Katrina Nokleby

Thank you, Madam Chair. My last item is just around when you're doing the major retrofits, say, of 19 units in Yellowknife. I'm assuming that's all 19 units in one location. Can you explain a little bit about: does the department, in their prioritization, look at things like project timelines and costing and try to sort of lump together? Maybe it's units in one building so that your mobilization and demobilization costs are lessened because you're doing more at once. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I did hear the Minister actually already refer to the asset management program to sort of prioritize, and I think that's along what the deputy minister is also speaking of. That took care of my next question. I was also really pleased to hear the supports for the Arnica Inn. As a Yellowknife MLA, that was definitely something I heard a lot during my campaign with my district on the verge of the downtown, very well-needed, so thank you for that.

I'm glad to hear of the shifting to leverage more money, but I was a little concerned to hear the words that "we started to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Infrastructure. In my statement, I was discussing maintenance costs and how the lack of performing maintenance could actually increase costs down the line. Could the Minister please tell me what the total value of deferred maintenance costs are currently on our aging existing infrastructure? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I hope that I get to be one of the people that goes and drives that bridge the first time. Definitely invested in it. My last question is around the Prohibition Creek Access Road. I know at some point that that had not actually gone out to tender yet. I'm just wondering if you could provide an update if that is going out for public tender soon or has gone out? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. My next question, I'm going to stay with bridges, is about the Great Bear River Bridge. I know that we've had the funding for that for a while, and it is sort of slated to go forward as is. However, I know there have been significant delays on that project, and I actually have a lot of inquiries from constituents and residents as to where it's at. Maybe the Minister could provide me with some understanding around the funding in this year, what it is being used for, and are we on track with where we were at, say, a couple of years ago? Thank you.

The amount of money that would be part of this total, then, for Frank Channel is the portion, the 25 percent funds, that you expect to have to spend if you get the successful 75-percent application? Or is this money that you are already allocating now to be spent on, say, maintenance? I can't see it being that. Is this money that you are thinking that you are going to have to spend if you get the funding, or is this actual money you are spending now?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister tell me: in the last three months, has the government or her department turned down any offers of federal funding for infrastructure, for example, around roads or a treatment centre such as Nunavut has? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

That's a very staggering number to hear. I would encourage the Minister to have her department look into using systems where they can be maintained and operated by Northwest Territories businesses so that some of those costs come down, as we do bring people from the South. Earlier in the session, I did ask about funding that the department had committed to addressing needed repairs on the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway. The ITH is currently experiencing conditions that could lead to permafrost degradation and safety issues that will only increase exponentially with time. Can the Minister please...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Infrastructure. When I say that word, one's mind often turns to roads and buildings, airports, and bridges; but really, Infrastructure encompasses so much more than that. It is the pipes that bring you water and carry away your waste, the fibre optic line that allows you to instantly communicate or watch that football game from Europe, the solid waste facility where you take your garbage, or the water treatment plant that provides your community with fresh, clean water to drink.

One only needs to look at the budgets associated with the GNWT's departments to understand...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I appreciate that, and I hope that there will be a way to maximize all of the benefits to Northerners and get as many of the businesses in that region working. I'm not sure if this is the right location for it, but I don't see the Tulita Health Centre in this list. Could you provide an update on whether or not it should be on this list, or if there's a reason it's not, or if I'm just in the wrong spot? Thank you, Madam Chair.