Mr. Speaker, community governments in the Mackenzie Valley are facing many challenges in preparing for the proposed Mackenzie gas pipeline project.
As well as getting ready for the complex review process involved with the project, community governments also need to plan for impacts that this project and the exploration and development activity associated with the pipeline will have on their communities.
Minister Bell and I heard this message loud and clear at the Preparing for the Pipeline Community Leaders Conference sponsored by the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs in Inuvik last December.
We heard this message again at regional workshops in the Deh Cho and during meetings with community leaders over the winter and spring.
In response to concerns raised by community governments and by Members of this Assembly, I am pleased to inform the Assembly that the Government of the Northwest Territories has recently approved new funding for community governments to prepare for the pipeline.
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Community governments will receive nearly $1.3 million this year to assist in assessing the impacts of the proposed pipeline, and to prepare strategies to maximize benefits and minimize any potential negative impacts.
The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs will provide $20,000 to 21 communities affected by the pipeline to assist in preparing their communities for the regulatory review process. To date, all but two of the eligible community governments have applied for this funding.
Further funding of up to $30,000 per community will be available to review proposals, assess impacts, negotiate community access agreements and undertake general planning and preparation. Community governments eligible to apply for this extra funding include the 21 affected communities and Yellowknife, which is an intervener in the review process.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories is of the view that all communities may experience some impacts from the project. Therefore, we have made up to $15,000 available to each of the remaining 11 community governments in the Northwest Territories to help them review, plan for, and assess any potential impacts or opportunities for their community as a result of the pipeline construction.
We have also secured funding for some essential support work. This work includes two more regional workshops planned for the Sahtu and the Beaufort-Delta regions, and funding to assist community governments to research and analyze common issues. This research and assistance may include engineering, infrastructure and legal research and advice.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories recognizes that community governments need support to better participate in the review of the environmental impact statement and the regulatory review process. Communities must be able to address capacity shortfalls that could result from the added workload associated with preparing for the pipeline. On behalf of my colleagues, I am pleased to announce that the government will provide this support. Thank you.
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