Thank you, Mr. Chair. So I want to talk a bit about boreal caribou, which have suffered tremendously with all of the forest fires. I don't think we talk about it enough in this House. But it looks like a couple years ago there was a bilateral funding agreement with the federal government to identify sites for boreal caribou habitat restoration and designing treatment trials. And I know that that expired in 2023, and I see that there's an item on this page around landscape level restoration in boreal caribou habitat for 2023-2024, but there's nothing in this year's budget. What are the plans to move ahead with that sort of initial research that's been done in terms of actually trying to restore some boreal caribou habitat?

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the department is currently working with the federal government on funding for the boreal caribou. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I'll go to the Member from Yellowknife North.

Thanks. So can the Minister clarify that he's working to try to establish a new funding agreement with the feds that hasn't materialized yet, or that we do currently have existing funding with the feds and we're working on programs or projects with it? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, we are currently working on an extension to the boreal caribou funding. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I'll go to the Member from Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So I'm hopeful that funding can be identified to see if we can ensure the continued existence and thriving of the boreal caribou that so many of the communities in this territory rely on.

My next question has to do with -- so we talked a bit earlier about funding for caribou monitoring that's been sunsetting. There's two line items, one called caribou monitoring and the other monitoring and range planning, but it talks about supporting Indigenous governments, local communities in traditional knowledge studies and capacity building around caribou monitoring.

So has that work been scaled back, then, significantly with sunsetting of funding, or have we found ways to continue the important work in traditional knowledge around caribou monitoring?

Thank you. To the Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, that work does continue. There's a small reduction in the budget line item, but the work certainly is continuing. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Go to the Member from Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And is the Minister also in the process of trying to negotiate new federal funding agreements to replace the ones that have been sunset, or is there some sort of roadmap for what kind of funding and research will be needed in coming years? I know it might not necessarily be the exact same every single year, but are we actively negotiating new funding agreements to ensure that the work that we're planning for the future is going to be fully funded? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.

Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chair. We recently received two-year extension under section 11 for $2.421 million for range planning. Our Two Billion Trees Project will support future replanting to support habitat restoration which will be important to meet offset requirements for future proposals. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I'll go to the Member from Yellowknife North.

Okay, thank you, Mr. Chair. That's it for this page.

Thank you. Are there any further questions? No further questions, please turn to page 105.

Environment and Climate Change, wildlife and forest management, operations expenditure summary, 2024-2025 Main Estimates, $63,178,000. Does the committee agree?

Thank you. Additional information items on pages 109 to 118. Are there any questions? Thank you, Members. Please return now to the department summary found on page 75, with information items on pages 76 to 82. Are there any questions? Seeing no further questions, committee, I will now call the department summary.

Environment and Climate Change, operations expenditure summary, total department, 2024-2025 Main Estimates, $126,205,000. Does the committee agree? Thank you. I'm going to go to the Member from the Deh Cho.

To the motion.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried. Consideration of Department of Environment and Climate Change, operations expenditure, 2024-2025 Main Estimates, total department, is deferred.

---Carried

Thank you, Minister. And thanks to the witnesses for appearing before us. Sergeant-at-arms, please escort the witnesses from the Chamber. Thank you.

Committee, we will now move on to the next department. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters. Main Estimates 2024-2025, Department of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Committee, we have agreed to consider Tabled Document 93-20(1), Main Estimates 2024-2025. We'll now consider the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. Does the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs wish to bring witnesses into the House?