Debates of May 29, 2018 (day 31)

Thank you. Minister McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Again, it's another lesson learned. We will endeavour to provide a greater level of detail as to exactly what needs to be done on these projects. We are kind of looking at the overall number, the $891,000, and seeking the Assembly's approval to carry these over. I've heard now a couple of questions about the detail, so we will take that into consideration as we go forward and make sure that we come back to this floor with the appropriate detail. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Seeing nothing further from committee, I will call this section. Education, Culture and Employment, capital investment expenditures, early childhood and school services, not previously authorized, $3,442,000. Does committee agree?

Agreed.

Committee agrees. Education, Culture and Employment, capital investment expenditures, culture, heritage and languages, not previously authorized, $200,000. Does committee agree?

Agreed.

Committee agrees. Education, Culture and Employment, capital investment expenditures, labour development and standards, not previously authorized, $3,286,000. Does committee agree?

Agreed.

Thank you. Education, Culture and Employment, capital investment expenditures, total department, not previously authorized, $6,928,000. Does committee agree?

Agreed.

Thank you, committee. Page 10, Environment and Natural Resources. Mr. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I think this probably might be similar to the school and playground. The regional lab in Fort Simpson, it has been ongoing for a long period of time, and some challenges have happened throughout the thing there. I guess the question is: with this carry-over, when will this project be completed? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Yes, I feel that I have directed many questions about this lab in Fort Simpson. Minister McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the Member is correct. We have had some issues with this, but I can share with this floor that the project is going through its final inspection and will be completed on May 31, 2018. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Mr. Thompson.

Thank you. Just to clarify, that was May 31st. Correct?

Minister McLeod.

Okay. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes. It was May 31, 2018.

Thank you. Mr. Thompson.

I thank the Minister for that answer. I apologize because I didn't hear the May 31st, but the Minister has been very helpful to tell me it is May 31st. I greatly appreciate that. The community of Fort Simpson really appreciates this. Hopefully, we won't have to ask any more questions on it, and the Minister won't have to answer any more questions from me on this project. Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Hopefully. Seeing nothing further. No, Mr. Nadli.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My question pertains to forest management. There is a wildland fire dispatch facility in Fort Providence. I wanted to get some clarity in terms of understanding what possibly this facility might be, whether it is a phone booth. Is it a stand-alone building? What is it? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, other than knowing that the contract has been awarded, I am not sure about the exact size of the building and that. For $217,000, it should be larger than a phone booth. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Mr. Nadli.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. If the Minister is stating that the contract was just awarded, what would be the anticipated completion date of the project? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The anticipated completion date would be July of this year, is my understanding. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Mr. Nadli.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. No further questions.

Thank you. Mr. Nadli. Mr. Testart.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Underwater resources, there is funding for the Taiga Lab Equipment Project. The notes here say the funding wasn't expended in 2017-2018, and the offsetting amount lapsed in 2017-2018, as well. Can we get clarification on the delays related to this project? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, my understanding is the equipment was purchased in March of 2018. Delivery is expected in May of 2018. You don't actually pay for it until you have delivery. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Testart.

Nothing further. Thank you.

Thank you. Next, Mr. Blake.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just under forest management, I see Schiltee lookout tower upgrade. Mr. Chair, this has been an ongoing project here for the last number of years. The community was trying to work with the department to possibly negotiate this. The amount of money that has been spent on this after putting it out to tender, contractors were hired. They made an awful mess of the terrain, too, as they try to do this work. A little too late.

If they worked with the community, they would have had adequate time to haul the material out with the snowmobiles. That way, they wouldn't ever damage the land. A lot of unnecessary funding has been going into this. It could have been up a long time ago. Moving forward, when the community does try to offer assistance in building these type of units, we should be working with them. That is my question on this project. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I take the Member's point about working with the communities. I think this project may have run into a couple of little bumps on the road. I take the Member's point about working with not only his community, but all the other communities that are getting some of these projects and tap into the knowledge that they have in the area. I will make that commitment, something we will do going forward.

My understanding is the project is in the final stage, because you can see the carry-over is $22,000. The project is in the final stage and will be completed by June 30, 2018. We will complete Mr. Thompson's lab in May it will be completed, Schiltee Rock in June. Then we will have the phone booth in Providence in July. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Mr. Blake.

A little too much information there, but thanks to the Minister. Just under the Shell Lake Complex replacement, I just wonder which building is this. I actually brought this up a couple of years back. The reason being is: when I was an RRO1 a number of years back, seeing the shape of the building the Renewable Resources officers were working out of, Mr. Chair, this building was built probably 50-some-odd years ago. I am just curious to know what building this is. Is this their office building or storage? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Blake. Minister McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the Member is correct. There is a new complex that is going up there in Shell Lake. It is getting fairly close to completion. I believe it is July 31, 2018. Then the two other buildings that are there, one of them is being replaced by this particular piece of infrastructure. I believe some of the folks in that office are going to move over to another office. Then the abandoned office will either be written off or come down, because they have been there for an extremely long time. I know there is some foundational work that was done to them. That is the plan at the moment. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Mr. Blake.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So it will be their office space? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The new complex? Is that what the Member is referring to? I believe there is going to be their lab. I believe there is going to be some office space in there. Some will move in there. My understanding is some will then move over to the other office that is in better shape. Then the third one, I believe, will be coming down. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I shouldn't say "coming down." It will be surplused. I don't know what the exact plans are for it at this moment. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Nothing further from Mr. Blake. Seeing nothing, I will call this activity. Environment and Natural Resources, capital investment expenditures, environment, not previously authorized, $125,000. Does committee agree?

Agreed.