Thank you, Madam Chair. Today, I have with me Deputy Minister Steve Loutitt and assistant deputy minister for regional operations, Gary Brennan.

Thank you, and welcome back. Committee, like I mentioned, we are on regional operations beginning on page 250, with information items on page 253. Questions? Member for Frame Lake.

Thanks, Madam Chair. I know my colleague, I think from Yellowknife North, asked about this. Does the Minister have any idea how much the average O and M costs are for highways? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Minister of Infrastructure.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The average on our estimates, last year, we spent $75 million as an average on highways. Thank you.

Member.

Thanks, Madam Chair. I will confess that I don't know how many kilometres of highways we have. Does the Minister have some kind of figure or the cost per kilometre? Is it, I don't know, $10 a kilometre that we pay to maintain a highway? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. In terms of highway operations, we are responsible for maintaining the system. We have about 2,350 kilometres of all-weather roads, which includes bridges, small culverts, across the Northwest Territories. In terms of costs, Madam Chair, it varies, and I will repeat myself from yesterday's question because it was something similar from another Member. It talked about, for all the different highways that we have across the territories, we have some that are chipsealed, some that are cement, and some that are just gravel roads. It would vary in terms of costs. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Member for Frame Lake.

Thanks, Madam Chair. Maybe I will try it again. Is there a range that the Minister could give us, cost per kilometre, for O and M for highways? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I will ask ADM Brennan to give a range. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Brennan.

Thank you, Mr. Brennan. Member for Frame Lake.

Thanks, Madam Chair. Bingo, I got it. I appreciate that. I think this is the part of the budget where the Yellowknife Airport Revolving Fund is found as an information item. I'd like to know: there seems to be quite a lot of money that's built up as surplus in this fund. When can we expect that this is going to start to be spent? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I understood that this was just regional operations. Madam Chair, if you want me to go back to, you referenced pages 250 to 253, and the revolving fund is on pages 261 to 262. Would you like, Madam Chair, for me to do all the other sections?

No. We just decided yesterday, just because of the department and the info items are very large and some of the topics in there, so we'll just do the regional operations. Then, we'll go into another section where you can ask questions on the information items separately. Do you want to continue on with regional operations?

Thanks, Madam Chair. Look, I'm happy to get 10 minutes on the Yellowknife Airport Revolving Fund, so thank you. I appreciate that.

Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I was looking at page 251 about the amortization. I know that my colleague from Yellowknife asked his questions a little bit. I'm just curious. I looked in every department here in our budget here, and this is quite a bit higher, significantly higher than any other department for this line item. It made me think about: one, why is it so high? I'll continue on with my questions. Thank you.

Thank you, Member. Minister of Infrastructure.