Member, just remember to direct your questions to me, and I will direct it to the Minister. Thank you. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We were looking at this budget here, and the title is grants, contribution, and transfers. You look at that line item that the Member is speaking of, and it's $200,000 in biomass energy. I do want to point out that that is a specific $200,000 that is given to Arctic Energy Alliance in order to support biomass in homes, just that project. This area in the budget speaks of grants, contribution, and transfers. That's what the department is transferring, so that's what that line item is. Once we get into some of the other, perhaps maybe even past asset management, where we talk a little bit more about what we're doing in terms of some biomass projects being incorporated into our new infrastructure build, perhaps we can speak about it then. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Member for Deh Cho.

Mahsi, Madam Chair. I have gone past what's there. I was asking a question. How serious are we, as the GNWT government, to look at harnessing biomass energy for the Northwest Territories moving forward to get rid of the greenhouse gas emissions? Like I say, we spend a considerable amount of financial resources buying fuels, paying for fuels. Are we going to get serious about reducing greenhouse gas emissions? Where do we have a line item within infrastructure for energy and strategic initiatives, energy department, that shows research and development, and are we going to be serious and start putting our thoughts and our energy into that? Mahsi

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I said in answering the first question that we are serious about biomass, and we are serious because we are looking at new infrastructure builds and how we can incorporate biomass into new buildings. However, I think I will direct my ADM to speak a bit more about some of the projects directly related, some of the biomass projects that are happening within our infrastructure. Go ahead, ADM Jenkins.

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Jenkins.

Thank you, Mr. Jenkins. Member for Deh Cho.

Mahsi, Madam Chair. I am just wondering because I know you are just listing what you currently have. I am looking for a research and development section of everything so that we look at biomass seriously. It should be a separate report saying, "Hey. This is what we are looking at," and the different types of biomass energy. I have a problem with just keeping it within Infrastructure because the NWT Housing Corporation needs help to address harnessing biomass energy in our communities up and down the valley. It went from 2,400 units to 2,600 units, and I heard now there was 2,900 units, and hooking them up to a district heating system that we have been talking about.

I think I threw this out when I first got here: we need to see ways that we can save on our heating energy costs using biomass so that the government realizes in the long run significant savings which we can pass back on to the consumers through the cost of living. This has got to hit the Northland Utilities power company and the NTPC power company. Why don't they incorporate biomass instead of just burning up diesel year after year after year? Has anybody talked to them, even the Housing Corporation? We need that crossover so that we have got the energy department working with all of these groups here and really taking a serious look moving forward. We need to be serious about this and do it. I don't want to hear about, "We have got more projects here and there and there." Where is the research and development department to get us where we need to go? Mahsi.

Thank you, Member for Deh Cho. Minister, did you have any response to that?

Thank you, Madam Chair. I hear where the Member is coming from. Right now, within our current Department of Infrastructure, we do not have research and development embedded in any of our energy budget, and this is perhaps something we could look at going forward, to be able to ensure that we have cost savings in all our energy within the territories. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Madam Chair. With respect to the $12.39 million, what percentage of those funds would actually stay in Yellowknife versus going out to projects in the communities? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Minister of Infrastructure.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am looking at the variety of grants, contributions and transfers. It is quite diverse. Predominantly, the majority of these, if not all of them, should stay within the Northwest Territories, but I will just get ADM Brennan. It's a hard question. I do not know. It's not something we have looked at, but I will let him give it a shot. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Minister. ADM Brennan.

Member, can you repeat your question?

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes. We are looking at total contributions of $12.388 million, and I am just wondering what percentage of that amount stays in Yellowknife for Yellowknife projects versus what ends up in the communities for support to the communities. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Mr. Brennan.

Thank you, Mr. Brennan. Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I would like to see those, see where that distribution is because, when you go outside of Yellowknife and pretty well predominantly First Nations Indigenous communities, I just want to see what the buy-in is in those communities and the understanding as well of these programs and if they actually know they are available. The other thing that I would like to know, as well, is: I have got no problem with energy and strategic initiatives. I think we have to look down the road, and as much as I am an oil and gas guy, I realize I have to adapt and change. I would like to know: have we looked at what is the cost savings, or are we getting value for our dollar by switching over to alternate types of energies in the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Madam Chair.