Sorry. Member for Frame Lake.
Thanks, Madam Chair. Can someone tell me what the status of the Inuvik wind project is? Thanks, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Just recently, the GNWT did respond to a third information request from the Gwich'in Land and Water Review Board. With that process still actively underway, that's the stage of things, but it is hoped, as I understand, that permits are going to be issued, and that that process is reaching a point of completion such that it could still be en route to getting started or actually completed by the fall of 2021. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Member.
Thanks, Madam Chair. Can I just get a little bit of clarity around who actually owns the land that this project is supposed to be built on? What's the arrangement? Thanks, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I am not sure if perhaps the Minister of Infrastructure has that detail. I don't have it in front of me. Perhaps, if I could turn to him, please, Madam Chair.
You are pointing to the Minister of Lands. Minister of Lands.
Thank you, Madam Chair. It's the Government of the Northwest Territories. It's a reserve, and we're working with Indigenous governments on that piece of land right now. It's a reindeer reserve, and we're working with Indigenous governments on that project. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Member.
Thanks, Madam Chair. I don't need this now, but can I get a commitment out of the Minister of Lands to give us a briefing note about the status of the project and the land tenure for it, and whether this is going through an environmental assessment, that kind of thing? There's a lot of finger pointing going on on the other side. I don't really care which Minister provides it as long as we get an update, a briefing note on it. That will be helpful. Thanks, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member. Minister of Lands.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes. I will be working with the Minister of Infrastructure on this, and we'll provide a briefing note to committee, SCEDE, on it. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Are there any further questions on page 7? Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Marsi cho, Madam Chair. Just taking a quick look at that line item, Northwest Territories Power Corporation hydro upgrades, it says, various, $4.9 million. Can I get the Minister responsible just to give us a quick breakdown on which of these various projects are they referring to in this line item? Marsi cho.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. There are two projects here. There's the Taltson Hydroelectric upgrade as well as the Snare Ports upgrade. I'm not sure if the Member wants further detail than that. I'll certainly turn it back over to the Minister responsible for the Power Corporation.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Marsi cho, Madam Chair. Yes. For my riding, I'd like to have a little breakdown for the Taltson, just to see how that is being allocated. Marsi cho.
Thank you, Member. Minister responsible for the NWT Power Corporation.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, we will get that complete breakdown for the Member.
Thank you, Minister. Are there any further questions on page 7? Seeing none, does committee agree to proceed to the detail contained in the tabled document?
Agreed.
Department of Infrastructure, operations expenditures, programs and services, not previously authorized, $31,564,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Total department, not previously authorized, $31,931,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Please turn to page 8. I will now open the floor to general comments on the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, capital investment expenditures. Are there any questions or comments? Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Would this be the appropriate place to ask specifically about things contained under the early childhood and schools services section?
Yes. Member.
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I'm just wondering if one of the Ministers can identify: under here, we have a boiler replacement, and it was brought to my attention in 2019 that there was a boiler replacement that was paid for directly by the school, so I'm just wondering when does the GNWT cover the cost, and when is the school board expected to cover the cost? Thank you.
Thank you, Member. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Madam Chair. In Yellowknife, sometimes there are some schools that are owned by the education authority, and there are some schools that are owned by ECE. ECE covers the cost when it's an ECE asset, and the authority covers the cost when it's an authority asset. However, there are times when ECE might have, I won't say money lying around, but does have some funds that they could put towards these to assist the education bodies, and so, when that's the case, then we do our best to help them so that they can use their surplus on education. So I guess the answer is it depends. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I agree with the Minister that any surplus should be spent to the best of a school board's ability on education. It must be difficult for school boards to plan when it's on a case-by-case basis. I guess: how does ECE do its best to ensure that that money is being distributed equitably throughout schools in the Northwest Territories that may not be a GNWT asset? Thank you.
Thank you, Member. Minister of ECE.
Thank you. There's a lot of work done. There is constant collaboration and communication between ECE and the education authorities, and ECE does their best to know the state of all the different schools and what might be coming down the pike, and Infrastructure plays a big role, as well. You know, we rely on their expertise, so it really is a collaborative effort, trying to figure out what is an emergency, what needs to be done, where can we help, what are the surpluses like in each education authority, there are a lot of different factors, but it's not like there's a ton of money that's just floating around that we can throw at these different projects, and we have favourites. It really is a case-by-case basis, and it depends. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. My next question is in regard to the Colville Lake School replacement. I'm wondering if the Minister could potentially give us some more information on that one, because I see that it's definitely not an entire school replacement, so I'm just kind of curious as to the details of what is being replaced. We've all heard about the school in Colville Lake, how they don't have running water, and it's 2020 and I think that every school, especially in COVID times, needs to have running water, and so I'm just wondering what replacements are happening in Colville Lake School. Thank you.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Madam Chair, I think this is part of a planning stage, but I can turn it back. The Minister of ECE is nodding at me that this is at a planning stage, so there is still an intention, ultimately, to move this project forward, but for now, this is the geotechnical work that is being done in the background. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Member.
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Is there an expected deadline for this school to be complete and open? Thank you.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Madam Chair, I don't know. I don't have a target date in front of me. I'm not sure if the Minister of ECE has that available.
Minister of ECE.
Thank you. No, there is no target date, and that's because we've been approached by the community to try and partner on the school and perhaps do things a little bit differently and, given the mandate of this Assembly that we want to do this differently, we're exploring that option. So it's not a straight-ahead GNWT build. We're trying to work with the Indigenous government and find a way forward. There's not much more I can say at this point, because that's really where we are, is really in the early stages, but this school is a priority. I heard about it during the entire last Assembly, and things haven't gotten any better, so this is a priority for myself and my department. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Member.
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. No, I'm very happy to hear that from the Minister. I'm also wondering, in regard to the Mangilaluk School renovation and addition in Tuktoyaktuk, what the timeline is on that school being complete. Thank you.
