This is page numbers 1481 - 1522 of the Hansard for the 19th Assembly, 2nd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was going.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

The amount of money that would be part of this total, then, for Frank Channel is the portion, the 25 percent funds, that you expect to have to spend if you get the successful 75-percent application? Or is this money that you are already allocating now to be spent on, say, maintenance? I can't see it being that. Is this money that you are thinking that you are going to have to spend if you get the funding, or is this actual money you are spending now?

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am going to ask David Moore to come up with more details. I know we've got a portion of the money. The federal government is really good at giving us 75-cent quarter-dollars, but that's not enough. We recognize that we need to be actively looking. The Member spoke earlier about whether we are doing that. Yes, we are doing that. In terms of where we're at now, I know we've got this money set aside federally, but we do need to find the other 25-cent dollars for that project. Madam Chair, if Mr. Moore wants to add anything to that, I will pass it to him.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Moore.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Moore

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Minister is correct: $22.5 million is in our bilateral agreement with Canada to invest in Highway No. 3. With highways, the work is prioritized. Our teams assess the highway and review it for areas that are the most critical and priority, and those are where the funds are allocated to. Those federal dollars, Madam Chair, are allocated until 2024 for Highway No. 3. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Mr. Moore. Member for Great Slave.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

[Microphone turned off] ...about the Frank Channel Bridge, so I am still confused. Is this money here, the 25-cent dollar, to get the 75 if you are accepted for that funding? Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Member for Great Slave.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Chair. My next question, I'm going to stay with bridges, is about the Great Bear River Bridge. I know that we've had the funding for that for a while, and it is sort of slated to go forward as is. However, I know there have been significant delays on that project, and I actually have a lot of inquiries from constituents and residents as to where it's at. Maybe the Minister could provide me with some understanding around the funding in this year, what it is being used for, and are we on track with where we were at, say, a couple of years ago? Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Mackenzie Valley Highway funding includes the construction of the Great Bear River Bridge, which will be processed, again, through a competitive process, but that's not what the Member is asking. The Member is asking where we're at in terms of timelines. As I was going through some of my briefings, there is quite a lengthy process in order to get projects going. Right now, we are still in the environmental assessment stage. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Member for Great Slave.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Chair. There are time delays on this project. I know that. With those time delays, will that cause us to have to carry over funding that won't get spent as a result of delays to the project? There was a change to the project timelines at one point. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.

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Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Department of Infrastructure plans to finalize the project description report and start to apply for some of the permits in the fall of 2020. It could be in place by possibly the summer of 2021. We will start to go through the tendering, the awarding, and the construction to take place the beginning of this summer, hopefully, of 2021. The Member will be excited to know that it might be opened by February 2024 to meet the timelines of the federal process. That's where we're at in terms of the timelines. We have to be mindful that things change and delays may take longer, but that's where we're aiming for right now. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Member for Great Slave.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Chair. I hope that I get to be one of the people that goes and drives that bridge the first time. Definitely invested in it. My last question is around the Prohibition Creek Access Road. I know at some point that that had not actually gone out to tender yet. I'm just wondering if you could provide an update if that is going out for public tender soon or has gone out? Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.

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Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Prohibition Creek Access Road is a 13-kilometre segment of the all-season road along the Mackenzie Valley Highway. The department is undertaking some planning work towards that construction and from Canyon Creek to Prohibition Creek, and this project is independent, a standalone, regulatory process. We are still in the process of waiting for the regulatory process.

In June 2020, $20 million in funding was announced for the construction of this access road, with the federal government providing $15 million under Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program and then the GNWT picking up the difference in the tab. The work is still under way. The Member from the Sahtu and I have had some discussions with some of the stakeholders in the community as they are anxiously waiting for this project to take place, as well. We are having those discussions. We are looking at getting things started as soon as we can and when we can. Thank you, Madam Chair.

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Member for Great Slave.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Chair. I appreciate that, and I hope that there will be a way to maximize all of the benefits to Northerners and get as many of the businesses in that region working. I'm not sure if this is the right location for it, but I don't see the Tulita Health Centre in this list. Could you provide an update on whether or not it should be on this list, or if there's a reason it's not, or if I'm just in the wrong spot? Thank you, Madam Chair.

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

I'm thinking Tulita Health Centre would be under Health and Social Services. Yes. That's it? Thank you. Member for Monfwi.

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Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Masi, Madam Chair. Obviously, I will be talking about Frank Channel Bridge, as well. On the location, it says, "Various." There's only one location. That's in Frank Channel within Behchoko. I'm just curious why it's "various"? Maybe it's a simple answer?