Revised - Premier Sandy Silver delivered a record capital budget Thursday of $434.3 million, most of it going to the Department of Highways and Public Works, as is generally the case.

The capital budget for 2021-2022 is 17 per cent greater than the $369.6 million budgeted for the current fiscal year, according to government documents.

The budget for Highways and Public Works for the 2021-2022 fiscal year has been set at $192.5 million, representing a 19.3 per cent or $31-million increase over the budget for the current fiscal year.

The Department of Community Services has received the second-highest budget at $121 million, representing a three per cent increase.

The Yukon Housing Corp. has received an eight per cent increase in its capital budget, up from $35.5 million to $38.4 million.

“New buildings above ground are no use without the infrastructure beneath the ground that allows them to function properly,” the premier said in his budget speech.

“Six point two million dollars is allocated for water and wastewater upgrades in Dawson City, and a further $2 million for the Dawson reservoir,” he told the legislature.

“More than $4 million will support upgrades in infrastructure in Haines Junction, including the town’s water supplying lagoon.

“Over $11.3 million is budgeted for a variety of water and lagoon upgrades in Mayo, Carcross, Ross River, Old Crow, Faro, Pelly Crossing, Carmacks, Beaver Creek and Mount Lorne.”

Silver said to ensure communities stay connected, there is $54 million for highways and bridges, including the Nisutlin Bay bridge in Teslin.

The budget outlines funding for scores of individual projects, such as $8.5 million to complete a 47-unit community housing project in Whitehorse and $500,000 to begin the planning and design work for a new Kluane Lake School in Burwash Landing.

There’s been $10 million allocated for a new health and wellness centre in Old Crow, which is being called the first of its kind for the Yukon along with $1.4 million to complete the new Vuntut Gwitchin Community Centre and $1.75 million for a Vuntut Gwitchin Elders Complex.

The budget includes $3 million for a new Potlatch House in Beaver Creek as well as $500,000 toward a new Teslin Tlingit Council Community Hub.

More than $2 million has been budgeted for the Kwanlin Dün First Nation Community Hub.

Several million is dedicated to improving municipal buildings, such as $3.5 million for a new public works building and fire hall in Faro and $3.5 million for a public works, fire hall and emergency medical services building in Carmacks. Watson Lake will get more than $3.8 million for a new public works building and fire hall.

The budget includes $2 million to help the Challenge Disability Resource Group complete its 53-unit Cornerstone housing project in Whitehorse.

There’s $3 million to go toward Mount Sima’s snowmaking and electrical infrastructure to reduce the ski hill’s reliance on diesel generation. Another $1.2 million has been identified for the completion of a new state-of-the-art skateboard park in Whitehorse.

The Mountain View Golf Course has been allocated $1.75 million to upgrade its irrigation system.

There’s $600,000 earmarked for a new boat launch in Burwash Landing and $345,000 for a new Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in youth centre in Dawson City.

Nearly $1.5 million will go toward supporting a new public transit hub and bus replacements in Whitehorse.

The budget includes $30 million for development of 150 residential lots across the Yukon, including the release of 25 commercial lots in Whistle Bend.

There’s been $50 million identified for the implementation of the government’s Our Clean Future plan, with $16 million to support community-based renewable energy projects and $14.4 million to increase energy efficiency in government buildings.

There is also $10 million committed to advance the Atlin hydro expansion project that will tie into the Yukon grid to provide more renewable energy for the territory.

There’s also $4.5 million for a grid-scale battery in Whitehorse, which will be the largest such battery in the North and is part of Yukon Energy’s new 10-year renewable electricity plan.

The budget includes $8.7 million for new learning spaces, including $4 million to add new learning spaces to the Robert Service School in Dawson.

More than $10.5 million has been allocated to begin the construction of a new elementary school in Whistle Bend.

The following is the capital budget for the other departments leading the way in planned expenditures:

• Yukon Development Corp.: $32.8 million, up $5.3 million, or more than 500 per cent;

• Department of Education: $24.8 million, virtually the same as the capital budget for this fiscal year;

• Health and Social Services: $13.4 million, or down slightly from the $15.3-million budget for this for this fiscal year;

• Environment Yukon: $3.5 million, up 71 per cent;

• Tourism and Culture: $3.1 million, up 17 per cent.

In his budget speech, the premier said: “We have made historic investments to modernize infrastructure and transportation networks to stimulate economic growth throughout the territory, while reducing the tax burden on businesses to help Yukon companies and entrepreneurs thrive as our economy continues to grow.”