I will now call Committee of the Whole back to order. Committee, we have agreed to consider Minister's Statement 32-18(3), Update on the Northwest Territories Disability Framework and Action Plan. I will ask the Minister if he has any witnesses he would like to bring in. Minister Abernethy.
Thank you, Minister. Comments or questions from committee? Seeing none, does committee agree that this concludes our consideration of Minister Statement 32-18(3)?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. Committee, we have agreed to next consider Tabled Document 63-18(3), Main Estimates 2018-2019, for the Department of Infrastructure. The department begins on page 233 of the document. I will turn to the Minister responsible for opening comments. Minister Schumann.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am pleased to present the 2018-2019 Main Estimates for the Department of Infrastructure. Overall, the department's estimates propose a decrease of half a million dollars or 0.2 per cent over the 2017-2018 Main Estimates.
Highlights of the proposed estimates include forced growth adjustments for maintaining new facilities, and the recently opened Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway No. 10. In addition, increased runway inspections at regional airports will improve safety and service levels for scheduled airlines. Leases transferred to Infrastructure and increased amortization expense of $2.7 million for new assets brought in to service round out the increases over the last fiscal year.
These estimates continue to support the priorities of the 18th Legislative Assembly. Specific initiatives include increasing the use of renewable and alternative energy in off-grid communities, engaging with the federal government to access funding for major renewable energy initiatives, and implementing the 2030 Energy Strategy to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, stabilize the cost of living, and promote a sustainable future for our land and people. The department will also provide $2.7 million in core funding to the Arctic Energy Alliance to support its work promoting the use of energy efficient technologies for residents, businesses, and communities.
The department will continue to invest in the Deferred Maintenance Program by upgrading and preserving the government assets such as offices, schools, and health centres. The Deferred Maintenance Program helps the Government of the Northwest Territories to better target its capital dollars in support of its priorities by maintaining and extending the useful life of our existing asset base. The Capital Asset Retrofit Fund will be used to improve the energy efficiency of the Government of the Northwest Territories' buildings, recognizing that reducing greenhouse gas emissions and lowering the utility costs of our infrastructure is good for both the environment and the bottom line.
2018-2019 will be the first full year of operations for two new revolving funds created by this Legislative Assembly in the current fiscal year. The Government of the Northwest Territories Marine Transportation Services is planning for its second sailing season, once again providing our residents, businesses, and communities with the reliable marine transportation services they depend on to deliver their household goods and building supplies, as well as aviation, diesel, gasoline, and heating fuels. The evolution of the Yellowknife airport continues, with improvements under way to enhance the travelling experience of Northerners, business travellers, and tourists and promote Yellowknife as a preferred travel destination and jumping-off point to the North.
Infrastructure continues to explore funding agreements with our federal and private sector partners to improve and expand upon the Northwest Territories' transportation and energy corridors, so important to improving the future economic prospects for Northwest Territories businesses and our people. That concludes my opening remarks. I would be happy to answer any Members' questions. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister. You may take your seat at the witness table. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber. Minister, please introduce your witnesses for the record.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. On my left is Vince McCormick, Director of Corporate Services, Infrastructure, on my right is Deputy Minister Paul Guy, and on my far right is Assistant Deputy Minister, Regional Operations and Infrastructure, Jayleen Robertson.
Thank you, Minister. Welcome to the witnesses. Committee, we have agreed to forgo opening comments and we have also agreed to one round of questions per Member, although I am flexible depending on the answers that committee receives.
Committee, the departmental total is found on page 237, but as usual we will consider the details contained in the activity before considering the total department. There are four activities in this department. The first is asset management. It begins on page 240. I will give committee a moment. When committee is ready, we can begin comments and questions. Comments or questions on the $63 million activity? Infrastructure. Mr. O'Reilly.
I'm not sure this is the right section, so is this where the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk highway maintenance costs are found? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Will the Minister please respond?
That will be under regional operations, Mr. Chair. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. That was under regional operations, so nothing further from Mr. O'Reilly. Mr. Testart.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. One of the things that in the recent audit from the Auditor General of Canada and for the Northwest Territories review of the Department of Infrastructure's role on climate change activities, they found that the department did a good job of maintaining its assets, but how they evaluate programs is not, you know, 90 per cent or 80 per cent, it's going to be 100 per cent, or it's not being done to the full extent it needs to be. How is the department improving its asset management vis-a-vis climate change, especially with the additional climate change impacts that are expected in the coming years? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Testart. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Department of Infrastructure prepared a 10-point action plan to address the recommendations made by the Auditor General's report and has made the commitment to having that action plan operational by May 31st of 2018. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Mr. Testart.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I won't belabour the Minister to read out the action plan, but what I am interested in is the cost of that action plan and whether or not that is represented in this budget. Thank you.
Thank you. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, it is.
Thank you. Mr. Testart.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Can the Minister speak to the details, which activity line it's appropriated under or which lines under the section? Thank you.
Thank you. Mr. Guy.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The specific actions in the 10-point action plan cover a number of areas of the budget. For example, in asset management, some of it will be in design and technical services. Some of the work that we need to do: updating our protocol around building inspections; increasing the inspection regimes. Some of that work, the inspections, would take place at the regional level, so that would fall under regional operations. Some of it is in policy and planning in another area under corporate services, so it's dispersed throughout the budget. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Mr. Testart.
Thank you. The component under design and technical services, is this just the department using existing resources or have they identified additional resources that are required to complete the action plan? Thank you.
Thank you. Mr. Guy.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. In order to begin the work on the action plan, we would be using existing resources. If we get into it and determine additional resources are required, then we would come forward through the normal budgeting process, through our business plan process for 2019-2020. In order to commence any action plan, we are funding that from within. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Mr. Testart.
Thank you. I note that there has been a reduction to the design and technical services activity. It was $4.2 million in the revised estimates. It is now $3.5 million. It seems like there are fewer resources to work with. Is that a concern for the department, or can they give me assurances that there will be no holdup in completing the action plan? Thank you.
Thank you. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Most of those reductions are due to sunsets. If the Member wants, I can read them back to him. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Mr. Testart.
If the Minister would indulge me, yes. Thank you.
Thank you. Minister.
Realigned DTS transportation budget to DTS, $665,000. Move salary budgeted for senior technical officer, geo-environment, to DTS, $148,000. Move salary budgeted for senior electrical engineer to DTS, $136,000. Move salary budgeted to technical officer to DTS, $142,000. Move salary budgeted to reduce airport positions to DTS, $406,000. Also to that, we have permafrost research and development sunset, federal funding. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Mr. Testart.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. One of the areas identified in the audit, too, was the facilities or certain facilities, such as snow removal of roofs on government-owned facilities. Is the facilities and property appropriation involved in that at all, or is that a regional operation item? Thank you.
Thank you. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. That will be regional operations asset management. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Mr. Testart.
Thank you. Nothing further.
Thank you. Mr. Vanthuyne.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. This is asset management. Maybe the department can inform me if this is the area that I would ask questions relevant to the former Northern Frontier Visitors' Centre? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, the Member can ask those questions here. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Mr. Vanthuyne.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Let's just start by asking what the condition of the building is. Are we evaluating the building? What is the prognosis as it relates to the future of the building and its potential use? If we could get an update on that, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Mr. Guy.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. As we know, the building has been assessed a number of times on behalf of the former entity that had care and custody of the building, the Northern Frontier Visitors' Centre. They had commissioned some work, some studies to do that. We have taken that work. We have reviewed that work, those engineering reports. We have also commissioned another engineering report to see if there is some remedial work we can do in the short term. That work is nearing completion on the study work. We are planning to go ahead this spring, do some remedial work to stabilize the building and prevent further deterioration.
