Thank you, Member. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We have within energy and infrastructure, I don't even think this is summer students, so I am just going to put that paper away and look to the assistant deputy minister for energy and strategic initiatives, Mr. Jenkins.

Thank you. Mr. Jenkins.

Thank you, Mr. Jenkins. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. No, that is amazing news, and that is really great. I think that opportunities for summer students and interns as well as northern hires within different areas of energy and strategic initiatives is such a commendable investment, especially when students, if they are coming back from university, if they are going to small communities, energy and strategic infrastructure initiatives is something that every community needs. Congratulations to the Department of Infrastructure for that one, and I encourage them to continue that year after year.

My next question is in regard to the 2030 energy goals for the Department of Infrastructure, and I noticed here that there is a $5.3 million decrease in their energy line. One of the strategic goals that they had identified, and another one that I know that I hear about frequently from the people who I serve, is the cost of electricity in the Northwest Territories. I'm wondering, with that decrease to that line item, does the Department of Infrastructure feel that they can achieve their strategic goals with energy this year? Thank you.

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Within the 2030 strategic plan, we do have an action plan within the bigger plan, so within that plan, we are able to look at some of our milestones and to determine whether we are achieving it as the time goes on and if and where we make adjustments. Although the 2030 strategy is a bigger picture, we try and look at some of the ways where we can enhance and have a look at some targets so that we can determine if we are meeting our standards and, if we're not, what we need to do better and how we reinforce some of our capacity to ensure that we are in line with where we need to be. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. My question was: does the Minister feel that they will reach this year's goals? Thank you.

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am hoping so, but I'm going to get ADM Jenkins just to confirm because I looked at some of the targets. They looked pretty good to me, but who am I to determine all the little bits of it? I'm going to go to Mr. Jenkins. Thank you.

Thank you. ADM Jenkins.

Thank you, Mr. Jenkins. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. The one last thing that I just wanted to say quickly to the Minister is that I really appreciate the ongoing support of the Department of Infrastructure for Students Against Drinking and Driving. That has been an annual contribution of theirs. I think it's a worthwhile cause, and I appreciate the Minister continuing to support that. Thank you.

Thank you, Member. Minister, did you have any further comments?

You're welcome.

Any further comments or questions under this from Kam Lake? No? Committee, we will take a break and resume with Mr. Bonnetrouge from Deh Cho.

---SHORT BREAK

I now call Committee of the Whole back to order. We are continuing energy and strategic initiatives on page 243. Member for Deh Cho.

Mahsi, Madam Chair. What I notice in the main estimates is that the Arctic Energy Alliance is getting $1.6 million, and biomass energy is only getting $200,000. From what I am hearing and everything, we are getting pretty heavy on getting away from lowering our greenhouse gas emissions overall. It's not going to come overnight, but there were plans to bring those levels down overall. We spend a considerable amount of resources, lots of money, on fuels, whether it be diesel fuels or liquid natural gas, propane.

In the future, it looks like we are looking at biomass, whether it be wood pellets, wood chips, or briquettes. I think briquettes are a common commodity. I think, in Europe, they are changing over from pellets to briquettes. There is even market where you can harvest willows to make your fuels. I am not the expert on that, but I'm just really wondering how serious we are as a government in looking at biomass energy. When you're only spending $200,000, I don't know what that's doing, but we don't even have a research and development area within Infrastructure to really look at this. We should have a line item for that. I was just wondering if I could get the energy guy to give me some insight into this. Mahsi.

Thank you, Member for Deh Cho. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Government of the Northwest Territories has delivered a number of biomass projects to help reduce some of the greenhouse gas emissions and also operating costs. The use of wood-pellet boilers has proven to be a reliable technology in the Northwest Territories. Residents, as well as businesses and local governments, have all benefited from this success. I do want to assure the Member that, yes, the government is serious about using, when and where we can, more biomass heating. The use of this is considered for all GNWT facilities that are being constructed. Yes, we are looking at it for any new builds that the government is looking at constructing. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Member for Deh Cho.