Debates of May 29, 2018 (day 31)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, my understanding is there are repairs to the highway. There are some compaction and surfacing, gravel in required areas from kilometre 21 to 46. I think, at the end of the last construction season, there was a small stretch that did not have the surfacing gravel, which is crushed rock, so that is the reason for the $191,000. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Nakimayak.

Yes, just one more thing. I do not know if the Minister of Infrastructure or the Minister of Finance will know, but I just want to know a plan for the highway for the upcoming weeks, as session will be closed soon. I was wondering if the department has a plan for the summer. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Nakimayak. Minister McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, for that, I would like to go to the Minister of Infrastructure.

Thank you, Minister McLeod. Minister Schumann, this will be a good introduction for the public briefing you will be giving later today. Minister Schumann.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As I have stated in the House, there are some deficiencies that needed to be carried over from this year. The section that the Minister of Finance just talked about was not completed due to the cold weather. We were not able to get up there to do the compaction, do the necessary work that needed to be done because of the weather, but, as I stated in the House, we have deficiencies around bridges, signage, embankments, and the completion of these gravel sections that we are currently working on. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Anything further? Nothing further from Mr. Nakimayak. Next, Mr. Testart.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Under the "Taltson expansion, pre-construction," the amount is $200,000. Could the Minister just speak to what that entails? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Minister McLeod is indicating that Mr. Kalgutkar will take this. Mr. Kalgutkar.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The $200,000 in the supplemental report for this fiscal year related to the project is for the department to undertake a study of a potential approach to the Taltson hydro project in terms of expanding the line through Great Slave Lake. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Mr. Testart.

Thank you. So my understanding is that it's to explore the electricity market, to define the potential business model, including partnership discussions and a crossing study for the Great Slave Lake for transmission lines, and a regulatory review and engagement of stakeholders. So is that the full extent of the appropriation? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the Member is correct. That is the full extent of the investment. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Testart.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. With the first round of calls to the National Trade Corridors funding from the Government of Canada, with this project not being included in that funding, where does this get us? We are putting the work into this study right now. Does the government believe that is going to get us any closer to success when we are looking for federal dollars? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister McLeod.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, any time you can do some of this work to help with your business case to Canada, then I think it's a worthwhile investment. I mean, we would like to think that this government would be ready if there are some dollars that could be had rather than waiting for them to come to us and say, "Well, we have got this money; how can you use it?" and then develop a business case. That is probably better developing a business case and then going and presenting that business case as that helps you secure the funding. Obviously, this is going to be a multi-year funding agreement because it's going to be a significant investment, so we want to ensure that we are in a position to put a good business case forward and secure that funding from Canada. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Mr. Testart.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I agree with the Minister. I think that, with so much of our climate change planning dependent on this project, we need to start the investment, so, yes, I do support this, and I am thankful for the Minister's explanation of the scale of the project. Thank you. Nothing further.

Thank you. Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I am also on the Taltson dam project. I guess I am reading it as the $200,000 that is put in there for this coming fiscal year as a study to cross the Great Slave Lake, so I am wondering if I could get an explanation on that. I am seeing where the Taltson is, and I would like to kind of know where it's going to cross Great Slave Lake. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, my understanding is that they are looking at some design options. I don't think an exact location has been chosen. I mean, that is part of the reason that we are coming forward for the money, is to help us with that work as to choosing a location, how to cross the lake. I would have to confirm that and get more information, but I would assume that is what the ask is for. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I am asking of course because the one Taltson power line ends at Fort Resolution, and that is at the Great Slave Lake, and then the other one ends at Hay River, and that is also the Great Slave Lake, so I do not know if you know if they are planning on tying into the Bluefish, if we are going to come across at Great Slave Lake at Hay River or if we are going to come across at Fort Resolution. I am wondering if they are going to study both of those, looking at the options. I did not think we were going to cross the Great Slave Lake. I thought we were going to stay on the right-of-way, the highway right-of-way, but that is not for me to say. It just seems odd that we are studying the crossing of the Great Slave Lake. That's all. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Does the Minister have any more details about where this line may cross or where it may end up on the other side or any of those kind of details? Minister McLeod.

We do not have that level of detail, and that would be what the study would be, would be studying different options, and I am sure the options that the Member pointed out would be some of the options that they would be looking at, but I will confirm that again. Once they start their preliminary work, I think they will have a good indication of exactly what they are looking at, and I think that would be an appropriate time to have a sit-down with committee and say: this is what we are looking at; can we get some feedback from committee? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Nothing further from Mr. Beaulieu. Mr. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. On page 14, we are talking about Highway No. 1 reconstruction, various. What sections of the highway were not completed? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Minister McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, Highway No. 1, and I think the Minister of Infrastructure pointed this out the other day, there is going to be 76 kilometres of chipseal resurfacing, embankment reconstruction and rehabilitation, and draining improvement from kilometre 207 to kilometre 212. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Mr. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So this was not done last fiscal year, or is this a new project? I am just trying to understand because we had a carry-over in this area here. Maybe I am missing something. Could the Minister please advise? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The original budget was $3.5 million; the actual expenditures were $2.266 million. There is $1.234 million, and that is a carry-over, so there was some work that was done last year. It wasn't completed, so we had to carry over so they can continue on with the work this year. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That information that you just gave to us, that's the work that's going to be done this fiscal year? The carry-over from the $1.2 million? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Mr. Minister.

That is correct, Mr. Chair. It is a $1.2 million carry over to do the work this year, from my understanding. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister McLeod. Mr. Thompson.

I would assume then it is similar for the Highway No. 7 reconstruction; that's chip sealing, resurface, repairs and drainage improvements, from 137 to 153, correct? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, that is correct. With a lot of the work on the highway, if you use the carry-over, the original budget, some of the work was done, but with the carry-overs it's work that still needs to be done that wasn't able to be completed last year. So I would assume in this case, Highway No. 7, there was about, $3 million was the original budget, $2.4 million was expended, and we have $628,000 left. Anytime you see that, it's obviously carry-over because work wasn't completed.

Thank you, Minister McLeod. Mr. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the Minister for that answer. Later on, can I get an update on why this carry-over had to occur, why the project wasn't done, so when people ask the questions I know I can give them the answers? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, if the Member sends me an email, we can provide him with a bit of an update, but all he needs to tell people is that the work was not completed, therefore the requirement for a carry-over. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister McLeod. Mr. Thompson.