Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned in my statement, I'll have questions for the Minister of Infrastructure. My first question is: why is there overlap between the work done on climate change between Departments of Infrastructure and Natural Resources and Finance? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Infrastructure.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our department, Infrastructure, we're working on our 2030 Energy Strategy, but it is linked specifically to the NWT Climate Change Strategic Framework. We are working together with us, ENR, and the Department of Finance to ensure consistency between all the strategies moving forward that are being developed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thanks to the Minister for the answer. My next question is: what is the government doing to help the NWT move to a lower-carbon economy?
We believe that transitioning to a strong, healthy economy that is less reliant on diesel fuel is to the benefit of all residents and communities in the Northwest Territories. To secure sustainable sources of energy, we will help to stabilize the cost of living as we move forward, as the new technologies come along and as the new infrastructure money rolls out. That is why we have developed our 2030 energy strategy that I have talked about, which we have engaged with communities to find solutions and set long-term targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for the Northwest Territories, from electrical generation, heating, transportation. These are all going to be laid out in our strategy when we table it, but it also has in there how do we increase efficiencies from not only our own buildings but within communities, and how do we help address industry emissions, as well. So all of these things are going to help us meet our national climate change objectives.
Thanks to the Minister for that clarification and moving-forward statement. My next question is: this 2030 is a long-term vision, but what is the government going to do in the immediate future to address the high cost of energy in our small communities while creating jobs for Northerners?
As I have said, we are going to be tabling our 2030 energy strategy pretty soon, but that has the long-term vision, to 2030. We are going to be rolling out a three-year action plan for this session or this Assembly going forward so we have something to work on, which will be released this spring. In that action plan, we will have details, specific details, of the actions that we are going to take, the infrastructure money that is needed to accomplish this. We have six strategic objectives that we want to complete in that, but we are still negotiating our bilateral agreements, which this strategy is going to be using this funding for. Some of the specifics that we have in there over the immediate time, what we are going to do: we are talking about doing a large-scale windmills in Inuvik as one of the ones that we want to move forward right away; transmission lines, as I talked about in the House yesterday. The other fund that is coming forward is the low-carbon economy fund, and that is a different pot of money, outside the infrastructure one, and that is one of the ones of great importance, I think, to the residents of the Northwest Territories. It is aimed at the Arctic Energy Alliance, and, hopefully when we sign off on that bilateral, we will be able to help the Arctic Energy Alliance, give them more money but also to help us meet our greenhouse gas emissions and stuff in the communities.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am glad to hear the Minister had mentioned there is a fund available here. That leads me to my final question: the residents of the Sahtu would like to know what investments this government will commit to making in our communities? Mahsi.
The government is committed to investing in all of the communities in the Northwest Territories, but, in particular in the Sahtu, we have completed a biomass heating which was installed in the schools in Tulita and Fort Good Hope last year; we hope to expand the wood pellet use in the Sahtu region; we have the wind monitoring that will be getting under way very soon in Norman Wells, as that is one of the sites that has the potential to put a windmill in there; we have solar still being considered for a number of communities in the Sahtu; and I think there is some considerable potential that could be put on the Bear River for hydro potential, but that is something we would have to look at long-term. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
