Thank you, Mr. Chair. You know, with the biomass here, biomass energy, I know there's a lot of communities -- with the high cost of living, there are some communities, especially fly-in communities that use diesel generator, it'd be cheaper in the long run. So I just wanted to ask the Minister if the department is working with communities, especially the fly-in communities where they would like to, you know, like or have an option to choose either the diesel generator and/or biomass for heating source. Because I know there's -- we have that in one of our communities, and I heard that it is very efficient. So I just wanted to know if the department is working with other small communities that maybe would like to change from using diesel generator to biomass. Thank you.

Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, yes, I can assure the Member, the House, that there is a lot of interest in this area. It is not only under the biomass energy line item which is a program, again, administered by Arctic Energy Alliance and which was fully subscribed.

Mr. Chair, there is also work that happens within our asset management division, and I know we'll get there at another point in time, but it is relevant to this question. There's that crossover here where this division does also support communities in their efforts. So we do have other funding that comes under the greenhouse gas grant program. We have our own capital asset retrofit. And so, for instance -- and the Department of Infrastructure, with our own forces, are able to support, for example, the Whati health centre, Behchoko's long-term care facility, for example, both switched over to biomass plants. So the short answer is yes, there's work happening in this space and that, again, there can be, then, the funds available through as to our department in kind and then whether it's with support to other federal funding arrangements that are working to support small communities with biomass. Thank you.

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

Thank you. Thank you for that information. It says here forced growth, Tlicho winter road contract. It's not lots, but forced growth, but that's from last fiscal year. Is it due -- can the Minister explain why Tlicho winter road contract is on forced growth? Is it -- I'm not too sure. Maybe it's -- because I know last year -- last winter season, we had a slow start due to climate change, due to the environment, and this year I know Gameti winter road is open on time but Wekweeti is still not open. So I just wanted to know why the Tlicho winter road contract is -- there's forced growth which -- and there's another -- on another section contract services. Contract services, there's lists that -- money allocated, it's list this year than previous year. So if the Minister -- and here we're doing forced growth, and then it's -- there's a reduction in contract services. If the Minister can explain why there's a difference between the two. Thank you.

Before I go to the Minister, I just want to point out that we're on page 283, strategic initiatives. But I'll just go to the Minister, and then I'll remind the Member we're on page 283. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, happy to answer it, Mr. Chair. I realize that the question will come, so we will just keep things moving. The Tlicho winter road contract has seen increases in the last couple of years, and I think the Member was already getting to the situation which is to say ongoing climate change conditions, ongoing supply chain challenges, ongoing labour force challenges, all of which are leading to increase in the costs of building the winter roads. We do rely on the contractor which does exist under the Tlicho Infrastructure Cooperation Agreement, and we do work with the Tlicho government as a partner on this, but as they experience challenges with their own costs, then that certainly will impact the cost that it is -- fall to the GNWT. And that -- if it's things that are unavoidable that meet the definition of forced growth, then that would be where this comes in.

There was a previous contract. That contract came up for renewal, and that's why you will see a change. So from what was under the previous contract to now, if there's a change in time -- and at times, when the contract is three years old and towards the end, if changes have happened, you can obviously also see it could come through for a supplementary appropriation. But when it's a forced growth, when there's an update to the contract, you'll see it come through as forced growth. Hope that's helpful, Mr. Chair. Thank you.

Okay, thank you. I'll go to the Member from Monfwi.

Thank you. Thank you. So with that in mind, with the climate change it's not just in my region, but it's all over where there's winter road exists, I -- yeah, winter road exists. So I want to ask the Minister if they are working with Tlicho government or community government of Gameti for a possible all-season road. Thank you.

Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. This has been raised now on a couple of occasions. There's not an active plan underway at the moment for any all-season roads beyond the Whati all-season roads that came in -- or the Tlicho all-season road that came into use just a few years ago. So, again, at this moment in time, no. But, again, I know it's been raised. What I would say the next major road in that area is probably with respect to the planning around the SGP, the Slave Geologic Province area, and I've heard suggestions that maybe there'd be a spur off of that, but this is all very much really just an initial planning stage or initial scoping stage. Thank you.

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

Thank you. And then in -- according to the budget here that we have, staffing reduction. Can the Minister explain where is this -- is it in all the -- is it -- where is this being taken place at? I mean, like, especially the staffing reduction, is it in Yellowknife, or is it in small communities? Thank you.

Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, all positions that were reduced within the Department of Infrastructure were in Yellowknife with one exception. There was an airport manager position in Hay River that had been vacant for several years, and that has also been eliminated for these main estimates. Thank you.

Okay, thank you. I'll go to the Member from Monfwi.

Okay, thank you. I have no more questions for this section now. Thank you.

Thank you. Is there any further questions from Members? Okay, seeing none, we'll continue on. No further questions, please turn to page 281. Yes, sorry, please turn to page 275.

Infrastructure, energy and strategic initiatives, operations expenditure summary, 2025-2026 Main Estimates, $10,290,000. Does the committee agree?

Thank you. Moving on to programs and services, beginning on page 280 with information items on page 283. Are there any questions? No further questions, please turn to page 281.

Infrastructure, programs and services, operations expenditure summary, 2025-2026 Main Estimates, $12,641,000. Does the committee agree?

Thank you. Moving on to regional operations beginning on page 284 with information items on page 286. Are there any questions? I'm going to go to the Member from Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And just so the Minister knows, I'm going to ask her this every year. Will the Minister please consider opening the DMV in Yellowknife on Saturdays? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.