Glen Abernethy

The Member shares exactly the same concerns I have with this same process. We still need to get a sense of space. There may not be as much and it may not be appropriate for all purposes. We certainly aren’t a retail outlet for art and we don’t want to be a retail outlet for art. We don’t want to challenge or compete with those outlets that are involved in selling art. It’s about displaying local artists. It shouldn’t be too complicated to figure out, but we will, absolutely, work with our colleagues.

Thanks, Madam Chair. There were some delays. There were some issues around design and whatnot and some budget issues as well. I believe for certain aspects of it, in particular the chimney systems, a contract has been awarded. The kitchen is out for tender right now, but with the chimney we were notified, I believe it was last week, about some issues that they’re having with the chimneys that I shared with Members. Those issues have been dealt with and they should be proceeding with the chimney and moving to the kitchen once the RFP is concluded. Just as a note, the work is scheduled to be...

We’re not convinced that there’s 1 percent. There might be more, there might be less. We need to really assess the space, the public space.

As far as the performing arts, I don’t recall that and I haven’t directed the department to look at the performing arts side of things. I apologize for that. I would say that it would fall under the same category of art.

Once we talk to the arts associations in the Northwest Territories, I think we’ll get some good input from them, but I’m not prepared to go to them until we have some sense of how much space is available.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I’m not sure about all of the specifics of that question, but we can certainly provide a breakdown of where we are now, the items that need to be dealt with sooner than later. Once they’re dealt with, obviously, bad aspects of the deferred maintenance come off the list. So we can do a bit of an analysis.

What might actually be useful here is if I offer the committee a briefing on deferred maintenance and that we can all get on the same page. I’m happy to come before committee, whether it’s P and P, Economic Development and Infrastructure, whichever committee would be...

Madam Chair, we have gone with a very efficient layout. The building is going to be energy efficient with an energy efficient envelope. The envelope design is going to exceed by at least 10 percent of the required energy consumption level of the National Energy Code for building as required by the Good Building Practice for Northern Facilities Guidelines. Energy-efficient fixtures and equipment will be incorporated. Daylight harvesting technologies will be incorporated. Energy-efficient fluorescent and/or LED lighting will be included. As I indicated before, we hope to save 785 tonnes of...

I’ll try and do a better job of explaining the math. Currently, we have an outstanding deferred maintenance requirement of $325 million. As I’ve indicated, there are a number of ways for us to get that down. As buildings that have deferred maintenance are taken down and disposed of, the price drops. The main way that we’re getting rid of some of these costs is the continual investment of $5 million in capital annually, and we’re going to have to keep investing in order to bring down the entire $325 million. It’s going to take a bit of time for us to knock down that $325 million through the $5...

Yes, they have been notified of our window, and we have encouraged them to please get us a business plan so we can see the economies of what they are proposing. We have no idea when they are going to get that to us, but we do have limited time before we actually have to finalize the heating system.

The other question with respect to the other two buildings, the answer is yes. If the district system heating comes forward and we accepted and we become a partner, we would be able to tie in all of those buildings.

Yes. We have seen it come down, and I think that’s indicative of the direction that the deferred maintenance will continue to go. There are a number of ways that items could come off the deferred maintenance list. By way of example, we just completed the construction of a new school in Inuvik, and as a result of that new school being completed, we are able to get rid of and demolish both the Samuel Hearne and the SAMS school. As a result, there is a significant amount of deferred maintenance tied up in those buildings. Once they are no longer there, that deferred maintenance is no longer...

Madam Chair, all costs related to the construction of this building, including the demolition of the Tapwe Building and the site remediation, are included in the budget.

Once again the Member and I agree; the government cannot do this ourselves. Fortunately, the private sector businesses presently sell and distribute pellets and pellet fuel in communities where significant market demand exists. In fact, in Yellowknife, if we remember, some of the first pellets systems that the government were involved with were driven by the market in our corrections facilities.

The private enterprise is a valuable partner in this particular area. They have been a leader in this area and we want to continue to work with them and we’d like to see business continue to push hard...