This is page numbers 4401 - 4448 of the Hansard for the 19th Assembly, 2nd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was know.

Topics

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Minister responsible for Infrastructure.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you will recall that back in 2018 the GNWT secured $140 million under the transportation Canada's National Trade Corridors Fund to be able to continue to advance the Mackenzie Valley Highway. This is also a priority of this government.

In the time since, extensive work has been done on a desktop and a field studies to gather environmental and engineering baseline data to be able to support the regulatory applications and the environmental assessment.

The focus this year is on collection of outstanding and environmental engineering baseline data. We will also continue to focus heavily on engagement to gather public input on the proposed Mackenzie Valley Highway corridor alignment and anticipated construction activities.

We have continued to work with SSI through an establishment of an MOU for the project. We've had discussions with PKFN in regards to how best we can work together to advance these important projects.

All this work will inform the developer's assessment report, which we expect to submit to the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Review Board this fall.

With regards to the bridges, Mr. Speaker, over the past few years, extensive work has been done to replace most of the existing water crossings. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Rocky Simpson

Rocky Simpson Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that answer. I think it might have just about answered everything here. But I'm going to ask anyway.

Mr. Speaker, will the Minister confirm what is the expected cost to complete that portion of the highway from Wrigley to Norman Wells and what are the factors driving any increase in cost? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Mr. Speaker, back in 2018, a very high level and general project estimate was developed and put the overall project in the range of about $700 million, Mr. Speaker. Not only was this estimate high, it is now outdated as the Member mentioned in his Member's statement.

We know that many factors have changed since this time, including some of the inflationary pressures, labour market conditions, and chain supply issues, to name a few.

As the environmental assessment progresses, we will be finalizing the engineering design for construction. These plans will inform detailed internal construction cost estimates which will be required to inform engagement with Canada for future funding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Rocky Simpson

Rocky Simpson Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister tell this Assembly what are the barriers to completing the Mackenzie Valley Highway to Norman Wells within a reasonable timeline? Is it rights agreements? Is it money? Is it environmental requirements? Is it GNWT's capacity? Communities have been waiting too long for year-round access to the south. Thank you.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Mr. Speaker, the submission of the Mackenzie Valley Highway Developers Assessment Report to this Mackenzie Valley Review Board is the next major milestone for this project and will trigger the board's environmental assessment process.

We are anticipating the board requiring the full allotment of time available to them to complete the EA which will see a final report of the environmental assessment to be submitted to responsible Ministers for a decision in late 2024.

Provided this project is given the go ahead, an additional year would likely be required to gain all the necessary regulatory authorization and permits so we can start construction.

As previously mentioned, between now and then, a revised construction cost estimate needs to be developed and construction funding secured. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Final supplementary, Member for Hay River South.

Rocky Simpson

Rocky Simpson Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we know that this project's going to, you know, be south of $700 million.

So Mr. Speaker, will the Minister confirm what discussions are taking place with the federal government to access the required funding and supports for the construction of the Mackenzie Valley Highway between Wrigley and Norman Wells? Thank you.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The federal government has provided significant financial support to be able to help us advance the Mackenzie Valley Highway project through the environmental assessment. There's been meetings at all levels to garner support for this project. Support of our Indigenous partners is the key to be able to move forward as well as to secure federal funding.

As the EA progresses, we will continue to finalize engineering design plans for construction. These plans will inform an updated cost construction cost estimate which is critical to be able to inform the engagement with Canada for future funding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Lesa Semmler

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Finance. Given some of the answers and thinking of some of the programs that their department offers for managers in the training of exactly what I was talking about, hiring processes and things like that, are all managers given the management series program? And if not, who decides that they could take this course if they haven't and are in a management role? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Minister responsible for Finance.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, indeed, all managers do go through the management series program. That is mandatory. Thank you.

Lesa Semmler

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I hope that they add a course with the new training or the new guidelines for equivalencies.

How many employees are currently taking the Indigenous Management Development Training Program right now? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In 2021-2022, there were 13 employees who accessed funding to take Indigenous Management Training Development. And to date in 2022-2023, we have two applications pending to access this program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Lesa Semmler

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister. Only 13 and only two, and we think about how our Indigenous in senior management and management is pretty low numbers. How much funding is allocated to this program, and is it being fully utilized? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Indigenous Management Training Program can support up to 40 grants at $10,000 per grant. So it is undersubscribed. And I would note, Mr. Speaker, it is actually under review right now for exactly that reason or that's one of the reasons, to help increase utilization.

I would note, Mr. Speaker, when we started this Assembly the Indigenous Career Gateway Program was also underutilized and is now oversubscribed. So I do believe we can get there with this one too. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake. Oh sorry, correction. This is your final. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Lesa Semmler

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you. Okay. Knowing that this program, you know, looking at it, it's for people who are working in the department, not necessarily in management roles, and so my question to the Minister is has your department -- will her department -- Minister have her department ensure -- now you just got me all flustered -- department to ensure that this program is raised with Indigenous staff and to all managers and senior managers to offer it to those interested into their departments or take an inventory on how many Indigenous staff are interested if there's lack of funding? And, you know, I was one of the first ones to start raising the Indigenous Career Gateway, and I'm going to do this with this program because we're going to oversubscribe it, okay. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, let me give a qualified yes. Because the program is under review, we can certainly promote the program in its current iteration but it might be best to promote the program once it has had its review so that staff are, indeed, getting the very best that is available.

But at the same time, all departments are now expected to start increasing their Indigenous representation at all levels. Those levels are being looked at and monitored for the targets that exist in our business planning process, that were put in place as part of the Indigenous Recruitment and Retention Framework. It is in the interest of every department to be maximizing every training opportunity they have if they're going to hit their targets. So I'm confident we can get some messaging out to that effect. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services.

Access to addictions treatment for youth is provided through child and family services. I'm wondering why has Health and Social Services chosen to fragment adult and child treatment access? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Minister responsible for Health and Social Services.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what we consider in providing addiction services for our youth and children is the vulnerability of the population and our ability to support them. So I feel very confident that having that response come through child and family services is very important.

One of the services they offer, for example, is when a child goes to treatment outside of the community, outside of the territory, they arrange for courtesy supervision, which means that there's a social worker where the child is who will check on them, connect them to any additional services and make sure the youth is safe. So I don't think this system is fragmented. It's set up to assist a vulnerable population of youth which is different than what adults need. Thank you.