Push for nation-building projects could leave northern communities behind, municipal leader fears – Nunatsiaq News
Nov 14, 2025
Federal government needs to invest in “uninteresting” infrastructure like roads and runways, Matt Gemmel says
The federal government’s focus on large infrastructure projects risks leaving the needs of smaller communities behind, says the executive director of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.
“We welcome those kinds of projects,” Matt Gemmel said in an interview Wednesday, referring to “nation-building” proposals like the Iqaluit hydroelectricity project and the Grays Bay road and port.
At the same time, he said, there are many “uninteresting” infrastructure needs in the North such as roads, airport runways, and water and wastewater treatment facilities he called the “building blocks” of resilient communities.
