitment to
provide more equitable access to health services.�
Tom Rideout, Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs, said that
government intends to help aboriginal communities tap their most
valuable resource by improving educational programming. �Our 2005
budget allocation will help get the ball rolling on improvements to
Innu education and allow us to continue working cooperatively with
the Innu and the Government of Canada toward the goals the Innu have
set for the education of their youth.�
Environmental Stewardship
Good environmental stewardship is also important to the future of
Labrador. Government is working to generate resource benefits,
employment and infrastructure enhancements through development that
is sustainable and ecologically responsible. Budget 2005 allots
$367,800 for a program to monitor the Mealy Mountains caribou herd,
fulfilling government�s 2004 commitment during the Trans Labrador
Highway (TLH) Phase III environmental process to ensure the herd�s
protection in the context of TLH construction and operation.
Premier Williams said that Budget 2005 builds on his government�s
achievements in Labrador and lays the groundwork for sustainable
social and economic development in future. �As emphasized during our
recent visit to Labrador, our government are not just spending, we
are investing, with strategic initiatives that build one upon
another to strengthen the social and economic fabric of region.
Budget 2005 will improve access to health services, strengthen
aboriginal communities, enhance infrastructure and expand economic
opportunities,� said the Premier.
A number of other Budget 2005 initiatives were announced during the
March 2005 Cabinet visit to Labrador. They are:
- $200,000 for a study to address
physical infrastructure issues at Captain William Jackman
Hospital in Labrador City;
- $100,000 to support fetal
alcohol syndrome prevention programs;
- $250,000 to permanently hire
three additional social workers to serve Natuashish and nearby
aboriginal communities;
- $70,000 to reopen the
Shushepishipan Group Home;
- $400,000 for family resource
projects and other projects to help protect and empower
aboriginal women and their families;
- $40 million to continue
construction of the Trans Labrador Highway;
- Completion of a performance
evaluation of the 15 kilometres of chip-seal road surface laid
in 2004;
- $750,000 for a new highway
maintenance depot in the Red Bay - Lodge Bay area to house
specialized snow-clearing equipment;
- $13.3 million investment in
essential major infrastructure projects under the Municipal
Capital Works Program, the Multi-Year Capital Works Program and
joint federal-provincial programs such as the Canada/
Newfoundland and Labrador Infrastructure Program and the Canada/
Newfoundland and Labrador Inuit Communities Agreement;
- $300,000 over three years to
help promote Labrador as a tourism destination, through the
Destination Labrador program;
- $500,000 to support the 2006
Labrador Winter Games;
- Creation of a new senior
government position and supports in Labrador West within the
Department of Natural Resources to serve Labrador�s mining,
agricultural and energy sectors, with a total cost of $250,000;
- Establishment of a branch of the
Premier�s Office in Happy Valley-Goose Bay to ensure a direct
conduit between Labrador and the Premier on the priorities,
views and concerns of Labradorians.
�Labradorians face unique
challenges presented by geography and extreme climate,� said
Premier Williams, �but we can not and will not let those
challenges continue to isolate Labrador socially and
economically. Budget 2005 clearly demonstrates that our
government is truly committed to Labrador, committed to
including Labradorians in social, economic and political
dialogue, committed to investing in the region�s future and
committed to a Labrador that plays a pivotal role in the
Newfoundland and Labrador of tomorrow. Labradorians bring
something unique to our provincial character, and add much to
the strength, resourcefulness, optimism and pride that define us
as a province.�
Media contact:
Elizabeth Matthews, Office of the Premier, (709) 729-3960,
690-5500
Lori Lee Oates, Aboriginal Affairs (709) 729-3015, 690-8403
Tansy Mundon, Labrador Affairs (709) 729-0928, 685-1741
2005 03 21
2:20 p.m.
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