Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is in the early stages of the Taltson project. You know, we are seeking federal government. They have provided us money to be able to work with Indigenous partners. We're doing that. We also need to look at things like, you know, exploring some business options. We're able to work together with Indigenous groups to get everybody at the table because this is going to be a big, huge project for the Northwest Territories. I'm not in a position right now, Mr. Speaker, to provide what the -- but the next government can decide how much to share. Right now it's confidential with our partners. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the business case was shared with the Indigenous groups. Until we get further feedback from our working group and our steering group, whether we provide it to the public that's still yet to be determined. So right now, it is with the Indigenous groups. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the business case is being developed to articulate things like the strategic rationale for the project, demonstrates both economic and social impacts to the Northwest Territories, determine the method by which the project is implemented to ensure optimal value for money. This is still work underway. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the actual Deninu Kue First Nation, which includes the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, Deninu Kue First Nation, and Lutselk'e Dene First Nation, are actively engaged in the steering committee as well as the working group levels on this project.

Mr. Speaker, to date, we have spent a collective $1.7 million to support the Akaitcho and the NWT Metis Nation participation. And we have also, which is really great news, committed to multi-year funding up to an amount of $1.2 million per year to support ongoing participation of this important project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker -- and I do want to thank the Member for that question. I don't thank Members very often for their questions, but this one is a really important question that I want to acknowledge the Member for saying so. And I want to note that we have ongoing dialogue with project partners, and we are open to working with the -- on specific areas of interest that are identified at the steering and the working group level. We are aware that there is potential for archaeological sites in the Rocher River and are open to learn more about the archaeological sites or the grave sites that have been identified as part of that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the GNWT and interested Indigenous groups are working on a partnership that acknowledges legacy impacts from the original facility that was built in the 1960s, including Rocher River area. There was a report that -- on known impacts that had been prepared in regard to shared -- and was shared, including the ADFN leadership. Discussions are still underway, Mr. Speaker, to determine next steps as it's a very important issue to us. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the project has been designed to take advantage of existing infrastructure with no new flooding as an important design requirement. We are in the process, Mr. Speaker, of engaging with our Indigenous partners to define the project footprint as well as integrate traditional knowledge, land use, and areas of importance to our Indigenous partners as part of that work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, delivering the energy Northerners need, in our climate and territory as large as the Northwest Territories, is challenging. We must constantly maintain and improve the territory's energy systems, so our people and businesses have the energy they need when they need it.

Throughout this Legislative Assembly, the GNWT has made significant progress on a number of energy initiatives and on our mandate commitment to increase the use of alternative and renewable energy that is guided by the 2030 Energy Strategy. We are making great strides in developing secure, affordable, sustainable energy for transportation, heat, and electricity across the territory.

Since 2018, this government has invested approximately $165 million across the NWT to improve our energy systems, stabilize our energy costs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We continue to advance the planning of transformational energy projects, such as the Fort Providence-Kakisa and Whati transmission lines and which will help decrease reliance on diesel generation in those communities. Work also continues on the Taltson hydro expansion project, which will provide the clean energy we need to fuel our natural resources industry and connect our two hydro systems in the South Slave and the North Slave regions.

Mr. Speaker, we celebrated a big milestone this summer when I attended the Inuvik Wind Project ribbon cutting on July 31st. A key initiative of the 2030 Energy Strategy, Canada's northernmost wind turbine will offset diesel consumption in the town by an estimated three million litres per year and will reduce the territorial greenhouse gas emissions by 6,000 metric tonnes. This project is critical to helping us meet our objectives of reducing emissions from electricity generation in diesel communities by 25 percent, and it will continue to provide positive benefits to the Beaufort Delta Region over the coming decades.

Last year, the Department of Infrastructure also released an energy action plan which outlines plans to invest approximately $194 million to advance the objectives of the energy strategy for the 2022-2025 period. Through 68 proposed actions and initiatives, this new plan provides a roadmap to push forward key projects and provide financial support over the next three years.

Mr. Speaker, another important aspect of the 2030 Energy Strategy is finding ways to reduce our GHG energy use and operating costs. The GNWT is leading by example in this area through its Capital Asset Retrofit Program. Since the program began in 2007, we have completed 102 energy retrofit projects for GNWT facilities in 23 communities across all regions. In 2021-2022 alone, these projects reduced the GNWT's energy costs by $4.1 million.

The Arctic Energy Alliance's programs and services are central to meeting the 2030 Energy Strategy's goals and objectives. During the last fiscal year alone, 2,656 rebates and incentives provided through the AEA resulted in the reduction of 1.1 kilotonnes of greenhouse gas emissions and 1400 megawatt hours of electricity use in the NWT.

Mr. Speaker, the world is changing, and our energy and climate change strategies must as well. When the 2030 Energy Strategy was released in 2018, the GNWT committed to reviewing in 2023-2024, along with completing a similar five-year review of the Climate Change Strategic Framework. A review of both strategies over the next two years will determine what changes should be made based on lessons learned, access to new information and opportunities, as well as the feedback we received.

On October 12th, we will complete an over three-month long engagement period on the review of the 2030 Energy Strategy and Climate Change Strategic Framework. As part of this review, the GNWT hosted a three-day in-person event in Yellowknife involving 150 representatives from Indigenous governments, Indigenous organizations, energy and climate change partners, and stakeholders. We have also engaged with energy utilities and industry, the Northwest Territories Climate Change Council, Indigenous governments and organizations through in-person meetings and targeted communication.

Mr. Speaker, our future energy and climate plans need to be ambitious and effective, but they must also be reasonable so that we can ensure we achieve the strategy's vision of secure, affordable, sustainable energy systems in the NWT. I am glad to report that we have successfully struck that balance over the life of this Legislative Assembly. Quyananni, Mr. Speaker.

I wish to table the following document: Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 1519-19(2): Resurfacing Fort Smith Airport Runway. Thank you.