Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m here to present for the committee’s consideration the 2011-2012 Capital Estimates of the Government of the Northwest Territories.

The estimates outline appropriations for government and community infrastructure investments of $155 million in the 2011-2012 fiscal year.

The estimates do not include appropriations for housing infrastructure proposed by the NWT Housing Corporation in 2011-2012 totalling $16.4 million. The appropriation for these investments will be sought during committee’s review of the 2011-2012 Main Estimates. The NWT Housing Corporation’s proposed 2011-2012 Capital Plan, however, has been included in the estimates document as an information item for review and comment by committee.

Including the proposed housing investment will bring the total planned infrastructure investment in 2011-2012 to $171 million. This means that over the life of the 16th Legislative Assembly we will have

invested over $1 billion in badly needed infrastructure in the Northwest Territories.

The 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 capital budgets represented an unprecedented level of investment for our government.

We made a conscious decision, as part of our fiscal strategy, to invest in infrastructure at a time when private capital investment was declining in order to help mitigate the effects of the economic downturn. We will have injected over $700 million into the GNWT economy over this year and last, creating significant contract and employment opportunities and addressing infrastructure needs across the NWT for health facilities, schools, highways, airports and other transportation requirements.

We will also continue to provide a stable source of funding for community governments so that they can properly plan to address their infrastructure needs over the long term.

Although smaller than previous years’ budgets, the 2011-2012 Capital Estimates still allow for a substantial level of investment, and permits the completion of many of the projects begun during the 16th Legislative Assembly. As Members are

aware, starting in 2012-2013 we will have returned to more historical levels of capital investment in order to maintain a fiscally sustainable path.

Major highlights of the Infrastructure Acquisition Plan include:

•

$37 million for highways and winter roads

across the NWT;

•

$25 million for school replacements and

renovations;

•

$28 million to continue to fund community

governments for infrastructure;

•

$13.6 million for replacements and renovations to health facilities;

•

$10.5 million for airport replacements and

improvements;

•

$12 million for small capital projects across all departments;

•

$5 million for the Deferred Maintenance

Program; and

•

$3.9 million for the Capital Asset Retrofit Fund Program for energy efficiency upgrades to existing GNWT buildings.

Following remarks by the Honourable Michael McLeod, we are prepared to review the 2011-2012 Capital Estimates with the committee.