Mr. Chairman, the process

we’re under, as Minister Yakeleya touched base on, was initially started a number of years back with this partnership coming up to look at expansion of Taltson Hydro.

This is a combination of actual expansion of the facility itself as well as the transmission line. There were a number of avenues looked at. But the business case they’ve presented through this new partnership is the most cost-effective way. The process is to see them establish this and finance it through sale of power to the mines. As a government, as we talk about our hydro strategy, if we want to become directly involved in this…. There was discussion. Yes, there could be an alternative route established, but we would have to enter the fray and come up with dollars to help make that happen.

The company itself is putting forward a plan based on their business case to their customer, that being the mines right now. As we heard, they’re still to negotiate those deals. It’s a business case they’re putting forward. There are still decisions — key decisions — to be made as to the involvement of the Government of the Northwest Territories beyond some contribution funding to help them put their full package together.

If we want to enter in to the idea — and I know some Members have discussed this — of looking at another route to hook up communities, then we would, as the Government of the Northwest Territories, have to look at our involvement. How we would finance our piece of it, I guess, is what it would come down to. As the Minister’s stated earlier, I believe they’re ready, hopefully this fall, to be able to come back to Members with a better plan, a report, to look at those options, and we could get into more detail.

Right now this is to help get to the next stage, to look at it. My understanding — and we’d have to get this corrected if I’m off base here ― is that this money would be recouped if the project were to actually proceed and would be put into the capital cost of the facility. I’d have to confirm if that’s the case. Maybe the Minister of ITI can confirm that.