Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize a company that has been plowing our waterways throughout the North for the past 68 years. The company I am referring to, Mr. Speaker, is Northern Transportation Company Limited, or NTCL for short.
Mr. Speaker, NTCL's roots date back many years, when two Edmonton businessmen looked north and saw a business opportunity moving goods throughout the Mackenzie River watershed. Mr. Speaker, in 1931, Northern Waterways Limited opened its doors with a massive fleet of one wooden tug and two wooden barges, and offered service between Waterways, Alberta and Aklavik, Northwest Territories. In 1934, Mr. Speaker, White Eagle Mines purchased all of Northern Waterways' equipment and the infant Northern Transportation Company Limited was born.
Mr. Speaker, NTCL has witnessed many transformations, accomplishments and milestones over the years on its way to becoming the dynamic company that it is today. One such milestone was the beginning of the 1937 navigational season, when NTCL introduced the first steel hull vessels into the watershed.
Mr. Speaker, NTCL has had many ups and downs over the years and has survived competition from many other transportation companies. There have been many industrial influences that have dictated NTCL's growth and direction, such as mining, oil and gas, increase in population growth in communities, as well as pressures from the Government of Canada and the United States. In addition, World War II, the Distant Early Warning line, the CANOL project, and the movement of bulk fuels have all played a pivotal role.
Mr. Speaker, the amount of freight handled through Hay River increased dramatically in 1948 with the completion of the Mackenzie Highway to Hay River, and NTCL soon opened a terminal there. The activities of the early 1970s saw the size of the NTCL fleet increase dramatically, and its commitment to serve the exploration industry and resupply the northern communities necessitated that the company improve its retrofit facilities, and in 1973, construction began in Hay River on a massive marine maintenance building and the only in-land sinker west of the Mississippi River.
Mr. Speaker, the ownership of NTCL has also changed a number of times over the years, including becoming a Crown corporation in 1949. There was probably no more important date, Mr. Speaker, as July 15, 1985.