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Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs
April 19, 2011

Standing Strong for Labrador through the Northern Strategic Plan

With vision and direction from the Northern Strategic Plan, Budget 2011 supports a Labrador that is socially and culturally progressive while advancing responsible development in a province with one of the fastest-growing economies in Canada. By the end of the current fiscal year, the Provincial Government’s total spending in Labrador since 2004 will have exceeded $3 billion.

“Budget 2011 Standing Strong: For Prosperity. For Our Future. For Newfoundland and Labrador demonstrates this government’s firm conviction that Labrador priorities remain provincial priorities,” said the Honourable John Hickey, Minister of Labrador Affairs. “The continued social, economic and cultural development of Labrador is vital to this administration, a commitment reflected in our investments. Through the Northern Strategic Plan, we are building on an unmatched record of achievement that is transforming the way Labradorians live, work, play and travel.”

“We are living in a time in Newfoundland and Labrador when we are realizing many of the dreams and aspirations of the men and women who preceded us,” said the Honourable Patty Pottle, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs. “Many of the investments of Budget 2011 will go towards improving the quality of life for all Labradorians, including Aboriginal peoples. This includes continuing to provide for more than $20 million in annual subsidies to reduce the cost of electricity and home heating for residents in coastal Labrador communities.

Together, through hard work, passion and determination, our shared vision of a Labrador that is socially progressive, culturally diverse, and economically vibrant, is being realized. These are historic and exciting times for this province, and Labrador remains firmly front and centre.”

The Northern Strategic Plan is a strategy to improve the health and well-being of all Labradorians through expanding infrastructure, improving the delivery of programs and services, and encouraging economic prosperity. Updated regularly with the benefit of extensive public input, the plan demonstrates the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s commitment to social, economic and cultural development.

Within the Department of Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs, Budget 2011 investments include:

  • $1.5 million for an assistance plan for Inuit communities on the northern Labrador coast where homeowners face unique and difficult challenges associated with the registration of home heating oil tanks to meet compliance with Heating Oil Storage Tank regulations. This assistance will greatly reduce costs for homeowners to a figure more in keeping with other parts of Labrador.
  • $100,000 to assist in the updating of an Aboriginal Consultation Policy and other Aboriginal consultation activities. An updated policy will guide consultation with Aboriginal organizations whose asserted Aboriginal rights have the potential to be affected by development in Newfoundland and Labrador.
  • $60,000 to support efforts to host the Northern Development Ministers Forum (NDMF) taking place in Happy Valley-Goose Bay in August. The NDMF enhances cooperation between northern jurisdictions and the Government of Canada and advocates for northern development.

The following investments, under various government departments, including those featured in other Budget 2011 announcements, support the Northern Strategic Plan vision of a Labrador where government and people work together so that all residents share in an improved quality of life.

Transportation and Works
Investments in Budget 2011 to continue to enhance the transportation network in Labrador include:

  • $68.2 million in Provincial Government funding and $3.5 million to conclude federal funding contributions toward the completion of widening and to continue hard-surfacing of Phase I of the Trans Labrador Highway (TLH); and,
  • $2 million to complete a new weigh scale inspection facility on the TLH near Wabush to protect significant investments in the highway and prevent damage caused by overweight vehicles.

"As we continue to advance our aggressive infrastructure strategy, we are moving forward with projects that are benefiting all regions of the province," said the Honourable Tom Hedderson, Minister of Transportation and Works. "Our Labrador investments feature prominently in this strategy and we are working to ensure that Labrador has the necessary infrastructure in place to foster future growth and prosperity."

Health and Community Services
The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is committed to enhancing health care services in the province. Through an investment of $23.7 million in Budget 2011, construction of a new regional health care facility in Labrador West will continue, with the overall investment totalling approximately $90 million.

The Provincial Government, through the Department of Health and Community Services, continues to invest significantly to help improve the lives of individuals living with mental health or addictions issues.

Budget 2011 includes an investment of $2.2 million to place five full-time mental health and addiction counsellors in Nain, Hopedale, Makkovik, and Natuashish and to provide the necessary accommodations and supports.

In addition, through an investment of $195,300, Budget 2011 will provide for two intake workers to oversee and manage mental health and addictions referrals in Labrador West and Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

Environment and Conservation
The Provincial Government places great emphasis on the prudent and sustainable management of wildlife resources. To support this, $1 million has been allocated for implementation of a three-year Labrador Caribou Management Initiative, with the total three-year commitment being $1.9 million. This funding will allow for enhanced data collection of the George River caribou herd.

The intensive research and monitoring program will help the Provincial Government to better understand the factors affecting the caribou population. The George River caribou herd migrates between Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec with both provinces responsible for management. Work done under this initiative will complement research on northern caribou herds conducted by other jurisdictions.

“The conservation and protection of all wildlife and habitat remains a priority for our government and we will continue to address many of the issues and challenges that influence wildlife in the province,” said the Honourable Ross Wiseman, Minister of Environment and Conservation. “The wildlife resources of Newfoundland and Labrador belong to its people, and it is the collective responsibility of government, Aboriginal peoples, resident hunters and trappers, outfitters and the public to ensure that its management and use are undertaken in a sustainable and responsible manner. The Labrador Caribou Management Initiative will assist us in achieving a sustainable future for this herd."

A commitment of $6.3 million has been made to support ongoing remediation efforts at the former military site in Hopedale, with funding of $2.2 million in Budget 2011-12, and an allocation of $2.1 million and $2 million in each of the following years, respectively. The Department of Environment and Conservation retained a consultant to complete an extensive environmental assessment in Hopedale, as well as human health and ecological risk assessments at the former US Military Site and subdivision area. Following completion of these assessments, a remedial action plan was developed. The Provincial Government is moving forward with its work plan regarding remediation efforts in Hopedale and will continue to work closely with residents throughout the process.

Human Resources, Labour and Employment
Among the Poverty Reduction Strategy investments included in Budget 2011, $1.2 million has been committed for Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation to construct four public housing units for low-income residents requiring smaller housing units in Hopedale. This investment represents a first step toward addressing a need identified through the Poverty Reduction Strategy consultations that took place in fall 2010.

Justice
The Provincial Government is dedicated to offering specialized services and programming that meet the needs of Aboriginal individuals living in Labrador. An investment of $357,000 will support programs and services in the Innu communities of Natuashish and Sheshatshiu. This builds on the success experienced in the continuation of projects in Sheshatshiu such as the Innu Healing Path initiative.

Education
Through the Department of Education, Budget 2011 investments include:

  • $3.6 million to complete construction of College of the North Atlantic Labrador West campus;
  • $892,000 to complete construction of K-12 schools in Port Hope Simpson and L’Anse au Loup, resulting in a total investment of $25.4 million; and,
  • $656,000 will be provided over the next three years to support Memorial University’s Native Liaison Office, which provides Aboriginal students with information on services, course selection, registration, tutoring and accommodations, and serves as a centre for social and recreational activities for students in the St. John’s area.

Tourism, Culture and Recreation
An additional $200,000 is provided to the Labrador Travel Subsidy Program to help offset the high cost of travel for Labrador athletes and teams coming to the island of Newfoundland to compete in provincial sport competitions, provincial and Canada Games tryouts, and training. The program also includes a hosting grant for provincial championships within Labrador to alleviate the cost of teams coming from the island to Labrador to compete in provincial competition. The total annual investment in this program is $750,000.

The Labrador Travel Subsidy Program is directly linked to one of the key actions outlined in the Provincial Government’s recreation and sport strategy, Active, Healthy, Newfoundland and Labrador, and also supports the goals of the Northern Strategic Plan.

“The subsidy exists because we recognize there is an increased cost for Labrador athletes and teams to travel to the island to train and compete, and this creates a financial disadvantage for them as compared to their island counterparts,” said the Honourable Terry French, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation. “The increase in funding is designed to substantially reduce that disadvantage, and encourage more Labrador athletes to participate in provincial athletic activities.”

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Media contact:
John Tompkins
Director of Communications
Department of Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs
709-729-1674, 728-7762
jtompkins@gov.nl.ca 

2011 04 19             2:40 p.m.

 
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