Thank you, Madam Chair. I really like what I hear there around the idea of not always just sort of little bits going out which, you know, may Band-Aid a situation in one area but doesn't really lead to a long-term solution. I think one of the issues that will really hurt tourism, and any of our economic development going forward, is the housing issue. I'm not going to get into that because that's not the right Minister. But that has been something we've been repeatedly hearing now, is that even if we want to bring people in we don't have housing for them. And I guess why I bring this up is just to maybe ask for the Minister to be advocating for some sort of change to the -- to the -- to the allowance of structures on sites. And I know, again, not her department but so that, you know, temporary structures could be brought in such as we've now seen for the new warming centre, where they don't have to be piped. They don't have to be, you know, hooked up to sewer, and allowing more flexibility that way. And so then in the meantime, we could at least use temporary structures to house some of the people that are going to be needed here, and particularly as our tourists -- sorry, I should slow down. Sorry, interpreters.

Particularly as our tourism is, you know -- is generally a seasonal economy at this point, either being winter or summer, but the summer one more so. You know, the housing doesn't need to be the robust northern housing necessarily if we were bringing them in the winter. And maybe that is some way to -- to increase -- we -- I often saw in British Columbia that you would see international tourists but they were doing the tourism jobs in BC. So, you know, often the ski instructors were from Australia or the rafters were from Europe. So I think there's an opportunity for us to look at some sort of model like that and look at our immigration and all of that and play that into -- into providing -- to having more employees or staffing for tourism.

I guess I'm just going to leave it at that. I think that's more -- more of a, excuse me, a comment. And I think my colleagues covered everything else. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of ITI, did you have anything to follow up?

Madam Chair, labour market shortages in this industry are actually top of mind. We don't necessarily hear about it so much here in the Northwest Territories, but they are definitely a focus on the federal-provincial-territorial tables. And so yes, there's probably more to come on that. Our issues may be a little bit different but at the same time, certainly don't want any barriers if we do hopefully have an explosion of tourism here. So I appreciate that there was some ideas there and as I said, yeah, definitely we can continue to look at what's happening elsewhere and make sure that we're using best practices. Thank you.

Thank you. Are there any further questions under tourism? Thank you, Member for Monfwi.

Thank you, Member. We'll -- did you want to answer that, Minister?

Madam Chair, I'd suggest that go to the deputy minister, please.

Thank you. Deputy minister Strand.

Thank you. Member for -- sorry. Wait for your light. Member for Monfwi, if we can just stick to tourism and parks. So -- yeah, thanks.

Yeah, I understand about that one. I do -- I am aware of that but I'm just asking about, you know, because tourism is almost here, and the pandemic is almost over. So that's why I'm asking in -- with the all-season road open and people are asking. So that's why I was inquiring about that, if those were active positions.

So but I will talk to Caroline about the other position that was just mentioned.

And then I heard the Minister talk about the North Slave Park. So it's going to be open. But is there a timeline when it's going to be opening, or like when it's going to -- the project is going to be completed?

Thank you. Minister of ITI.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I believe that's summer of 2023. So we have this construction season coming up for the bulk of the work under this capital project, and then it will be good to go for the following season. Thank you.

Thank you. Member for Monfwi.

Thank you. Yes, we know that tourism is greatly needed in all the regions, especially in Tlicho region. We have -- we don't have too many. But I see here tourism skills development, contribution to support youth mentorship in the community tourism. I mean, that's really good but it's just that the number is really low. Why is that? For the 2022-2023, it's 50. Why is that? Because if we're going to be promoting and, you know, teaching or working with youth, mentoring, why the budget is low in this area. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of ITI.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, it's only one of a suite of programs. I don't know to what extent it's been oversubscribed in -- over any reasonable period of time or if we even have that right now given the last couple of years of COVID would have certainly thrown that off. But maybe let me put that to the deputy minister, and she may be better able to speak to what the history of the uptake of that is. Thank you.

Thank you. Deputy minister Strand.

Thank you. We'll take that as a commitment to return with a response. Thank you. No further questions? All right, so are there any further questions under tourism and parks?

Seeing none, Industry, Tourism and Investment, tourism and parks, operations expenditure summary, 2022-2023 Main Estimates, $16,254,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you. Committee, are there Members that are going to have questions for the information items? Okay, well we'll break right now, and then we'll come back to the information items.

---SHORT RECESS

I now call Committee of the Whole back to order. Committee, we are on Industry, Tourism and Investment, and we finished the last key activity, and we ended with the information items on page 225.

Northwest Territories Business Development and Investment Corporation, 226. 227 is Northwest Territories Environmental Studies Research Fund. 228, lease commitments. And 229, work performed on behalf of others. Do I have questions from Members? Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'll just ask a couple really quick questions.

In the aftercare supports, which end on March 31st, 2022, there was $100,000. I'm just wondering if there is any money left in that pot, or was it fully subscribed? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of ITI.