Thank you, Mr. Chair. In this plan, you see a long-term care facility. That is a separate facility from the health centre. We have moved away from having a single building, with both, to separate buildings.
Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you for that clarification. Can the Minister just briefly explain why we have separated these two facilities? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister Abernethy.
A couple of different reasons; the long-term care facility is going to be significantly larger than the long-term care facility that we have today. We are moving to a 48-bed facility in that community in that region, so it is going to be significantly larger than the one that is there today. When you look at the footprints that are available to us in the community, if you look at a health centre and a long-term care facility on the land that is available to us, we can't get, I think, the whole footprint onto similar properties, which is the reality of the community and the property that is available to us now. Also, we are still having discussions on alternate methods to move forward with procurement of long-term care facility with partners and those types of things.
We also know that, the footprint of the old health centre in Simpson, there is no safety or facility concerns. The building is still able to meet the program requirements at this points, and we were worried about the construction of the facility previously, and those concerns have been alleviated. We have more time on that health centre than we thought we did originally, but we have a demand for long-term care beds to 2026. The two no longer align as nicely as we thought they did.
Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Next, we have Ms. Green.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am wondering if the Minister could provide some detail of the item with the title "Yellowknife Vulnerable Persons Shelter." What is this building about? Where is it going to be located? Who is paying for it, or what portion is the GNWT's, and so on?
Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Through the federal government, we have around $5 million available for vulnerable person-type shelters here in the Northwest Territories, in Yellowknife in particular. This would be an evolution from what we see at the day shelter, sobering shelter, today.
I have often made reference that we have this federal money coming. We are going to learn from the sobering centre, we are going to learn from the day shelter, but we are also going to learn from additional programs that people have been asking about, things like managed alcohol programs and other things. We don't have full design on the building yet. We are reviewing the different programs that are out there, but this will be a more permanent design purpose building to meet some of the challenges that we are facing in Yellowknife and Yellowknife's downtown core.
Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Ms. Green.
Nothing further. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Green. Any further comments or questions? Health and Social Services, community health programs, infrastructure investments, $47,937,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
We will continue back on page 28, Health and Social Services, total department, capital estimates, $52,356,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Next we have Industry, Tourism and Investment on page 33. We will defer consideration of the departmental total until after consideration of the activities, starting on page 34. Industry, Tourism and Investment, economic diversification and business support, infrastructure investments, with information on page 35, $684,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Next, we have Industry, Tourism and Investment, tourism and parks, infrastructure investments, with information found on page 37 and 38, $3,102,000. Mr. Beaulieu.
Mr. Chairman, I think it is a good idea, but I just wanted to confirm the building "living quarters" in North Arm Park. Is there a plan to move a position there? Is it a person to stay there seasonally, or is that going to be the staff quarters for all year round? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. I'll turn to Minister Schumann. Minister Schumann.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I suspect, in working with the communities and Indigenous governments, that that will be like our other parks that are operated and maintained by contractors. It would be used by the contractor during the summer seasons. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister Schumann. Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I don't have any further questions on this particular item. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Any further questions? Mr. Vanthuyne.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just wanted to see if this is where I can get a little bit of certainty about some projects that I already know were under way, but I received some notice that they were being deferred or that some of their budget was being taken away and moving to another project and that sort of thing.
I would just like to, while I can, given that this is going to be the last opportunity, maybe get an update through the Minister of Finance, an update from the Minister of ITI, what is the status of the Prosperous Lake boat launch and the Prelude Lake main docks expansion or boat launch project? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Minister Schumann.
Prosperous Lake boat launch. Prosperous Lake is in progress. Planning, design work is included; however, the project was tendered but bid prices were too high in 2018-2019. Infrastructure is working with engineering to reduce scope of work and to delete excess requirements from the design. I forget what his other one was, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister Schumann. Mr. Vanthuyne.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. For clarification, I believe it was similar work or boat docks or boat slips or what have you that we're being built at Prelude Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Minister Schuman.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Prelude Lake boat launch replacement carry-over was a change in scope being developed. Construction to commence in fall when boat launch is not in use. Could be tendered by mid-August, so I suspect that's already out for tender right now, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister Schumann. Any further questions from committee? Seeing none, I will call the page again. Tourism and parks, infrastructure investments, $3,102,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. We will now turn back to page 33. Total department, capital investments, $3,786,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Infrastructure, on page 39. We'll defer the department total until after consideration of the activity summaries starting on page 40. Infrastructure, asset management, infrastructure investments, $204,996,000, with information on pages 41 and 42. Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a question on the item highway culverts, bridges, and chipseal overlay on page 42, top of page 42. I'd like to ask the Minister if there is a plan to do a chipseal overlay on Highway No. 6? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Minister Schumann.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. In the 2020-2021 plan for chipseal is approximately 200 kilometres of chipseal in Highways No. 1, 6, and 4, and Detah access road. That's the amount of detail I have in front of me. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister Schumann. Mr. Beaulieu. No, next we have Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. On page 41, it says "community access road improvements." It says "various." Can the Minister elaborate further on this part, please? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister Schumann.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm just trying to find it here. Community access road.
Minister McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The GNWT highway network is expected twice yearly to confirm the status and condition of the network. The condition reports, along with information from daily operation and maintenance work and inspections, inform the development of Infrastructure's 20-year needs assessment and assist with the prioritization of projects proposed for capital investment across the GNWT. Over the past five years, surface and drainage improvements have been completed on the two highways totalling $1.27 million, and I think there was a question on the Sambaa K'e access road, as well.
The priority and continued investment in access roads is identified in the department of infrastructure transportation strategy 2020 as well as within the mandate of the 18th Assembly. New access roads, such as completed Canyon Creek access road and the proposed Mount Gaudet access road, are an example of recent development towards a broader strategy towards developing the Mackenzie Valley highway.
With respect to Sambaa K'e access road, since March 2019, the Department of Infrastructure has been working with the community of Sambaa K'e to reduce the grade on Paradise Hill to the Sambaa K'e access road through an annual O and M. I understand they stockpile material onsite so they're within the burn area. It could be between kilometres 70 and 100. It could be accessed. That's some of the information that we have there, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister McLeod. Would you like to add something?
We're good.
Thank you, Minister McLeod. Mr. Thompson.
In a community access road improvement, what are the projects that we are looking at? Are there other projects out there besides that? I know there are other access roads, but I'm just trying to figure out what access roads there are, because I know in Nahanni Butte, they are trying to straighten out that road, and they're working with a private contractor, another company, but also with the department in trying to do some training on that. I want to understand if that was part of this access program? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister McLeod.
