Debates of Oct. 22nd, 2024

Sorry, my -- in our conversation with -- earlier, I assumed that some of those cables were already looked at. Not yet, nothing happened -- nothing has happened yet expect for estimate -- they just estimated it, or?

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair. No, Mr. Chair, I would say a lot more is done than that. I didn't have the exact date of the completion. It was my own error. So where we're at right now, the initial problem was identified back in August, so about a year and some ago. A lot of testing was done immediately in lab-based tests to ensure whether the problem was engineering, construction, design, or otherwise. They were able to identify that it was the metal itself, which is the point at which they went out to the original constructor of the bridge to have those pieces rebuilt or recast. So those 24 anchors were already -- that's already been done. The procurement was done. The construction or the building of those was done. They've been shipped. They're en route. There was a bit of delay in how long it took them to get here and to get along the way here. They're not here yet. They are en route, and they're due in the Northwest Territories first week of November. Once they get here, we had gone out -- rather than waiting and doing the construction piece for the parts first and then doing a separate procurement for construction, we did it simultaneously so that once -- so that the company Surespan that's actually doing the building, they are mobilizing simultaneously. What that means is they will be on site ready to go at the same time that those cables, the large cables arrive, rather than waiting. I have since this afternoon been able to confirm that it is a three-month process to completely install all 24 -- or replace all 24 which does actually take us to the end of January. I think earlier I had said end of this calendar year, but it is more like a three-month time span that we're looking at to completely replace everything. Thank you.

Okay, thank you. I'm going to go to the Member from the Deh Cho.

Thank you. Not to alarm anyone, but is there -- can the rest of the material be compromised? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, actually, quite fortunately I'm pleased to have that question. I'm actually really glad to have that question. We certainly don't want members of the public to be out and concerned. So I can say that right initially -- again, as I said earlier, it was within two days there was engineers on site doing a full site assessment and they did testing on site. They also then pulled the piece that was damaged, did further testing on that piece. But what they've done since is they've actually went back and looked at all 23 other remaining connecters, and they've done that over the course of some time. So there was tests that were done in August, then again in November, again in March of this year, July of this year, and at every point in time there's been no concerns noted. If anything, the decision to replace all 24 was done as a precaution. The insurance company has not requested that. No one's requested that of us. But it's being done as a precaution simply based on the fact that it was a metallurgical failure and knowing that that came all from the same batch. There wanted to be no uncertainty obviously given the impacts and the need for a high degree of safety here. But they've been -- all those tests have come back clean, and no other indications that there's any problems whatsoever. Nevertheless, the entire thing will get replaced. Thank you

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

Thank you. Thank you for that. Mr. Chair, so then because there's -- it's defective material, there's no warranty and insurance doesn't cover that? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, we were just outside of the warranty period, unfortunately. With respect to whether or not there might be an insurance claim, that, Mr. Chair, I think does remain something of an open question. You know, again, the decision to ultimately replace them was based on the fact of the concern for a risk, and so whether or not the insurance company will accept that as being an insurable risk or not, again I at this point can't say. That'll be up to the insurance company. But I don't think a final decision has been made on whether we will pursue that or not. Again, wouldn't delay the work itself to work through that process. Thank you.

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

That's it. I have no final -- I don't have any further questions. Thank you.

Thank you. Any further questions from -- general comments from Members? Seeing none, I'll continue on.

Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, Department of Infrastructure, asset management, not previously authorized, $9,583,000. Does the committee agree?

Thank you. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, Department of Infrastructure, corporate management, not previously authorized, $334,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, Department of Infrastructure, energy and strategic initiatives, not previously authorized, $1,896,000. Does committee agree?

Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, Department of Infrastructure, programs and services, not previously authorized, $651,000. Does the committee agree?

Thank you. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, Department of Infrastructure, regional operations, not previously authorized, $3,093,000. Does the committee agree?

Thank you. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, Department of Infrastructure, total department not previously authorized, $15,557,000. Does the committee agree?