Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Members, I just want to remind you that this supplementary appropriation estimates is to provide funding for the shortfall in fire suppression activities for this season. That's what we are discussing here in Committee of the Whole. And so if you can keep your questions focused on that because the Minister is not -- that's what we're prepared for here today. We don't have a bill for -- or any other information on the recovery. So I'll just put it back to Members, are there general comments on this Supplementary Estimates No. 2? Thank you.

Seeing none -- oh, MLA Hay River South.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yeah, I just want to, I guess, a couple comments and, you know -- you know, the Minister's now asking and this government's asking for another $75 million to continue with the fires, you know, the firefighting efforts going on, and rightfully so. There's a lot of work going on to -- you know, to support the -- you know, the firefighters, you know, there's probably cost of equipment and the support to those at the front lines as well. And I think this is just a start of what the ask will be. But, again, you know, I understand as well is that, you know, there's no asking here for additional funds for evacuees, which we're hearing a lot of.

In Hay River, we've been hit three times with evacuations and basically people are financially exhausted. We need to force -- you know, this government has to force the federal government to step up and provide -- for me, it would be no less than $3,000 per adult and $1,500 per youth as a start to support them while evacuated.

The other issue too that's come up and, again, it doesn't relate to the $75 million, but is the need to address and support businesses. A lot of them are hurting right now. In Hay River, again, it's the third time that they've --

MLA -- Mr. Simpson?

What?

I'd just like you to keep the comments focused on the $75 million for the wildfire suppression in general comments, and then -- thank you.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. And that's all.

Thank you. Are there any other general comments? All right. So seeing no further general comments. Does committee agree to proceed to the detail contain understand the tabled document?

Thank you. Committee, we'll begin on page 3 with the Department of Environment and Climate Change, Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2023-2024, Department of Environment and Climate Change, wildlife and forest management, not previously authorized, $75 million. Does committee agree? Member for Frame Lake.

Yes, thanks, Madam Chair. Just quickly, I'm in Edmonton; I want to thank the firefighters, volunteers, contractors, and our Alberta hosts.

I'd like to know, though, from the Minister whether we actually have a total estimate of what the firefighting costs are to date and what it's likely to be by the end of the season and whether this supplementary appropriation is going to be enough? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. So, Madam Chair, ECC's base budget for fire suppression is around $21.8 million, and our current estimate is that the supplementary estimate we're proposing should get to the end of the fire season, but you'll detect in my language some uncertainty. Our estimates as of right now, which led to the request for $75 million, is based on where we were at already now about ten days ago -- if I had my date correctly -- and, of course, things have continued to change significantly. It was actually as of August 22nd; this is where we were at in estimating where we were, which would be a projection that would -- you know, bringing us to a total requirement of just under $100 million. And so with that, the shortfall is around $75 million, thereabouts. Again, a bit of an added contingency there. Yeah, can I say where we're at? Again, typical fire season would end sort of by the -- somewhere in October. Nothing about this year has been typical thus far. So, you know, hopefully this will be adequate to get through to the end of that period. If not, it should at least be adequate to get through to the point that there'd be another opportunity for an Assembly sitting later in the fall. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. MLA for Frame Lake.

Thanks, Madam Chair. So in my quick review of the disaster finance assistance arrangements that the federal government has to help provincial/territorial governments, it doesn't look like any firefighting costs are eligible for reimbursement, at least under the policy, and that seems to be across the country. Can the Minister confirm that and what we're doing about it as a government? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, yes, that is my understanding as well, that, indeed, the emergency response elements, so namely this is where some of the evacuation costs may be covered if they are within the parameters currently existing under the DFAA but, indeed, firefighting response/wildfire response, would not be. Thank you.

Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.

Okay, thanks, Madam Chair. So this is going to leave us in a huge hole, obviously. Clearly, we cannot possibly be in compliance with the Fiscal Responsibility Policy, probably even after a couple years. But can the Minister just tell me what the supplementary -- or the reserve is at this point and how much over we're going to be as a result of this sup and -- yes, we'll start with that. Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Madam Chair. So, Madam Chair, you might recall there was $35 million as part of the supplementary reserve. That is -- you know, that will be more than depleted, quite correctly, at this point, that not involving the wildfires but there's, you know, certainly been other events that have occurred. So, yeah, we'll be well out of that.

As for the Fiscal Responsibility Policy, Madam Chair, what we do also have going for us is that it's not only the cash of the costs for expenses that drive the operation surplus from the perspective of its compliance with the Fiscal Responsibility Policy, there's amortization of assets and that also does factor in it. And so with that, we are hopeful that we will still have sufficient amount to be in compliance with the Fiscal Responsibility Policy for the purposes of capital. That is not to say that we will be in a typically positive position overall in terms of where our operations expenses are. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Member for Frame Lake.

Yeah, okay. Thanks, yeah, now I'm really worried. So does Cabinet anticipate anything to bring forward a special warrant or that sort of instrument during the sort of caretaker period between the end of this Assembly and the election of the next Cabinet to help cover firefighting and/or other costs? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, so, of course, a special warrant would be where it would be on the lead of Department of Finance Cabinet to issue an appropriation without going through the Assembly process. That is never a first choice. Madam Chair, that's my hope where -- even as I was giving you the estimates of where we're at in terms of our firefighting and the estimated shortfall as of about a week ago, you know, it would put us around $69.5 million shortfall, we are asking for $75 million here today. If this is passed, it is our anticipation, Madam Chair, that this should be sufficient to get us through to the end of the fire season and therefore well into the next Assembly and certainly there should be, you know, enough flexibility with that that a special warrant would therefore not be required. Thank you.