Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you, Minister. And I'm happy to hear that she's willing to work with us.

Will the Minister also commit to advocating to the federal government to get these federal investments to the Indigenous governments to fix up housing in the communities on homeownership repairs once we start working together on this issue? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can commit to continuing to advocate for federal investments in housing, including funding directly to NWT Indigenous governments for their housing priorities. We've already seen some of the successes in the Northwest Territories, and we want that to continue. We expect that further detail of the federal government's urban role in northern Indigenous housing strategy, also known as URN, will soon be announced. That will provide for the investment of a further $4 billion in housing investment across Canada for Indigenous housing priorities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Housing NWT. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Final supplementary.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you, Minister. I'll be sending a letter to the Minister on my priorities for the Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh, and one of the four priorities of the GNWT is housing. And what I'll do, though, is I'm looking forward to put a letter together to the Minister and see how we could work together on this issue. So it's just a statement. There's no question. Thank you.

Okay, colleagues, to the questions I don't want concluding statements on it. So just, please, follow the process.

Oral questions. Member from Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Folks living with chronic health issues and disabilities are often living within limited means. Can the Minister of health say if extended health benefits for those with limited income can be expedited before September? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Great Slave. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the new EHB policy which expands the benefits coverage for residents with low income does not take in effect until September 1st, 2024 and so, unfortunately, this can't be expedited. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. How much does the Minister expect that the new policy will cost to initiate and implement in addition to year-over-year costs? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's difficult to estimate the cost because it depends on how much people use the service. Various factors will contribute to the costing, such as not all eligible residents accessing all benefit areas and the introduction of the cost sharing for those who can afford it. Overall, we anticipate that the ongoing incremental costs of providing the benefits to those who previously didn't have them will be offset by cost sharing component and the department's efforts in managing drip costs effectively. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister for that. I will follow up with her office for more detail on that.

Can the Minister speak to how much the previous EHB policy cost annually on average over the last decade? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't have that detail. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Final supplementary. Member from Great Slave.

Okay, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll follow up with the Minister on that.

If folks who were previously covered under the specific condition list make too much money for full coverage under the new policy, what is the department's plan to assist them? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, under the new policy, eligible residents will be required to contribute up to 4 percent of their net income for their prescription drugs, and the remainder will be covered. For medical supplies and equipment, there will be a cost sharing agreement with a maximum limit of $1,500 per year based on their income. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Oral questions. Member from Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Following up on my statement here earlier, my question to the Minister of Infrastructure, Mr. Speaker, critical to project execution is permitting. This Great Bear River Bridge is the same design, same location as it was in 2006 when it was applied for and permitted.

My first question to the Minister, has the Department of Infrastructure completed the necessary updated studies to accompany the Great Bear River Bridge application resubmission? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from the Sahtu. Minister of Infrastructure.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm very happy to answer the question. Some of the information from back in 2006 was able to be utilized for these -- the current submissions but not all, and we really can't afford to have any lack of attention on this. We can't be in a situation where we're wanting to have to go back again and again. So at this point, yes, necessary studies are complete. Infrastructure is in the process of finalizing the regulatory submission. The developer's report has already been submitted, and that process is currently available on the board's website and I would certainly encourage people to have a look at it, to participate in the public engagement that's going to be happening this year. Thank you

Mr. Speaker, my second question to the Minister is when will the developer or the Department of Infrastructure issue the bridge application to the Sahtu Land and Water Board? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So again, Mr. Speaker, there is already the process underway with the DAR that's happening but with respect to specifically the Sahtu Land and Water Board and that application, we're anticipating being ready for the spring or summer of this year. But, Mr. Speaker, we're also re-engaging and reinvigorating the memorandum of understanding with the Sahtu Secretariat to have more ongoing conversations about this project as a whole and the Mackenzie Valley Highway project as a whole to make sure that there's really -- that there's no delays this time and that we are all working together towards the same outcomes and same goals. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll share some information there with the Minister that might help expedite the submission process. The DAR report is separate from the actual bridge application. The bridge application, as I said submitted and approved in 2006, did not accompany a DAR report. The DAR report is for the Mackenzie Valley Highway which triggers the EA and so the application itself for the bridge would be a standalone. It's more of a I want to help the department suggestion -- a statement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member. Please keep your statements and commitments -- stick to the question, please and thank you.

Oral questions. Member from the Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is for Health and Social Services. I know that the Minister of today has inherited the concern from the previous government, but will the Minister commit to making things right and look at alternative accommodations for future patients coming to Yellowknife? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.