I thought that question was going to get referred to the Minister of Transportation, who seemed to know where the capital dollars are coming from.

The way this new process is unfolding with capitals, at least the first go around, as Finance Minister I was at the table addressing issues. I know there is work underway in terms of a study. There were some dollars identified under the Build Canada money. I don’t know the results of that work and I don’t know at this point what’s being brought forward.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Anything further, Mr. Krutko?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The point I’m trying to make is we have supported two capital projects in this House, yet one’s going ahead and the other one they’re doing a study right now. After the study is done there is going to be capital dollars needed to do the project. I’d like to know if there are any plans regarding our business planning process where there will be an opportunity for capital dollars to be approved either through a supp or the basic capital planning process for the Aklavik access road.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Miltenberger.

I believe at this point the Minister responsible for Public Works and Transportation can provide some more detail.

Thank you. Mr. Michael McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The source 177 gravel access road project has been on the drawing board for some time. For many years it has been discussed in the House with many different MLAs. A lot of planning has been undertaken to develop this project that would allow us to source gravel from this site. That was taken forward for consideration through the Building Canada. We are now looking for dollars to move forward. Rather than doing this over a five-year program, we’re now looking at doing it over a couple years. The Aklavik gravel source study or gravel source project is really early in its assessment. There are a number of routes that were brought forward for discussion. There is consideration about doing an assessment on the actual gravel and the amount in that area. It’s not

ready for consideration for capital at this point. We have not started putting our capital budget together for next year, so it’s difficult to say whether it will be included. It’s really depending on the amount of capital dollars available and the results that are going to be accessed and looked at with the work that’s being done.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Krutko.

This project’s been on the books as long as I’ve been here. We’ve been spending dollars over there on the community access road funding of $250,000 a year. I think we have two kilometres of road built. It’s not as if this is something that this government isn’t aware of. You can go all the way back to, I think, former Members of this House with regard to Richard Nerysoo. He brought that issue up to this House going back before the 13th Assembly. For the Minister to make

the comment that it hasn’t really been a priority of this House or an issue of this House, what does it take to get a project on the government’s wish list in order to go forward with this stuff? I’d just like to get some assurances here that this project will actually get the support like this project here that we’re dealing with right now on the same basis of actually having governments put capital dollars in it. We’ve built community access roads from the Mackenzie Highway into communities using the Community Access Road Project, which has basically cost us millions of dollars a year. Yet for this project, it’s been nickel and dime to where it is right now. I’d like to know exactly what this government is going to do to give me some assurance that the people of Aklavik will actually see some fair treatment in this House when it comes to these types of projects.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Krutko, I’d like to remind you that we need to stay on topic here. This is straying quite a ways from this topic. We’re looking for approval for fairly specific dollars here. There is another floor for that. I’ll give the Minister an opportunity to respond. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This issue has been given serious consideration, as Mr. McLeod indicated. There is work being done. There is determination of the most appropriate routes, assessment of the gravel source, the quality of the gravel, all those technical issues that have to be resolved. This is on our list and it is being given due and appropriate, serious consideration and as the work is completed, we’ll collectively be in a position to be able to determine the next steps that are possible within the resources available.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Krutko, anything further to access road 177, $6 million?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. I’ll allow this final response on this to the Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There is work being done on this project. We have to come forward when we have the facts, figures and clear estimates. It is very difficult to book a figure on a project that has not been quantified or technically fully assessed. We also collectively know that we have far more needs than we have resources. Aklavik road is there. Work is being done. The commitment has been made. We fully intend to honour the commitment and conclude the work so that we can move this project forward. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Committee, we are on highways, not previously authorized, $6 million. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Does the Minister have a final cost of exactly what this project is going to cost?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Minister Miltenberger.

Yes, we do. I would ask Minister McLeod to give you the full detail of the estimates. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Minister McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am assuming we are talking about service 177 still. The final cost we are anticipating is going to be around $18 million for this project.

Thank you, Mr. Michael McLeod. Anything further, Mr. Krutko?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. If we are talking about access road 177 which I believe is 20-odd kilometres, same as the road to Aklavik’s gravel source -- I think it was 22 kilometres -- can we use a rough ball estimate for these access roads? Are we talking $1 million a kilometre? If that is the case, could that be the basis of building a road from Aklavik to the gravel source in regards to the gravel source based on that estimate of $18 million for 20 kilometres?