Debates of Oct. 22nd, 2024

Thank you. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, total department not previously authorized, $4,757,000. Does the committee agree?

Committee, we will now consider the Department of Infrastructure starting on page 16. Are there any questions? Member from Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I just wanted to ask some questions about the -- follow-up actually on the questions asked earlier today by the Member for Deh Cho.

For the cable repairs on the Deh Cho Bridge, you know, knowing that there were defects in the metallurgy of the metals that were used, to what extent is the company that provided that product liable for that cost? Can the Minister share any insights with us as to our success in kind of pursuing compensation for those materials? Thank you.

Thank you. I'm going to go to the Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, that's probably a question for the Minister of Infrastructure, and that Minister doesn't have a briefing binder on the detail here. I can assure the House and the Member that I asked that very same question, and somewhere just around the timing of it in terms of -- and, again, I don't want to misstate certainly here on the floor, but my recollection is that we were just outside of the time of when there would have been warranty and that the nature of what occurred would not be one that would be covered. So, you know, I certainly haven't ruled out as I understand the potential for some degree of an insurance claim and, you know, again, were that to happen it wouldn't be something that we could speak to here. So just to assure that I've asked those questions and, again, we may be in a tight spot. Certainly, we don't want to delay repairing the bridge to sort out some of those issues. That would come at a later date and if we can recoup those costs, all the better. Thank you.

Thank you. I'm going to go to the Member from Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you for that answer. And I certainly encourage the Minister to pursue whatever means they can to kind of recoup any costs associated with material defects.

The next question is on the Hay River harbour restoration project, I note that that one's not covered by any federal funding but is -- the Hay River harbour is something that I'm sure the feds access through coast guard ships. I'm just curious to what extent does the Minister feel that the federal government, you know, uses this infrastructure and should perhaps be considering -- we should be looking to them to chip in for restoration themselves. Thanks.

Thank you. I'm going to go to the Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, until 1997, the dredging of the Hay River harbour was, in fact, completed by Public Works and Government Services Canada on behalf of Transport Canada. Indeed, the coast guard does rely on the accessible channel and the ability to move their ships and vessels through this very same space. However, for reasons I'm certainly not privy to, between 1997 and 2012, that started to change. The GNWT was relying on funding and started to undertake the work. There was still at that time a memorandum of understanding with the Canadian coast guard and Department of Fisheries and Oceans but then it has somehow fallen off the wayside since 2012, and obviously we were in a situation, particularly with the low water, where this was falling to the GNWT to step up.

I do want to note our federal friends did support our efforts with the contribution towards the work that was underway but obviously, you know, it is not lost on me that the coast guard ships are required in order to make the river navigable and to provide basic safety certainly as well. So we'll certainly hopefully look to opportunities to see what they, through Department of Fisheries and Oceans, coast guard, etcetera, can do to ensure navigable waters through the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you. I'm going to go to the Member from Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yeah, no, this is something that I -- it just occurred to me because, you know, I happen to -- we were down there in the fall and I note that the coast guard ship was there, so I'm just looking at this and seeing GNWT's footing the bill, feds are accessing this infrastructure and using it, and indeed it's required for them to carry out their work, so I strongly support the Minister publicly and in kind of going back to the coast guard and reminding them of this firmly and repeatedly. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I'm going to continue on. Member from the Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In my statement earlier, the Minister said the cost would be $7 million, so here it's $6.5 million. And the other question I have is where is the company that's going to do this repair; where are they from? Where's the company from? Thank you.

Thank you. I'm going to go to the finance Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I'm just trying to see if I have their location. The construction company is Surespan Contracting. They're -- I don't believe they're locally-based. This is fairly specialized and technical work. I'd have to get back to the House with respect to where they are located. Thank you.

Thank you. I'm going to go to the Member from the Deh Cho.

And so the quote you gave me -- well, the number you gave me earlier was $7 million. This one's $6.5 million. Which one's the correct one?

Thank you. I'm going to go to the Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the estimate we do have and what we are appropriating is $6.5 million. So that is the estimate right now, and hopefully, you know -- yes, you know, total costs, as I understand it, for all things engineering, fabrication, construction, the work that was done to prepare the testing, etcetera, is at $6.8 million, so this $7 million was me rounding up $6.8 million, Mr. Chair, and I should be more specific. $6.8 million in total. This is $6.5 million. This is the amount we don't have. Thank you.

Thank you. I'm going to go to the Member from Deh Cho.

So once this is all said and done, repairs will be completed by -- I'm going to say the second week -- second week or the first week of November? Thank you.

Thank you. I'm going to go to the Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the date when we are expecting the part to -- the cables themselves to arrive would be the first week of November, in the region. It will take a total of three months to get all 24 cables replaced. Thank you.