Wally Schumann

We have known about this all along, that there was a fee charged by the airlines to implement this and a cost associated with them. It is customary right across Canada, as the article said in the newspaper yesterday. I don't believe we have presented it to standing committee or to the public in our presentations, just believing we were focusing on the costs of the airport improvement fee, which was important to get that out there so people know the cost of the southbound and northbound ticket. It was probably our oversight that this part wasn't included in it. That is my explanation on it.

I am happy to say in the House today that we will join this week-long event, and we will be sending Government of the Northwest Territories representatives to attend ARENA. I will welcome delegates on March 24 to Yellowknife. Our Public Works and Services Energy Division will make a presentation later that day to provide an update on our efforts to develop our 10-year energy strategy moving forward as well. To add to that, the Power Corporation has arranged for tours for the hybrid solar and diesel battery storage project in Cobalt Lake. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled "Northwest Territories Agricultural Strategy - The Business of Food: A Food Production Plan 2017-2022." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I wish to table the following document entitled “Strategy for Revitalizing the Great Slave Lake Commercial Fishery - March 2017.” Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I want to thank the Member for bringing that forward. Yes, the Yellowknife Airport has a significant economic benefit to the City of Yellowknife and the residents of the Northwest Territories, with a thousand direct jobs. When we move to this new funding model for how we develop the airport, it has the potential of creating probably tonnes of more jobs. I couldn't give him the exact number. We realize the economic potential that lies there, particularly for the City of Yellowknife. It brings in significant amount of dollars to the community as well as the Northwest Territories.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The plan moving forward is, yes, we are going to introduce an airport improvement fee into the Yellowknife Airport to help pay for some capital expenditures moving forward. The airline fees typically charge a percentage on these fees across Canada, and it is something that we are keeping a close eye on. As the Member alluded, that is in the news today, and we will see what the outcome is from that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As soon as we pass the budget and pass the Revolving Funds Act, we will be able to address this. Moving forward, we anticipate to collect upwards of $8 million to $9 million extra in revenue per year, offsetting the $4 million that the government already subsidized the airport by, so, with the collection of these new fees, we will be able to invest this money at an opportune time once we move forward.

Yes, we were well aware that this fee was charged when the airlines collect the outbound passengers, so that is the answer.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has made a commitment in its mandate to increase online accessibility to driver and motor vehicle services as well as commercial permitting services. I'd like to tell Members today about work the Department of Transportation has done to fulfill that commitment.

Over the past four years, residents and businesses of the Northwest Territories have been able to access a number of secure online driver and motor vehicle services such as vehicle registration, renewals, driver abstracts, driver testing appointment booking, rescheduling or...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member is well aware, we are in early discussions on how we're going to move the climate change framework forward. As the Premier just stated, we are out in community engagement. We have also met with power suppliers in the Northwest Territories and we are reaching out to the mining industry on how we are going to implement this moving forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.