Two communities in Nunavut's Kivalliq region are sharing about $9 million in government money for new community centres, while Rankin Inlet received $1 million for upgrades to its community centre and arena.

Federal Treasury Board president Vic Toews was in Rankin Inlet on Wednesday to announce more than $10 million in funding for community centres in the region.

Most of the $10 million, which is jointly funded by Ottawa and the Nunavut government, has been allocated to building community centres in Repulse Bay and Whale Cove.

About $1 million will be used to repair and upgrade the facility in Rankin Inlet.

"The other two communities, where we're building new community centres, they simply have no community centre," Toews said Wednesday. "I can only assume that the territory saw this as a priority."

Shawn Maley, Nunavut's assistant deputy minister of community and government services, said the money ultimately went to communities with the greatest need.

"The Nunavut Association of Municipalities, they peg the infrastructure deficit at $600 million. And even with all these programs, we're doing about a sixth of that," Maley said.

"Nobody is arguing ...that this community doesn't want or need a new complex. We fully understand that. It's just that you have to balance other priorities, and there are other priorities in other communities as well."

As for Rankin Inlet's funding, Maley said hamlet officials and the territorial government will try to stretch the $1 million as far as possible.

"We renovated this facility in '97, and that was primarily, like, electrical and plumbing," he said.

"We're hoping that some of the money can be used to enhance the users' ability to enjoy the facility, like expand the [dressing] rooms and new hockey boards and those kinds of things."

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