Wally Schumann

The fiscal and legal responsibility to ensure safe marine operation conditions in the Northwest Territories and across Canada is a federal responsibility. This includes dredging of the Hay River harbour to ensure safe operating conditions for all vessels with sufficient water depths to ensure safe and unobstructed passage. The Department of Transportation continues to press the federal government to maintain marine facilities in NWT. The Department of Transportation is also finalizing plans for a workshop in Hay River in mid-April with the focus on the Hay River harbour and dredging. Key...

Bundle two will be considered by the Financial Management Board very soon.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The department is currently seeking approvals required for bundle two. The current plan is to ask for supplemental funding for bundle two in the May/June session so work can proceed this summer. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Community Access Program is not included in the appropriation funds for the first part of this fiscal year because there's no eligible expenses for applicants for work in this period of time. We'll have to talk about it in business planning.

If the Financial Management Board approves bundle two, then the officials at the Department of Transportation will seek federal approval on bundle two from Infrastructure Canada. As far as the bridges go, they are also in bundle two's application, so the Member can be reassured that that is in there. We would then be in a position to return to the House for the May/June session to seek approval from the Legislative Assembly for the funding of bundle two.

Both the federal government and the territorial government have recently gone through an election, which slowed down the process for approvals on this. Now the new governments are in place and bundle two is underway. I have recently met with Minister Sohi in Ottawa, and the new federal government has indicated they're all ready to approve the projects and get them out the door as quickly as possible.

We have to submit the appropriations to the business plan for the upcoming fiscal year, and we're going to have those timely discussions through business planning.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Transportation has advised the Hamlet of Aklavik that the bridge project has exceeded the funding capacity of the Community Access Program. It has been recommended that the Hamlet of Aklavik look into other alternatives of funding for this project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government of Northwest Territories views strategic investment in northern infrastructure as essential in capturing economic and mobility opportunities to benefit Northerners and all Canadians. The department is currently assessing economic and feasibility of a P3 potential of building an all-weather road to the Slave Geological Province. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The opportunities, if they're there, through the Federal Build Infrastructure Fund and in conversations with the Government of Nunavut we would certainly have a look there.