Thank you. Member for Great Slave.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I would offer the department if they'd like to sit down with me, I could tell them what's wrong with their online programs. So thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. If that's all the questions -- are there any more questions under Infrastructure, regional operations?

Seeing none, please turn to page 255, Infrastructure, regional operations, operations expenditure summary, 2022-2023 Main Estimates, $221,649,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you, committee. There are additional information items from page 258 to 269. Are there any questions from Members in regards to these information items? Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess I'm going to ask a couple questions about leasing.

I understand that due to both a Cabinet-level policy and a public accounting standard that we only enter into leases of less than five years, because after five years they tend to be a tangible or a capital lease which would then be recorded as a liability and go up against our debt ceiling. You know, seeing that there's $134 million in lease commitments here, we don't even have that room in our debt ceiling. So we can't enter into long-term leases.

Can I just get a sense from the department to the extent that that limitation is influencing this habit of kind of doing repeat three-year leases? And I'll note we've been kind of doing this in some buildings for 30 plus years now. Is that one of the limiting factors why we are not kind of negotiating this a little bit more aggressively? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Infrastructure.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm going to see if Mr. Brennan can speak a little more to the leasing. I see he's got his papers there to be able to explain why the department is not going to further leases. Thank you.

Thank you. ADM Brennan.

Thank you. Member for Yellowknife North.

Yeah, thank you. And I guess, you know, my understanding is what historically has happened is that leasing has been rather decentralized, and departments just kind of tell Infrastructure what they need. And I guess I'd like the department to speak to any work they might be doing in this area to, you know, centralize it, maybe be -- push back sometimes and say hey, you don't need this office space; actually we're going to move you into this building because it'll save us a bunch of money. And I know there has been some new design standards to perhaps, you know, lower the total number. I'm just wondering if the Minister could speak to any work to reduce the costs in this area? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Infrastructure.

Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. So you look at the leases and it's based on client needs. As per our policy, we do have a leasing policy. We also work with some of the program requirements as well for the leases. So this is not something we just look at every three years or five years. This is something we have a look at ongoing to be able to work with the departments, their needs, whether it fits to do the renewal in terms of what works best for the department as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Member for Yellowknife North.

Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. I remember when they built the new government building, there was a lot of talk that, you know, the energy efficiency of this and it's cheaper to own the build, and I'm sure in order to build it the rent verse own analysis was done. And I'm just wondering, you know, whether we have any plans to build other commercial office space? Thank you.

Thank you, Member. Minister of Infrastructure.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, that's not something we're looking at in the near future. My understanding is that there was just a new government building built here in Yellowknife so it's not something that we're looking at. And again, it's got to be based on need - whether we need the space and whether it's viable to be able to look at lease versus own. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Are there any more questions from Members on any of the information items at the end of this section? Seeing none -- oh, Member for Frame Lake.

Thanks, Madam Chair. The Yellowknife Airport Revolving Fund, I know I've been after the department for some time to start to spend money at the airport. And I understand they're supposed to be completing their third version, or third different contractor to produce a master plan, by the end of this month apparently. So what can we actually expect to see any of this money expended in the 2022-2023 for the airport, and for what? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Minister of Infrastructure.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The airport -- you know, the airport revolving has -- has a fund. I'm sorry, I'm just trying to look at, you know, we will be investing $2 million in the coming years for the rehabilitation as well as the airfield drainage in relation to some of the ACAP projects. I'm looking to see if Mr. Brennan can add anything further on, you know, where we're at with the Airport Revolving Fund and the surplus. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Brennan.