Okay. I will try this again. Contributions, total grants, $175,000.

Total grants and contributions, $175,000.

We are moving on to page 13-15. Information item, corporate management, active positions.

Page 13-17. Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My first question here is on the energy efficiency technologies and alternative energy sources. I believe we have a number of rebate programs that enable consumers to get some help replacing less energy efficient appliances with better efficiency items. I am wondering what the uptake is on that program, if those dollars that are available in those programs are fully subscribed from year to year. Thank you.

Deputy Minister Bohnet.

Mr. Chairman, if there are areas that our uptake is declining, is there a formula or a mechanism in place to ensure that those funds get put into an area where there is more interest in or perhaps a new area that we haven’t assisted on?

Minister of Environment.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, we are monitoring it to make sure that we look at the gaps for where there’s a need. If there’s a declining need, we’re going to move the funds to where they’re most needed.

I wonder if the Minister could provide us with a sheet updating us if there is a trend that’s evident now what that trend is looking like. If there are things that have been added to the things that we’re subsidizing through the rebate program recently, it would be good to see that. Something that lets us know what the uptake is and the trend. That would be great. Maybe I’ll wait for a response on that before moving on here.

We’ll provide that list of all the subsidy programs to committee.

It will be good to see the pattern of updates there. On the biomass side of things, I believe that’s in this section. I believe the department is developing a Biomass Strategy. I have questions about that. Where are we at with our capacity for implementing such a strategy and is that something that’s appropriately talked about in this division? I’ll just start with that.

I would take your direction, but this is the area where biomass would be covered. We’re looking at tabling in this House, I believe Thursday, the Biomass Strategy. We have a range of capacity for implementation. Public Works, when we do their department, will

show that the renovations and retrofits they have done have been very successful. We’re still working with communities to conclude the community energy plans and the other thing we have to make a decision on this year is the whole issue of picking a technology to go into communities. We’re interested in biomass for heat, eventually biomass for electricity. We’re looking at expanded projects up north where we can do a better job, improved job on waste recovery. Those projects we now are far enough along that we have to make some decisions on actually doing it and not just planning about it.

The Minister touched on some of my other questions. Really it’s land access that’s recognized to be a real issue here. Perhaps the strategy will deal with that again. My understanding is that will take the involvement of other departments as well, and maybe the participation of aboriginal governments. While I’m at it, the sustainable harvest levels, I think we had a lot of research to be done through our forestry group and perhaps we can touch on that when we get there. Any comments on those things would be appreciated.

Just in terms of implementation capacity for the Biomass Strategy, I’m wondering if we’ve assessed whether we have the people in place to ensure rapid and effective progress on that strategy. What does it take to get pellet manufacturing in place and so on? Whatever the strategy calls for.

This year we intend to do very specific things. For example, the Arctic Energy Alliance is going to be going into the communities to set up workshops for training and certification programs for wood burning appliance installers and inspectors, as well as looking at how to facilitate the delivery and supply of wood pellets to remote communities. We’re going to work with the forest management division to conduct woodlot planning and inventory activities to assist once again with the firewood and wood pellet production business development.

We want to work with communities once again, through the environment division, to prepare business plans for electrical power and heat distribution cogeneration systems biomass supply. I think we’ve put almost a million dollars into this area to try to move forward on this.

The capacity issue is twofold. There is the capacity issue of the government to get the planning in place and get the support in place, but the other capacity issue is communities. Once you have more detailed and thorough discussions about biomass, the recognition that it’s going to require a significant commitment if you’re going to move to biomass. For example, in Jean Marie River the chief was telling us the difficulty of, the enthusiasm, some people have moved. Those that were keen aren’t

necessarily around. The concern is to commit to that type of change of infrastructure also requires a significant community commitment. And there are capacity issues there as well. So those are two areas we have to work on as we move forward.

I appreciate the Minister’s remarks. The Minister did list quite a number of important steps that are going to be required. I know there are more that he’s aware of. That is an issue. I think the potential for big gains here in community energy systems is huge, but it’s going to take quite a bit of education and support to enjoy the realization of those opportunities. Obviously a cross-departmental approach again with ITI and other departments. I’m glad the Minister is thinking about that I look forward to perhaps a briefing on the Biomass Strategy and next steps there.

More of a comment. We’re on page 13-17. Mr. Yakeleya.

Mr. Chairman, the one issue... Actually, there are two. The one I want to talk to the Minister about is the contaminated hazardous sites and solid hazardous waste management. I did send a note over to the Minister a couple days ago about the issue of old vehicles in our communities and if there’s a possibility of this department looking at a plan for how to get rid of these old vehicles. I know they have some type of machine that can eat up these old vehicles and put them into scrap metal and take them out on barges. I know this was an issue with the community of Deline. They asked if I would ask the Minister, as this is an issue that they want to look at as something that this government could do in terms of sharing. One community would have this and then it would go to the next community and so forth. I want to ask the Minister on his efforts to look at recyclables, such as the things he has done before which are really good, if this is something he might look at on a larger scale for the smaller communities. I’m not sure what the cost would be to have this type of operation. However, these landfill sites are pretty well full of other vehicles that have been there since the ‘50s and ‘60s. Is that something he would consider to move forward on this initiative of a clean environment in our communities and in the North?

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That particular area for recycling is on our list but we’ve been fully and thoroughly occupied with the whole issue of getting ready for the level on single-use retail bags, getting ready to implement and institute the recycling of milk containers. We’ve got, as I’ve indicated in my remarks, some work underway trying to come up with innovative ways community by community on dealing with the massive amounts of cardboard and paper that are probably the single biggest

substance going into landfills. We’re also trying to come to grips with a way to do the e-waste so that we can look at the very many computers and TVs and all the other accoutrements of computers and computer use in today’s technology. Coming after that, we’re also interested in the 45 gallon drums scattered in the thousands across the Northwest Territories, as well as vehicles. So it’s a question of resources and capacity, but it’s definitely on our list to get to and we’re working our way down. Thank you.