Wally Schumann

ITI's role, as I've said, in this whole project is to help facilitate to create regional economic development opportunities and local employment. We are working closely, like I said, with ENR and the proponent and Aurora Wood Pellets. Aurora Wood Pellets has moved this project along without any resources from the Government of the Northwest Territories.

We continue to work with both FMA holders to bring this project to reality, as we believe it will bring substantial economic opportunities to the South Slave region, and particularly the three communities of Fort Providence, Enterprise, and Fort...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government of the Northwest Territories is very committed to the development of biomass in the Northwest Territories, as we believe this project will create regional economic development opportunities and local employment. It will also probably help revitalize the NWT forestry industry, which could bring in sawmills and other such things. The department itself has committed to the FMA holders in both Fort Resolution and Fort Providence SEED funding for assistance under that program for marketing and business planning. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the tourism industry offers enormous potential to create economic growth and diversification in our regions and in our communities. In fact, while other sectors around the world are experiencing challenges, the Northwest Territories tourism sector continues to grow. Between 2010-2011 and 2015-2016, the number of visitors to our territory has increased from 65,000 to 93,000. Visitor spending in this timeframe has also increased from $94.1 million to $167.1 million.

These numbers represent new money for our tourism operators, hotels, restaurants, shops, festivals, and events. They...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We will be building a RFP to build a trail. We are paying for the crosswalk and the city will be maintaining the trail. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. On the 2016-2017, we're just finishing up the brushing and drainage culvert replacements. What we need for the 2017-2018, we're going to do surface gravel from kilometre 30 to 70 and brushing from 154 to 159, and serving and design kilometre 143 to 154. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Since actually the Member has asked questions in the House, we've had consultation with the City of Yellowknife on the access road to the city, and we've presented a plan and had conversation with him about putting a trail from the power generation power utility piece there close to Niven and a trail along the side of the highway in front of Nova with a crosswalk, and we're just waiting to hear back from the City of Yellowknife. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That will all happen before next season, so probably next spring. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Yes, I would.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The challenge moving forward is to get enough funding to do all these sections of roads across the Northwest Territories, and as we move forward we will try to round up the funding that we can do this section of road. But moving forward in the short-term, there is no money to do this section. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled "Government of the Northwest Territories Contracts over $5,000 Report for the Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2016." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.