Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 37 has had a second reading and is now referred to a standing committee. Second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Bill 32, Naturopathic Profession Statutes Amendment Act; Minister's Statement 131-18(3), Sessional Statement; Tabled Document 322-18(3), Main Estimates, 2019-2020; Minister's Statement 151-18(3), with Member for Hay River North in the chair.

I will now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, committee would like to consider Tabled Document 322-18(3), Main Estimates, 2019-2020, considering the Department of Infrastructure and the Department of ITI, time permitting. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Does committee agree?

Thank you, committee. We will consider the document after a brief recess. Thank you.

---SHORT RECESS

I will now call Committee of the Whole to order. Committee, we have agreed to consider the Department of Infrastructure in the Main Estimates, which begins on page 227 of the document. I will turn to the Minister of Infrastructure for opening comments. Minister Schumann.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am pleased to present the 2019-2020 Main Estimates for the Department of Infrastructure. The proposed estimates of $264 million reflect an increase of $25.1 million, or 10.5 percent, over the 2018-2019 Main Estimates.

These estimates continue to support the priorities of the 18^th Legislative Assembly. Highlights include forced-growth adjustments for utility and maintenance costs of new facilities, increased maintenance and dust control for the Dempster Highway, and increased funding to upgrade and maintain the ferries on the Mackenzie, Liard, and Peel Rivers. These estimates also include lease costs of $600,000 transferred to Infrastructure from other departments.

Also identified in these estimates is the creation of the new Strategic Infrastructure Division. This new division will contribute to achieving the Northwest Territories' mandate commitment of securing funding for large transformative infrastructure projects. This new division will lead coordination and planning for new federal infrastructure funding while working closely with other Government of the Northwest Territories departments and stakeholders during the process.

In the coming year, this division will focus on advancing the Mackenzie Valley Highway projects through the shared investment of $140 million under the National Trade Corridors Fund. These projects will include construction of the Great Bear River Bridge and the Wrigley to Mount Gaudet Access Road. Focus will also be directed towards seeking opportunities for funding and planning next steps to advance the development of the Slave Geological Province Corridor. Finally, the Strategic Infrastructure Division will continue work to advance the Government of the Northwest Territories' priority to improve public infrastructure in the Northwest Territories. This will be done through an integrated bilateral agreement signed with Infrastructure Canada worth $761 million over 10 years.

The department's Energy Division will also be fully engaged with our federal partners and other stakeholders to secure funding to advance the Taltson Hydroelectricity Expansion. This division will focus on overseeing $7.8 million in new funding under the Low Carbon Economy Leadership Fund and managing $44.3 million in energy projects for 2019-2020 under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Plan.

The 2019-2020 estimates continue to support Infrastructure's mandate commitments related to energy efficiency and sustainability. Specific initiatives include increasing the use of renewable and alternative energy in off-grid communities, continued engagement with the federal government to access funding for major renewable energy initiatives, and implementing the 2030 Energy Strategy to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.

This includes providing continued financial support to the Arctic Energy Alliance and introducing larger-scale grants for communities, commercial buildings, and industry that target reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Towards this, Infrastructure will provide $2.74 million in core funding to the Arctic Energy Alliance, as well as an additional $550,000 for community energy grants and $1.95 million for Northwest Territories-wide energy programs supplemented through the Low Carbon Economy Leadership Fund, bringing the total Arctic Energy Alliance contributions to $5.24 million.

The 2019-2020 estimates also include continued investment in the Deferred Maintenance Program by upgrading and preserving government assets, such as offices, schools, and health centres. The Deferred Maintenance Program helps the Government of the Northwest Territories to better target its capital dollars in support of its priorities by maintaining and extending the useful life of our existing asset base.

That concludes my opening remarks. I would be happy to answer any questions from Members. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister. It is my understanding that you have witnesses that you wish to bring into the Chamber, so I will ask you to take a seat at the witness table. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses into the House. Minister, please introduce your witnesses for the record.

On my right, I have Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Paul Guy, and Assistant Deputy Minister Regional Operations of Infrastructure Jayleen Robertson, and on my left, I have Vince McCormick, director of Corporate Services of Infrastructure.

Thank you, Minister. Committee, the department begins on page 228 and continues onto page 261. It contains four activities, with two information items at the end of the section. This is quite a large department, and I usually allow one set of comments and questions per activity, but I think we are going to have to go with at least two allowable comments per Member per activity. We will defer the departmental total until after consideration of the activity detail. The first activity is asset management on pages 234 to 237. Does committee have any comments on asset management? The $75 million item. Mr. Vanthuyne.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I would like to start by asking the Minister if they can give us a bit of detail with regard to the Capital Asset Retrofit Fund. I have been a supporter of this fund, and I think that the work that is undertaken with regard to this fund is significant for this territory. It checks off a lot of boxes as it relates to goals and objectives of the Assembly and, of course, as it relates to the government and the department in managing assets. Most importantly, it is also a fund that can assist us greatly in achieving our energy goals, as well as mitigating impacts on climate change. I would like to ask: how much are we putting into the Capital Asset Retrofit Fund? Are we actually getting it out the door and improving our assets with it? More importantly, I guess, is: what kind of return on investment are we seeing with regard to this fund? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In our proposed work plan for this in the Budget 2019-2020 fiscal year is $3.8 million. Savings that result from these projects are estimated at an average of $209,700 annually, which corresponds to the estimated reduction of 824 tonnes of GHG emissions. I will turn it over to the deputy for further comment. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Mr. Guy.

Thank you. Mr. Vanthuyne.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I am glad I asked about this because these are promising returns on investment. Clearly, these are well-spent dollars that are bringing a number of benefits to the territory, so I appreciate that we keep this fund well maintained. Recently, there has been some correspondence with regard to municipalities wanting to have this government consider potential development of NWT building standards. This is not the first time that it has come up. It has come up in the past where our government has been questioned about why do not we take responsibility for developing building standards. I am wondering, while this is not the Department of MACA, which is tied to communities, this is the Department of Infrastructure, which is very strongly tied to codes and standards, and so I would like to get some opinion or some thoughts from the Minister with regards to how they see the GNWT's role in developing and/or maintaining building standards. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Mr. Guy.

Thank you. Mr. Vanthuyne.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I appreciate the insight. I guess I would ask another question and phrase it: given their experience with regard to infrastructure, in particular the technical side and the project management side, does the department feel that there is a need to develop an NWT-specific building standard, given our geography and our cold climates? Or do the current standards which are applied nationally seem to be the standard that would suffice, maybe because we do take part in helping develop them and improve them, at least what we have to offer gets considered in the amendments or changes to those standards? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Mr. Guy.