Mr. Chairman, the concept of airport authority requires the airport authority itself to make the decisions on governance and also it is required that they deal with the revenues and all the operational costs of the authority. It is something we look at. It is something that we have had analysis done on at least the Yellowknife Airport. Thank you.
Mr. Chairman, in terms of the revenue source, are we, specifically in this city, the Yellowknife Airport, revenue in terms of the leases and the area? Are we seeing that we had enough so potentially we could even publish support if we provide the rent there as the reason we are late there? We could say that this airport could be self-sufficient if we did look at it from a business case point of view. Thank you.
Mr. Chairman, the concept of airport authority has been looked at. Models have been drafted. It would prove successful, I guess, if that was the desire. We have also looked at our own operations. We are working hard towards balancing the cost of operations and the revenues. Therefore, I think we are achieving the same result, in my own opinion and some of my staff. The capital, of course, is always a challenge. That is outside of the operations. That would continue to be something the government would have to look at.
Mr. Chairman, fair enough. I want to move on to the airport land development plan. Yellowknife being the busiest airport, in past stats that Yellowknife being the busiest airport followed by Norman Wells and Inuvik. I want to focus on the Norman Wells land development plan in terms of I know companies that want to come into the Sahtu and start businesses, such as Buffalo Airways. I know they want to set up a hangar so they can bring their plane there and have it there overnight. It would be easier and more cost efficient for them and easier for the people who are receiving the goods flown in by Buffalo Air. Is that something that this department is going to move forward in terms of opening up or strengthening the land development in the Norman Wells airport?
Mr. Chairman, the Norman Wells Airport also has a development plan. Right now, the space is not an issue. We feel there is enough developed space that it is not a requirement to open up more space issues. It is adequate, as far as we are concerned.
Mr. Chairman, the other issue I wanted to focus on is the Norman Wells Airport building. Mr. Chairman, it is my understanding that the building is going to make some changes in terms of accommodating some of the people that have to fly into Norman Wells to catch the Canadian North flight south to Edmonton or to here for medical reasons. Sometimes when we have patients coming in earlier during the day, they have to stay three or four hours at the airport because they are unable to get to town or just some people are left at the airport. One of the things that we looked at was to see if we can accommodate them, to ease their comfort, because someone come with fractured bones, some are sick and some are not too healthy there, to open up a certain space in the facility to have a lounge for medical people there. I know that was worked on or discussed. I am not too sure where it is at right now.
Every time I go to the Wells, I ask the question: where’s the building? Where’s the spot? We’re working on it, we’re working on it the last couple of years now. I want to ask the Minister if he can put some comfort to his response in terms of, yes, we’re going to get this done. It is going to be done in a timely manner. The response I get back from the staff in Norman Wells saying it will be done by a certain date, I have been told so many times. However, it just falls... They don’t keep their word I guess is what I’m saying.
We do keep our word. I believe the lounge is done. It is our version of the Maple Leaf Lounge in the South. We have a room that is dedicated towards the elders and some of the people who have need for a place to relax; mostly people who are on medical travel. It has a couch and TV. As far as we understand, our information tells us that it’s done. We’ll have to confirm that and confirm it with the Member.
I do apologize if I’ve made a suggestion that it hasn’t been done. I will wait for the evidence to see. I was there about a month ago and I didn’t see anything. I stand to be corrected. I just want to make sure we have a facility for the elders and that it’s done. I will be happy. I will be happy if this is a reality in the Norman Wells Airport.
I want to say to the Minister and staff that people in my region, specifically Colville Lake, are very happy about the airport relocation. They’ve done some good work there. It worked really good this department with the cooperation of the Colville Lake First Nation people to work on the airport relocation, working together to get this done. I want to say thank you to the Minister and staff, and also to his staff for doing good work in Tulita and Deline on the airport runway extensions. It’s been a real trying time on these projects and we’re hoping that the Tulita Airport will be done for the gravel haul this year. These are some of the issues that we’re working on. I do want to say that to the department here. We look forward to working on some of the issues on the airport here.
I’m really happy because Colville Lake is finally going to get a terminal. Sometimes I wonder, when we land an airplane in Colville Lake and there’s no terminal. In other places you go there’s always terminal buildings there. I just couldn’t understand how come we didn’t have a terminal at that small airport. Last time there was a terminal there, and certainly I know that the chief talked about the terminal being vandalized so they had to take it down. The chief again made another suggestion to not penalize my people that way. There are always ways to look at things.
However, I am happy that things are improving and we’re starting to see good things happening with regard to our infrastructure. For too long we haven’t seen much infrastructure like this. I’m glad that I’m here to witness it.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. I didn’t hear a question there, Mr. Yakeleya. Just a response from the Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think we’ll all be happy for the community of Colville Lake. I personally had to stand out at the airport and I think it was February when I did a community tour. We’ll be very happy to see this project completed.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a question with regard to recreational land leased to recreational organizations. I believe that the Yellowknife Golf Course, at least part of it is on Department of Transportation land or Commissioner’s land which is managed by the Department of Transportation. I wondered if the Minister could comment on whether or not there’s any possibility that because this is a Yellowknife recreational organization and I know that other recreational organizations within the city of Yellowknife that lease land from the city pay somewhat reduced lease fees, from what I can understand.
My first question is whether or not the Minister would consider turning over that particular part of the golf course that’s on Commissioner’s land. Could it be turned over to the city so that the golf course can lease it from the city instead of from the government?
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Mr. McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That request has come in on several occasions. We feel we’ve given a very attractive deal to the golf association and, no, we’re not considering transferring it to the city.
I guess that begs the question why, if he could advise me of that.
This land that the Member’s referring to is important to the future development of the airport.
Okay. Thanks to the Minister for that. I’d like to know whether or not this government has a policy relative to recreational facilities which are on Commissioner’s land for which there are leases. Do we have a special policy or just a policy in regard to recreational leases?
I’m not sure if I’m the person to be asking about the recreational policy. We do have a very attractive arrangement and it’s at a reduced rate as it is. It’s on airport land so the decision is ours.
I guess what I’m looking for from the Department of Transportation is if they are arranging that lease, I want to know certainly whether or not they’re doing it under any kind of an overarching GNWT policy. I guess I have to assume from the Minister’s answer that there is none. Whether or not it’s an attractive dollar amount for the lease, I guess that can be debated. I’m not so sure that the lessee considers it to be attractive. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That’s all.
Requesting information on recreation leases is something that would fall under MACA. We operate under the Airport Act and the Airport Act requires us to charge full market rate. In this case we are reluctant to transfer this land or sell this land as we have to take the long-term view. Land is very scarce in this area. It’s in the area of where in 50 years we’re going to be in need for more land.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Thank you, committee. We’re on page 11-17, Transportation, airports, operations expenditure summary, $27.318 million.
Agreed.
Page 11-18, Transportation, airports, grants and contributions, contributions, $30,000.
Agreed.
Page 11-19, Transportation, airports, active positions.
Agreed.
Page 11-21, Transportation, highways, operations expenditure summary, $54.220 million. Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just have a comment here. I’d like to thank the department and commend the department and their staff for the work that was done on the city of Yellowknife by-pass road. It’s a huge improvement in terms of city safety. We have another access to get in and out of the city. I just would like to express my appreciation for the fact that this is basically completed. Thanks for the work.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Next we’ll go to Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m just wondering where the department is at with the Dettah road progress. I know there’s a lot of work that’s been happening to partner with a local firm and so on. I believe we had a budget of a couple of million dollars the first year and I’m wondering where we’re at on that. Are we spending that this year or can it be carried over? Is it carried over here if there is a carry-over?
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. McLeod.
Mr. Chairman, we are finalizing a lot of discussion with the development corporation of the area. There are a number of areas that we’re working on for gravel production and roadway construction and quarry site development. We will be bringing something to Cabinet for consideration. Also, to the question of can dollars be carried over, the answer to that is yes.
Is there anything impeding progress right now or is it that things are going slowly or going well? Any role that the Weledeh MLA should be playing here? Thank you.
We have right now the quarry permit. We’re working on getting the land use permit. There’s still a little bit of work in the area of engineering that needs to be done, but right now we are progressing very smoothly, I think.
I guess the one last is I know there have been other priorities that have been distracting the departments these days. I just want to make sure that they’re able to fulfill their role in helping this move along and stay on schedule. So I’d appreciate any remarks there. Thank you.
Mr. Chairman, I’m assuming he’s talking about the Deh Cho Bridge. Our staff from the North Slave region are not participating on that project and they are not distracted in any form. Thank you.
Just perhaps one question, and I appreciate the Minister’s comments there. My constituents have raised interest in a biking and walking trail along the Ingraham Trail. We’ve been talking about that for a couple of years and I’m wondering where we’re at with that, if the department has that process laid out where we can go forward with that. Thank you.
Mr. Chairman, I was just trying to remember when the Member had raised it, but I believe it was some time ago and as we proceed right now with the methodology that we’re using in the plans, it doesn’t include a walking trail or a biking trail. However, at some point as we move forward with the reclamation of Giant Mine we will be required to move the road and widen the road and we would plan to include plans of the nature that the Member is talking about as part of that.
I appreciate those comments. Do we have a time frame for that yet or is that still up in the air on when that would happen? I know there is some experimental freezing and so on going on at Giant and I assume that the interest is building there to get this done, but I’d appreciate the perspectives of the department. Thank you.
Mr. Chairman, we’re just having a quick discussion here to see if we can nail down an actual time frame and that’s difficult. It would depend on how fast the Giant Mine reclamation project moves forward. So I can’t give him a specific time frame.
Just my last point here. I appreciate the research that is being done on highways by the department, especially in relation to the increased rate of loss and unusual patterns in permafrost. I think the Dettah Road is certainly a good example of the sorts of challenges we have and I just would hope that the department would consider that if they get into a larger pilot case or pilot program testing Easy Street material, for example. The Dettah Road of course is very easy to access from Yellowknife. It’s a big challenge right at our doorstep and would be a real reasonable case for applying that material and seeing if it works. Just a suggestion there. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. A suggestion. Mr. Minister, did you want to comment?
Mr. Chairman, we are taking what we learn from other highways. More specifically, Highway No. 3 over the years as we reconstructed that road. We, of course, are very focused on trying to get a solid base for Dettah to have their residents travel on, along with the appropriate dust suppressant in the cover. Easy Street is something that is very attractive, but at the same time it’s still fairly costly. We are testing to see how well it works and, in fact, we have done the junction at Dettah to see how it stands up and that will be something that’s part of the consideration for the final cap on the road as we conclude that project.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Next the chair will recognize Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just wanted to ask about the Minister’s safety program in terms of the winter road in my region about installing safety road signs between the communities. I know that there were some done in the past year and I wanted to ask the Minister how many signs are they going to be looking at installing this year during the winter road season.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Minister.
Mr. Chairman, the plans are to have the signs installed from Norman Wells to Good Hope. If he’s asking me how many actual signs, I’m not sure if I have that in front of me. We have different categories and size, of course, and we have a number of 250 warning signs and advisory signs that will go from Wrigley to Norman Wells and then to Good Hope and category 2, which are the larger signs, we’ll be purchasing six large warning signs to put along the route within the areas of the communities. We’re also doing a couple of signs in the area of what we could classify as category three and these will be used where there’s grade improvements and bridge work that’s in the construction phase. Thank you.
I think that will be something that’s good for our drivers on the winter roads as they need to continue doing the road improvements on all the winter roads here.
I wanted to ask the Minister about bridges. Is the department looking at considering the Oscar Creek Bridge just outside of Norman Wells? It’s on target for some different opinions as to the bridge, but the main question I have is: will this bridge be up and running? Right now it’s not being utilized. When can we see this bridge in operation, Mr. Chair?
Mr. Chairman, we have committed to doing some engineering work on this bridge and we plan to do that in the next little while. For the long term we’d like to work on the alignment of the bridge and that work will be included as part of the PDR, or the project description report, work that’s going to be done for that section. Thank you.
The Oscar Bridge has been there for a number of years and now the Minister is saying that’s going to be part of a PDR report that will take another couple more years, so it seems that this bridge is just being shuffled on to different areas. So I want to just leave it at that.
I want to ask about the Bear River Bridge that has been an issue with people in Norman Wells and Tulita. I know the Minister has tried several approaches to see how funding could be secured to the Bear River Bridge. People are quite upset that they didn’t get support from this House to put the Bear River Bridge in the plans and now they want it back in the plans. So this is a piece of key infrastructure for the overall Mackenzie Valley Highway. However, people are not too happy in my region in terms of having a difficult time putting this back on the capital plan for operations. I know the Minister and his staff has been trying to be very creative on how we’d get something like this and it’s just a real difficult piece of infrastructure to get in there and I want to ask the Minister if there’s something else that he could tell me in light of what… My file is pretty thick in terms of the Bear River Bridge, in terms of what else can he tell me and save some paper.
