Debates of October 31, 2016 (day 39)

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Statements

QUESTION 430-18(2): CANOL TRAIL REMEDIATION PROJECT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Canol remediation procurement process was under way starting with the site visit of mid-August. My question to the Minister of ITI is his department working with federal counterparts to confirm and secure project funding for the clean-up of that trail? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Masi. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is right. The site bidder tour, I believe in October, was supposed to take place and it didn't. The federal government maintains the rights for the Canol Heritage Trail. This all came through devolution. They kept the right to facilitate the full remediation of this site, and we are working with the federal government on the transfer of land over to the territorial government to make it into a territorial park. But that won't take place until a remediation has taken place. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Can the Minister also confirm if there's some information that his department could share with our side here on project scheduling?

That's a federal government responsibility. Like I said, we are engaged in conversation with them, but until the site is fully reclaimed, it is a federal responsibility and I would have to see what the federal government would have available to share with the Member. But again, like I say, it's a federal responsibility.

I'm seeing that we have no money yet, but on the permitting side of the project here, our government is responsible for issuing the permits for the cleaning up of it, when we have in fact one third of the regulatory agency to issue those permits. Can the Minister confirm that the permits are going to issued, and pass me the schedule on this side of the issuance?

I would have to look into who would be in charge of the regulatory process on our side. I know for sure it's probably not ITI's department, but it's something I can look into. It's probably the Department of Lands and ENR. I will look into it and get back to the Member.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I look forward to the information and continued dialogue to be kept aware of the project's process as a result of all the many opportunities we're going to see in our area, and the North for that matter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Masi. I'll take that as a comment. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.