Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, later today I will be tabling a document entitled the Tuk/Inuvik Highway Study, which was jointly sponsored by the Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk and the Town of Inuvik. Mr. Speaker, both of
these municipal organizations have put a considerable amount of time and effort in producing this report. Funding to cover costs of retaining an engineering firm to undertake the study was obtained from the Department of Transportation and the municipalities concerned.
Mr. Speaker, in summary this document is a feasibility study on the costs of constructing a service road between Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk rather than a full scale all-weather highway. It is hoped the service road would be up-graded to all-weather highway status at a later time.
In the opinion of the engineering firm, Ferguson Simek Clark, who were retained to undertake the study; it would be possible to construct an all-weather service road from Tuktoyaktuk to Inuvik for approximately one quarter of the cost identified by previous studies. As an example, the GNWT Department of Transportation estimated it would cost in the nature of $160 million to construct an all-weather highway between Tuktoyaktuk and Inuvik. Comparably, the Tuk/Inuvik Highway Committee Study estimates the cost of constructing an all-weather service road at approximately $40 million. The major cost factor difference between the two quotes to complete this project is the route proposed and the class of highway to be constructed. Mr. Speaker, the study has the backing of the well known and highly qualified engineering firm, Ferguson Simek Clark, whose engineers took the trouble to actually view first hand the route and the potential quarry sites along the route.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to recognize the efforts of members of the Tuk/Inuvik Highway Committee who worked hard to bring this report forward with the hope this government will consider funding this project in the near future. In particular, I wish to recognize the deputy mayor of Tuktoyaktuk, Mr. William Nasogaluak, and the Major of Inuvik, Mr. George Roach, past town counsellor, Mr. Eddy Kolousok. These people co-chaired the Tuk/Inuvik Highway Committee and were instrumental in pursuing the completion of this study. The Mayor of Tuk, Eddy Dillon, and hamlet counsellors, Russell Newmark and Mervin Gruben, and Inuvik town councillor, Vivian Hunter, were also members of this committee, and I would like to recognize their efforts as well. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude this statement.