Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I am here to present the Capital Estimates 2017-2018. The Capital Estimates 2017-2018 totals $266 million, which includes $28 million for community infrastructure investments. As in previous years, the Capital Estimates 2017-2018 do not include appropriations for housing infrastructure proposed by the NWT Housing Corporation.
The appropriation for these investments will be sought during the Legislative Assembly's review of the 2017-2018 Main Estimates. However, the NWT Housing Corporation's 2017-2018 Capital Estimates, which total $24.3 million, is included in the capital estimates as an information item for review and comment.
Major highlights of the estimates include:
● $93 million for health facility replacements and renovations, including funding required for the construction of the new Stanton Territorial Hospital project;
● $76 million for highways, winter roads, bridges, and culverts across the NWT, this includes funding for the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway and for highway projects submitted under the Building Canada Plan;
● $28 million to continue to provide to community government for their infrastructure needs;
● $23 million for new education facilities and renovation to existing facilities; and
● $50 million to continue work on the new territorial female correctional centre in Fort Smith.
In addition, 2017-2018 community governments will also be receiving $15.3 million in gas tax funding and $28.9 million from the public transit infrastructure fund and the clean water and lake water fund. Included in the funding that is going to committee governments, total infrastructure spending in the NWT for 2017-2018 is therefore estimated to be approximately $331 million. That concludes my opening remarks, Mr. Chair. I would be pleased to answer any questions Members may have. Thank you, Mr. Chair.