Northern premiers say Canada can't have Arctic security without infrastructure

Arctic security is under renewed focus as Russia and China eye the region, but leaders in the North say Canada won't be able to exert sovereignty if their communities aren't built up properly.

The premiers from all three Northern territories say the federal government, while mindful of the need to strengthen Arctic security, has lacked a cohesive infrastructure plan to construct the foundation required to reach that goal.

Northwest Territories Premier Caroline Cochrane said in an interview that while policymakers have increased talks of building up the North, few concrete plans for key infrastructure such as hospitals, telecommunications, airports and road systems have emerged.

Without those plans and proper funding, Cochrane said it would be difficult for the federal government to achieve its goal of stronger Arctic security.

"Without all-season roads, people don't have access to labour markets and cost-effective food," she said. "You need communications so that when you send up whatever they're going to do to secure the Arctic, you have the infrastructure to communicate."

She added that "everything starts with health care. I hope no one gets really sick because our capacity is very limited."

In June, the Senate released a report that said "more must be done" by the federal government in the North given "an ever-changing geopolitical context, rising interest and activity in the Arctic," as well as climate change.

Meanwhile, the United States last year updated its Arctic strategy in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a plan that included increased U.S. military presence in the Far North.

Even before its war with Ukraine, Russia put forward an ambitious program to reaffirm its presence and stake its claim in the Arctic, including efforts to build ports and other infrastructure, and expand its icebreaker fleet.

Meanwhile, China has called for the development of a "Polar Silk Road" as part of an initiative to take advantage of possible trade routes opening in the Arctic due to climate change.

In February, an apparent Chinese spy balloon drifted through Canadian and U.S. airspace before being downed by a U.S. jet, while another object of unconfirmed origin was also spotted over central Yukon around the same time.

Yukon Premier Ranj Pillai said in an interview that event was a turning point in the conversation about building out the North, with many policymakers re-engaging the territories about infrastructure development.

"When the world really focused on what was happening in the Yukon, when you had all those media outlets come and you had the federal government on site, I think that was a chance for people to really see where the gaps are in place. And then it led to a bigger conversation."

But given the urgency of the need for housing and other fundamentals, Pillai said the federal government needs to move faster.