Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. When we do our 20-year analysis on what we need going forward, we usually over-prioritize. When it comes to allocation of money, we have to prioritize what we are doing. That is what has happened on an annual basis. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Ms. Green.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. What I am struggling with is trying to develop the tourism economy and creating the infrastructure that will support that goal and how it fits into this planning cycle. I do not feel like I have definitive answers that link those things together. If the Minister could provide that, that would be helpful. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. If you look on page 37 of the capital estimates, last year's was $3,773,000. This year's allocation is exactly the same. This is the end of a three-year cycle. Going forward, then, again, we are going to have to go back, and the next cycle, depending on where the allocation of money is going to be and the amount of money that we have as a government, we are going to have to figure out what the priorities are of this government and try to allocate them in the best manner we can. Then the board will have to put forward what we feel is going to be able to meet the needs of tourism in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Ms. Green.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. What I take from that is that, even though there is a small amount of money allocated next year and none to the year after, this may well change once they have done their threeyear plan. Do I have that right?
Thank you, Ms. Green. Ms. Mujcin.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The amount that the Member is referencing is the amount of money that is reflected. Some of the projects that you see today are over two or three years, and so that amount represents the twoyear projects, so that will be the amount allocated to some of these projects that we will be completing in 20192020 versus 20182019. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you for that clarification. Ms. Green.
I understand that; so the reason that it is blank in 20202021 is because the planning has not been done for that year. Is that correct?
Thank you, Ms. Green. Ms. Mujcin.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. What this plan is showing you are the projects that are being brought forward for 20182019 and some of those have funding going into 20192020, and they do not have any funding going into 20202021 that will be coming forward. In our 20year plan, we have projects allocated to 20202021. They are just not part of this plan you see before you today. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you for that clarification. Ms. Green.
Thank you very much for that. Those are all my questions.
Then we have Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I was really pleased to hear the Minister say there is going to be a new visitors centre on the Liard Highway for my colleague, the honourable Member for Nahendeh. Where in the budget can I find capital allocation for a new visitors centre in Yellowknife? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. We do not have any capital allocated to a project like that because we do not even know what the plan is yet, moving forward. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. When the plan is developed, is the Minister prepared to bring forward a supplementary appropriation to put the appropriate amount of capital in there to support the tourism sector in the capital and as a launching pad for folks to go to other communities, as well? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am not going to commit to anything like that. We are working with the city very diligently and closely on this, moving forward. When we sit down with them after the October 1st date and continue to work on this going forward, we do not even know where this will be located, what type of facility would be needed, or if one is even going to be needed. Those discussions are ongoing. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. Not much of a commitment there other than to talk. How do we get such a facility into capital planning, then? What is the process for doing that? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. As I have said, the discussion are ongoing with the City of Yellowknife, but, even if something was brought forward, we would have to figure out if this was a small capital or a large capital item, and then the decision would have to be made on how we would bring it forward. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. Yes, I think this is actually in big caps that Yellowknife needs a new visitors centre, so I look forward to the Minister bringing forward the supplementary appropriation or to start some sort of a planning process on this ASAP. The talk on this has been going on for far too long. That is a comment, and I do not expect a response from the Minister because I have not really gotten one so far. Thanks. Bye.
Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. There are no further general comments for the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, so we can move into consideration. We will defer consideration of the total until we look at the detail contained within. If you would, turn to page 39 and the associated information items which you can find on pages 40, 41, and 42. Mr. Testart, comments on Tourism and Parks?
Yes, thank you. I would like to ask the Minister: what is the plan for the Prelude Lake Territorial Park boat launch replacement? My understanding is that both the marina and the boat launch have been ongoing for some time. I would like to know when this work will be completed. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Testart. I would ask Members to reference a page if they are speaking to a specific item. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. This project is going to be ongoing to 20192020. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Mr. Testart.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I do see that here. There have been delays in this work previously. Is it smooth sailing ahead, or are we going to continue to see delays on this project? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Testart. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The first phase of Prelude Lake Marina was completed and opened in July of 2017. The planning phase has begun to replace the aging Prelude Lake boat launch and to expand the parking lot at Prosperous Lake in preparation for the 20182019 construction season. It is expected to be completed and ready for the season opening in 2018. Also, the Prelude boat launch will be built based on engineers' recommendations, and capital funds have been allocated towards this project for 20182019 and 20192020. The intention is to build a temporary single boat launch off the end of the water break and to do the work late in the season, when the boat launch is not so busy. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Nothing further? I see nothing further from committee on this section. Mr. Vanthuyne.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would like to refer to page 41 and, in particular, the Prosperous boat launch refurbishment. I wonder if the Minister does not mind providing some additional detail there, as well, as to what that project is going to undertake and look like. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Minister.
The scope of this project would require design options to mitigate the issue of low water levels at the boat launch, the parking area will need to be expanded and defined to accommodate more vehicles, and a new location for a boat launch will be needed to be identified. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Mr. Vanthuyne.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just for a point of clarification, when you say relocation of the boat launch, is that simply due to low water level issues, or is that maintaining the boat launch that is already there and adding an additional boat launch? The reason why I ask is because that is the primary concern at that boat launch, is that there is only one and that there is a lineup of vehicles with boats and boat trailers waiting to get access to the one and only boat launch. The question is: will there be an investment to either widen the existing boat launch or create another separate area to create another brandnew boat launch? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. This boat launch has gotten a lot of attention as of late. I think what we are trying to do is go in there, have the engineering people have a look at this, do the design work, and look at possibly moving this boat launch. I think we will have to get back to the Member on exactly what is going to happen moving forward after the engineering is completed. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Mr. Vanthuyne.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. That is appreciated; so (a) I would just like to get conformation that we are still kind of in the design phase of this; and then (b) I would just like to remind the Minister that the recreational land use planning consultations took place some time ago. Many residents up and down the Ingraham Trail as well as recreational users of this particular lake did outline that primary concern, and that was that, because of the size of this lake and the usage of this lake it is a very popular lake and during weekends, long weekends especially it is nothing but a massive lineup to get access to the one and only boat launch, so I am just hoping that we can either expand the width of the current boat launch so that it can have two, possibly even three vehicles using it at one time. We have seen that in other communities. We have seen that at other lakes, or that there would be another one entirely in another location. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Member's comments are duly noted. Like I said, we are doing the engineering, geotechnical, and design work. This is also a two-year project, so we are going to try and get all that stuff in 2018-2019, and depending what comes out of that, in the second year that construction will take place. We will keep the Member informed on what is going on out there. We definitely do not want to be building something that is replacing an existing facility that is not going to meet the needs of the people. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
