Wally Schumann

We continue to monitor snowfall for this seasons, but I have previously said to the Member, we continue to see the NWT in the drought conditions, so it's hard to predict what type of fire season we're going to have.

The department has identified several projects that could be pursued if the federal government came to us with a request for shovel-ready projects. This includes further improvements to Highway No. 1 south of Enterprise to the border, including widening, strengthening the embankment, and improving drainage. Other shovel-ready projects that could be considered under new stimulus funding from Canada include reconstruction and chipsealing of the remaining 64 kilometres of Highway No. 5 and the Wood Buffalo National Park. That's in addition to the airport runway overlays in Fort Smith and Hay...

The first bundle of projects will invest $14 million in improvements to Highway No. 1. Over the next four years, the department will be working to widen and reconstruct some sections of the highway from Kilometres 375 to 395, and Kilometres 207 to 212. That work includes geometric, structural, and drainage improvements; grade widening; culvert replacement; and applying chipseal. Under the second bundle of Building Canada Plan projects, the department is seeking to rehabilitate or replace bridges, including the Hay River and Pine Point Bridges, and the Buffalo River Bridge in the South Slave...

As I previously said, we will be updating our plan in April 2016 of this year and we will be talking to all communities and people in the Northwest Territories.

ENR will be reviewing these plans coming beginning this April. Risk assessment and fieldwork will commence thereafter. The new plans will be redeveloped and based on existing plans and new data inputs. All plans will be completed by Environment and Natural Resources, and assistance of the affected communities and other departments will begin thereafter with the GNWT.

Depending on the type of fire season we have, if we have a normal or below-normal fire season, we will continue to use our own resources. Anything beyond that, we may have to pull in other people from other jurisdictions.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The NWT continues to be under severe seasonal drought conditions in a large portion of the NWT. ENR continues to implement strategies and objectives identified in the 2011 program review and the 2014 fire season to improve delivery of the programs the coming seasons.

I am pleased to note that the department is currently working on two other highway infrastructure projects in the South Slave. In 2015-2016, the department completed improvements to Highway No. 2 between Hay River and Enterprise, for approximately $3 million. Over the next several years, the department will reconstruct and chip seal up to 34 kilometre of Highway No. 6 to Fort Resolution, with an estimated value of $17 million. In the meantime, the department continues to apply regular maintenance measures across all highways.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Transportation undertakes long-term functional planning to determine how to gain the best value of limited resources. Highway reconstruction requirements are also prioritized to ensure that highways are safe for the travelling public. When drafting the proposals for bundle one, the priority scope and work plan for Highway No. 1 was from Kilometres 187 to 690 and was based on functional planning outcomes. Priority will be given to the sections of the deteriorating highway between Kilometres 207 and 230, and between Kilometres 375 and 395, to address...

Environment and Natural Resources will assist in developing the project proposals for limited hazards and risk mitigation work for non-critical communities and areas, including the allocation of limited financial support depending on community priorities and available-to-ENR resources. We also do reach out to the general public and communities through our website and the nwtfire.com Facebook page.