CORRECTION FROM SOURCE/Second Construction Season Successful on the Inuvik Tuktoyaktuk Highway

INUVIK, NORTHWEST TERRITORIES--(Marketwired - June 1, 2015) -

This document corrects and replaces the press release that was sent today, June 1, 2015 at 1:30 PM EDT

A successful second construction season has come to a close on the Inuvik Tuktoyaktuk Highway in the Northwest Territories. Once completed, this important piece of northern infrastructure will provide all-weather access to Tuktoyaktuk, which is currently only served by ice road, barge, and air. It will also be the only public road to the Arctic Ocean in Canada.

At the peak of the winter construction season in 2014-15, substantial progress was made on 65.1 kilometres of the137-kilometre all season highway project that employed over 600 people, 78% of which were from the North. The contractor hauled and placed 2.1 million cubic metres of embankment material, and installed one new bridge and 20 large culverts during this past construction season.

This project is generating numerous socio-economic opportunities for the region. The new highway is the most northern section of the envisioned Mackenzie Valley Highway, which will connect Canada's highway network from coast to coast to coast. It will decrease the cost of living in Tuktoyaktuk by enabling goods to be shipped by road year-round, increase opportunities for business development, reduce the cost of job-creating onshore and offshore oil and gas exploration, and strengthen Canada's sovereignty in the North.

Quick Facts

• The Government of Canada is contributing up to $200 million towards this project.
• The Government of the Northwest Territories is contributing $99 million towards this $299-million project.

Quotes

"Our Government is pleased to see the tremendous progress made on the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway. This historic project is creating jobs and ensuring continued economic growth and long-term prosperity in Canada's North. Our Government will continue to work with the Government of the Northwest Territories to promote social and economic development in the North and across Canada."

"Strategic investments in territory-building infrastructure projects will help us better achieve our government's vision of a strong, prosperous Northwest Territories. We are very pleased with the contractor's progress and achievements with local employment, training, safety, and quality under difficult conditions. The project is proceeding as planned and we are looking forward to the highway's opening."

Associated Links

Inuvik-to-Tuktoyaktuk Highway Enters its Second Construction Season

Construction of Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway Well Underway

PM marks start of construction on historic roadway

Minister Aglukkaq Confirms New Funding For Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway

For additional information on the New Building Canada Plan, visit: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/plan-eng.html.

To learn more about the Government of Canada's focus on jobs and the economy consult Canada's Economic Action Plan at http://www.eap.gc.ca.

Learn more about the innovative engineering techniques used during the winter construction of the Inuvik Tuktoyaktuk Highway at www.ith.dot.gov.nt.ca.