Thank you, Madam Chair. The true surplus of the Yellowknife Airport Revolving Fund is actually $20 million. We do have a 20-year master plan, which is in draft discussion, but it does identify the capital needs of the airport, including the baggage handling area, the airfield lighting, runways, et cetera. Hopefully, we're going to be finalizing that plan. There are obviously going to have to be stakeholder inputs, as stated. It is a separate pot of money, a fund, a separate fund than the rest of our projects, so it's not like I can take the $40 million or whatever and put it into a building somewhere else. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Debates of June 1st, 2020
This is page numbers 917 - 956 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.
Topics
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Madam Chair. I'm not interested in having the money spent somewhere else. This was a big debate and discussion around setting this up in the first place that, if people were going to start paying fees to land and take off in Yellowknife, the money was supposed to stay in Yellowknife for the improvement of this airport. I still didn't get an answer: when is the 20-year capital fund going to be completed? Thanks, Madam Chair.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Katrina Nokleby Great Slave
Thank you, Madam Chair. As stated, the plan is now in draft and is working toward being finalized. When it is complete, I will share that with the Member. Thank you.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks for that clarification, the same answer as the last one. When is this money going to start moving out of the revolving fund and being spent on capital? Are we actually going to see any projects happening this summer at the airport? Thanks, Madam Chair.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Katrina Nokleby Great Slave
Thank you, Madam Chair. The airport plan was originally to be finalized this winter. However, this has not happened as a result of the department and others being on other projects, including on dealing with COVID. It is our hope that, early in this Assembly, we will be starting to move on the airport improvements. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Madam Chair. I don't think I got an answer to my question. Are there going to be any capital projects at the Yellowknife Airport this summer that start to draw down the surplus? Thanks, Madam Chair.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Katrina Nokleby Great Slave
Thank you, Madam Chair. I will pass this to Dr. Dragon. Thank you, Madam Chair.
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Dr. Dragon
Thank you, Madam Chair. The 20-year master plan, as the Minister mentioned, given we've run into COVID and dealing with that right now, one of the things to advise committee: we contracted a consulting firm that has been working with a number of different countries around the world, looking at market analysis, economic development, development of strategy of airports. We feel very well positioned to take advantage of this fund. This is going to be one that I think is going to be a really good news story kind of coming out of us actually bringing in these funds and having a targeted fund available to participate in any sort of program that the federal government will have having to do with airports. The Minister has been in a number of conversations with her colleagues about that.
I was just going to mention that we've done a lot of improvements to the Yellowknife Airport over the years when we talk about enhancements of the screening area, food and beverage services, looking a gate for mines that when they're coming out. We've had different things done, repairs to the south apron of the air terminal building. We also are looking at opportunities of cold-weather testing and looking at possible video development. We're hoping that that will be as a part of the 2020 Destination Canada aerospace brochure. We're also in discussions right now with the Korean aerospace industries with the hopes of hosting, possibly, a multi-year, cold-weather testing program for the new, light-armed helicopter. In addition, we're continuing to work with the Department of ITI to gather key data in preparation for marketing additional air service to and from Yellowknife. Finally, we're working towards gaining access to a program called Drives to better able to understand and put in an enforcement parking management of the short-term and long-term parking lots and the curtesy vehicle parking area. Just wanted to let committee know that I've asked my airport folks to see if they can do something about the guy that barks at you when you put your ticket in there. We're looking at that. Those are the initiatives that we're currently looking coming in the future before the master plan. We're really basing those on: we don't want to put more money into this airport if we're looking at doing a new airport, which we feel is necessary. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Madam Chair. I want to thank the deputy minister for the details that he provided there. I don't think I got an answer. Is any of this money going to be spent this summer for capital improvements at the airport? Thanks, Madam Chair.
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Katrina Nokleby Great Slave
Thank you, Madam Chair. I commit to getting back to the Member with that answer. Thank you.
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Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Madam Chair, if I'm getting a bit frustrated, it's because I've raised this now probably for about three years in a row. I was here when this revolving fund was set up. I've seen the growth in this fund. I want the money spent. Yellowknifers deserve to have this money spent. Northerners deserve to have this money spent, especially at this time. Then I keep hearing that there's no plan. I can't even find out if any of this work is going to take place this summer. That's not a good place to be, Madam Chair. I hope that we're not going to be in the same place a year from now because I'll be back asking the exact same questions. If there is some frustration here, it's because I've asked the same questions three years in a row, and I would have thought that we would have been much farther ahead. If we're not going to spend this money, get rid of the fee and just run it the way that it was before. Thanks, Madam Chair.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Katrina Nokleby Great Slave
Thank you, Madam Chair. I can only speak for the year that I've been here. I'm sorry that the Member feels frustrated with this. There is a plan; it is being finalized. Once it is finalized, we will be moving forward on spending the money. I think that, particularly in light of where we are at in our situation and wanting to maximize our dollars, we have to make sure, when we do move forward, we're moving forward and spending the money in a good manner that maximizes benefits to Northerners. If we have to take a little bit more time in the post-COVID or during COVID to do so, I would rather my department did that. Thank you, Madam Chair.
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The Chair Lesa Semmler
Thank you, Minister. Are there any further questions on the Yellowknife Airport Revolving Fund? Seeing none, we will move on to page 252, lease commitments. Any questions? Seeing no questions on lease commitments, we'll move to work performed on behalf of others. Any questions? Thank you, Members. Mr. Norn.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 1st, 2020
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Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh
Marsi cho, Madam Chair. I move that this committee defer further consideration of the estimates for the Department of Infrastructure at this time. Mahsi cho, Madam Chair.