Who pays for cost of growth? Iqaluit mayor says 'we're in trouble'

MadeleineRedfern, mayor of Iqaluit, said it's too late to levy a fee onprojects that have already been approved, butthere is still about $1billion of investment planned in the city,including adeep sea port and small craft harbour.

She says that new development will strain the city's resources.

"The city doesn't have a single penny to really effectively address the effects and impacts of municipal infrastructure," Redfern said.

"We're in trouble.That's the reality."

Redfernused the upcoming lighting replacement project forthe local airport as an example of increased stresses on infrastructure by new developments. She saidto build the breakwater for the project, 90 dump trucks a day will travel on Federal Roadfor a total of six months, over a two year period.

"On an infrastructure that's already not in good shape," she added.

The city is solely responsible for the upkeep of the road.

• Iqaluit airport plots new breakwater to build bigger, better lighting system

"I think council recognizes that we need to get ahead of this, that we need to be way more proactive,"Redfernsaid.

"I think this is a priority."

Development fees are common

Development charges are used in many southern municipalities, said David Amborski, director of the Centre for Urban Research and Land Development at Ryerson University.

"It's hard to fund the infrastructure for new growth,so you want growth to pay for growth," Amborskisaid.

"You put a charge in place to defray the cost of growth-related infrastructure."

Iqaluit city council has directed administration to provide information on the creation of thebylaw.

In the meantime, the city has let both the territorial and federal governments know the challenges it isfacing with the increased pressure on services.

Redfern said councilwill ask formunicipal infrastructure assessments on new projects.