Return to Written Question 7-13(4), asked by Mr. Krutko to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment concerning over-budgeted capital projects.

On January 30, 1997 Mr. Krutko asked for a list of all capital projects in which the final cost exceeded the original budget among the departments for the last five years.

The Government of the Northwest Territories produces main and capital estimates documents each year outlining budgets and expenditures for all projects approved by the Legislative Assembly. Capital budgets are refined from one year to the next as preliminary planning estimates become final construction estimates. As a result, almost every project budget changes up or down from the original budget to the final cost.

The department must adhere to approved standards and guidelines when establishing a project, or making changes to a budget. Approved standards and criteria guide resource allocation decisions and define levels of departmental involvement. Prior approval of a project must be granted by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, the Financial Management Board or the Legislative Assembly to alter the scope of the work, or the budget.

For all significant changes, the information the Member seeks is available through examination of capital supplementary appropriations. These changes have been made public and subject to debate in the Legislative Assembly. A process is now in place to inform Members of the Assembly of changes to capital projects between appropriations.

Since this information is publicly available, and would take considerable time to put into a report format, I am not prepared to direct departmental staff to complete such a report at this time.