Deputy minister Loutitt.

Thank you. Member for Yellowknife North.

Yeah, thank you. I guess I'll try and get some numbers out of the department. I'm going to ask about the Slave Geological All-Weather environmental assessment and planning, which I -- we're going to do -- I see that it's been changed to finish planning for 2027-2028 for the first phase to Lockhart Lake. I also see that there's some federal money there. I'm not sure that the procurement concern applies so much to planning. I can kind of not really understand it for, you know, the actual building, but is someone willing to tell me how much we are going to spend on planning and how much money we got from the federal government for a section of the Slave Geological Province Corridor? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Infrastructure.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, the deputy minister responsible for that project is coming up next but I'm going to give it a shot to ensure that we have some information out there perhaps.

So planning and engagement is underway to be able to advance this project. You know, we are looking at a target of late 2024. You know, the IGOs have been engaged through the summer and discussions about collaboration work continue. What are some -- some of the planned work that are -- that is happening is the environmental and geotechnical fieldwork as well as some Indigenous knowledge studies. We continue to engage with Indigenous governments, participation. This is a $40 million project that was announced, and it is 75/25. And as my deputy minister pointed out, that, you know, we probably won't go into detail. There are a number of factors that take up this amount of money so the -- thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Member for Yellowknife North.

Yeah, thank you. Okay, I'm glad to hear -- well, I don't know if I'm glad to hear but I heard a number. We're spending $40 million on the planning. Sorry, but I heard the Minister say estimated completion 2024, and then I'm looking at the page 55, and it says 2027-2028 so can I just -- for environmental assessment and planning, when can we expect completion for the first phase to Lockhart Lake? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Infrastructure.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, yes, that is correct. That's the estimate time to be completed, 2027. But, however, the planning work for the environmental and geotech fieldwork is continuing so some of that work will continue up to 2023-2024.

Thank you. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you. I'll just ask one more question that illustrates my frustration with the lack of transparency. I hear we're spending $40 million. Well, maybe it won't be frustrate me, but can someone tell me how much you're presently asking for or how much we plan to spend in this next fiscal? I can't see how that has any affect on procurement for me to know how much money you're presently asking the Assembly for. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Infrastructure.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, the project is in a five-development phase. So phase 1 are some of the environmental planning that's funded under NTCF. So some of the federal funding is allocated to that. So I mean, some of the other stuff is very confidential because we still need to go out and do that work. But I want the Member to know that, you know, each different phases are funded. Thanks.

Thank you. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. I'm just looking -- just going through this budget here and understanding it.

This budget you're proposing, you're putting forward, you talking -- you look at your energy -- our project listing and that kind of thing. Does this cover winter roads as well, Madam Chair? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Infrastructure.

Thank you, Madam Chair. No, this process does not cover that. That comes through some our operational maintenance. Thank you.

Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess what I'm just thinking is that, you know, we had a -- we got a budget of almost $2.2 billion, and in my riding we have 1.7 percent of the overall budget but yet in the South Slave Region, on the map here that I'm looking at, it says it's -- you know, we got 15 percent of overall costing but yet when I look at this, it doesn't cover off Fort Resolution, Dettah, N'dilo, or Lutselk'e. So I guess I'm wondering, like how do I, like, in Fort Resolution, we need chip seal in the community. They've been asking for that. And the question is when can we have that discussion, and maybe with the municipality is there something we could do there? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Minister of Infrastructure.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I can work with the Minister of MACA to be able to discuss some of the municipal roads and stuff. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.