Northern finance ministers seek infrastructure cash from Ottawa

Northern finance ministers put infrastructure at the top of their to-do list during meetings with their new federal counterpart, Bill Morneau, in Ottawa this week.

For Nunavut finance minister Keith Peterson, the priority is funding for new power plants and housing.

"My argument when I was there was we've got a lot of absolute homelessness in Nunavut.Overcrowding," he said. "It impacts our families, our children."

Peterson says he asked for $525 millionover five yearsto build 1,000 housing units in the territory.

He also requested $250 million to upgrade and replace power plants. Peterson has said 17 power plants in the territory are in need of upgrades.

Northwest Territoriespremier Bob McLeod says he spoke at the meeting about his territory's fragile economy. He says the N.W.T. needs to diversify revenue streams and reduce the cost of living.

"The main one was that our economy is flat right now and our revenues will continue to decline," McLeod said. "So it was important for us to match our revenues with our expenditures."

McLeod attended the meeting because new finance minister Robert C. McLeoddoesn't formally take over the file until Wednesday.

McLeod said he's confident the Liberal government will keep its other Northern promises: increasing the northern residents tax deduction and boosting funding for the Nutrition North food subsidy program by $40 million over four years.