Thank you, Mr. Chair. Nothing further.

Okay, thank you. Next on my list I have is the Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Back in I guess late 2023, the department did a review of its business incentive policy. I know because when they did do some consultation and information sessions in the regions, and particularly in Inuvik, it was during my campaign actually the time I attended one. And one of the updates they were looking at doing for the BIP was to around -- we'll call them enforcement, but putting teeth into the policy to ensure that contractors that were filling out the BIP forms were then obviously following up on those BIP forms and ensuring that what was stated in the forms was what was happening and that the northern -- certainly northern businesses were taking advantage -- able to take advantage of that -- of those projects.

I am just wondering if the Minister can kind of give an update as to since that review has taken place, what's been happening now since that review, and have those changes been implemented and if they have, how has that process been working. Mr. Chair, thank you.

Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, we have the vendor performance policy that was implemented. This is the first step through what the Member is referring to and having some teeth in that. That policy is held over in the Department of Finance, and we have been co-hosting online training sessions with staff to ensure that they understand it as well. And those training sessions, I should say, are both internal and external so it's not solely just for staff. It's also for business entities in the Northwest Territories. And this is a policy that we continue to implement in order to address that concern. Thank you.

Thank you. I'll go to the Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And, yeah, the issue has been -- and, listen, I've been involved with BIP through other parts of my career and, again, we see a lot of times where, you know, a contractor or someone will fill out those forms, put in the northern content, and then not necessarily follow up on the northern content and the problem was, you know, if you wait until you're halfway through a $20 million contract to realize that, you know, we haven't, you know -- those intentions weren't followed, then it's likely too late. So one of the -- you know, it'll cost you way more to have to go out and re-tender that as it would to, you know -- and cancel the contract. So from what I understood, that review of that contract now is going to take place earlier in the process versus halfway through the contract or later in the contract. So I understand what the Minister is saying, that the policy has been developed but has that come into force, Mr. Chair?

Okay, thank you. I'll go to the Minister.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So, yes, it has come into force but it's being implemented in a phased approach. So for contracts over $250,000, it has been implemented and enforced. Thank you.

Okay, thank you. I'll go back to the Member for Inuvik Boot Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And thank you for that. And, you know -- and, you know, to be fair, I think it was -- the consultation process that was done in Inuvik, certainly that I attended, was very informative and I think, you know, for contractors and builders alike, I think it was welcomed to have some teeth come in that program.

Is the department tracking in any way now, I guess the performance, you know, versus what it was pre- having this new policy; is there data being kept on that now, Mr. Chair?

Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So, yes, there's data; however, the finer details of that data would be better -- questions better placed to my colleague from the Department of Finance. They're the ones who maintain that policy and maintain the data that goes with it. Thank you.

Okay, thank you. I'm going to go back to the Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And that sounds like something for a Member's statement next week, but I certainly appreciate the answers. No further questions in this section. Thank you.

Okay, thank you. Next on my list I have is the Member from the Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I wanted to find out -- and you probably -- well, Mr. Chair, how many new companies registered for BIP since last year, I guess; does the Minister have any of that information? Thank you.

Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So we are up to a total of 1400 businesses in the Northwest Territories.

Okay, thank you. I'll go to the Member from the Sahtu. My apologies, the Member from the Deh Cho.

When will the -- when will companies not use a BIP -- not use a local BIP company? Thank you.

Okay, thank you. I'll go to the Minister.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So I think the question is in regards to when would the government not use a local BIP'd company or -- yes? Okay.

So the government puts out tenders through procurement shared services over in the Department of Finance. And then depending on what -- or who applies for the different programs and the status of those programs, they would be assigned bid adjustments that would be based on our business incentive policy if they qualify and match the criteria. And then those bid adjustments would then help procurement shared services determine who is the successful bidder in a project. Thank you.

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