Differentiating the Canadian North for Coherent Infrastructure Development ...

• Main Author: Koch, Katharina
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: The School of Public Policy Publications 2023
• Subjects: Arctic
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.11575/sppp.v15i1.74249; https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/sppp/article/view/74249

Canada’s northern and Arctic environment poses significant challenges for infrastructure development. The region is characterized by unique ecosystems, extreme climatic conditions and a sparse population, which are factors that have inhibited infrastructure development in the past. Nevertheless, various practitioners, academics and northerners have emphasized the need for reliable and safe connections between north and south and within the North. The lack of infrastructure is a major impediment to the well-being of northerners who lack access to essential services, such as clean drinking water (Patrick 2011) or safe and reliable roadways. Infrastructure Canada (2018) noted that the current southern-based “one-size fits all” northern infrastructure approach is inefficient because northern conditions and challenges often do not respond to policies that are conceived in the south. Currently, infrastructure projects are often conducted on a one-off basis without establishing broader connections in the northern ... : The School of Public Policy Publications, Vol. 15 No. 1 (2022) ...