Mr. Speaker, I have a return to a written question asked by Mr. Yakeleya on October 29, 2004, regarding funding for an all-weather road in the Sahtu.
- Please provide the latest updated discussion with the federal Minister regarding future funding for an all-weather road in the Sahtu.
I met with the Honourable Jean Lapierre, Minister of Transport, on Wednesday, November 10, 2004, and we confirmed the federal government's commitment of funding from the Canadian strategic infrastructure fund -- CSIF -- for improving the Sahtu winter road system over the period of six fiscal years from 2003-04 to 2008-09. At the same time, I reminded him of the federal government's continuing financial responsibility for the construction of new roads in the Northwest Territories and inquired of him about other potential sources of new funding.
The territorial Department of Transportation is engaged with the federal Department of Transport in identifying both the immediate and long-term impacts of the Mackenzie gas project on our transportation system and particularly on the Mackenzie Valley winter roads.
The upgrading of the seasonal winter road system in the Sahtu to an all-weather highway remains a primary goal of the department's highway strategy for the Northwest Territories.
- In the absence of federal funding, would the Minister consider a pilot project in the Sahtu for the next year using the community construction approach?
The Department of Transportation considered the community construction approach in its 2000 highway strategy, Investing in Roads. As no specific funding was available for this, the department has concentrated instead on improving the Sahtu winter road system. This approach has won federal support and contributions for installing permanent bridges and $1 million a year over five years for grade improvements on the winter road right-of-way. The department will organize the grade improvement projects to take advantage of local contractors in the contract awards.
- What are the department plans to improve the highway roads in the Sahtu, which would show an improvement from their present conditions?
By the end of the fiscal year 2008-09, with the cost-sharing contributions from both DIAND and CSIF, the Department of Transportation plans to spend a total of $52.7 million on improvements to the Sahtu winter road system including substantial expenditures on grade improvements and better highway signage.
In addition to these programmed capital improvements, the department expects that its annual winter road construction expenditures plus opportunities to cooperate jointly with the private sector oil and gas and pipeline companies will result in still more enhancements to the Sahtu winter road system.
The work planned for the Sahtu winter roads over the next five years will put them in far better condition than they are today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.