Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. This is another one where, as I understand it, there is some early-stage work that still has yet to be completed and, although the project is proceeding, again, I don't have a target date in front of me. I'll turn it to the Minister of ECE, if he has one available to him at this stage. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Minister of ECE.
Thank you. This school, we put it out for tender. All the bids came in quite a bit over-budget, so we tried to work with one of the proponents. There is still some distance there, so we are looking at next steps. We want to get this done, as well, so I don't have a target date right now. It is dependent upon some decisions that will be made in the coming weeks, hopefully. There are other entities involved. I'm sorry I'm being so vague about this, but really, that's where we are right now. Again, this is another school that is a priority for us. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Member.
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I guess just a general comment. I would love for us to get to the end of this Assembly and to be able to confidently say that every school in the Northwest Territories has running water, and I guess I look forward to the Minister's follow-up from his vague commitments. Thank you.
Thank you, Member. Minister of Finance.
I took that as a comment, Madam Chair. Thank you.
Any further questions? Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Just in regard to bringing it up, I'd like to thank my colleague from Yellowknife, here, who brought up Mangilaluk School. The target date, working with COVID-19, our communities are suffering with no employment, nothing going on. I really think this is a shovel-ready project, and I think this should be brought to FMB to get the extraordinary funds that are needed to work with the proponent to get this contract started this year. From what I've been told, the gap for funds, they're a little bit stretched, but with everything that's been going on with shovel-ready projects, the federal government stepping in to help assist us in regard to these projects, when does the Minister think that a target date? This school has been in the books since 2007, because I was the one who brought it up in this House. You have 35-plus staff who use one bathroom. That's unsanitary. It's almost like having a honey bucket. So I think they have to really work with the proponent. I want a target date, and I really am pushing that we need this project to go. Thank you, Madam Chair, and a target date from the Minister. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Certainly, I don't know that the federal government generally funds any sorts of school projects for us, which doesn't necessarily mean that the other comments are any less important or prescient regarding the needs of this school or the fact that it's been around and on the project plans for quite a long time. Certainly, at the very least, Madam Chair, before we're back in session, we will have a better plan. I don't know where we'll be at in terms of the project, but I can at least, at that point, report back, or the Minister of ECE will be able to report back and provide an update as to where this project is at. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to remind the Ministers, the next sitting date after we're done here is October 15th, and nothing is going to be happening in our ridings, because that's going to be freeze-up, and stuff like that. You can't do all the ground work that's needed to do the extension on that school. So, it being a shovel-ready project, why can't we go ahead with that project in regard to getting it started with the monies that we do have, the $12 million? Where does that come into play in regard to getting the foundation ready so we could be working this winter, potentially? Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Madam Chair. The Minister of Infrastructure feels a somewhat greater degree of confidence than I do that there are some relaxings in terms of the kinds of funding that might be available. So, again, at this point, not knowing myself what the shortfall is, not knowing the reasons for it, not knowing what stage we're at, I simply can't right now, at this point, say when it will necessarily come toward to FMB. In addition to which, obviously, it's not the Department of Finance who would be bringing it forward. It would be one of my colleagues. At the very least, I would commit to work with them to see where this is at, to see if we can at least provide some understanding and clarity for the Member as to where this project is at and whether or not it is going to be able to proceed this summer. Certainly, we should be able to get that answer.
Thank you, Minister. Member.
Thank you, Madam Chair. That being said, I am asking the Minister of ECE: when is he going to bring it to FMB for approval, for the monies needed to finish for the tender, for the company that they are working with? When? Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Minister of ECE.
Thank you. We are looking for additional funds. If we don't get those funds, we still have a school to build. We have to retender it, or I have to go to FMB to get some money. Those are decisions that I am going to make as soon as we find out if we can get some extra funds. Hopefully, that is within the coming weeks, but I can't say for sure. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Madam Chair. That being said, if we are going to bring this to FMB, I want a clear answer. When are we going to bring it forward to FMB for the funds, and then, two, has the company that has the contract been notified in regard to what's happening, in regard to this project on a go-forward? Again, I want to remind the Minister, and I want to remind all of my Cabinet colleagues over on this side of the House, that it is okay to drop everything and give everything to Yellowknife, and I don't mean to say that. I don't use that term lightly. Everything has been given. They are getting all the money. It's just, like, a drop in the bucket. When it comes to something like this, it's probably going to cost an extra $4 million. Where is it? People in my community, in my riding, need that school done. You have $12 million right here. I know there's a shortfall. I know the bid number. I want to make sure that the Minister could bring it forward to FMB for an answer. Thank you.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Madam Chair, FMB will sit on an emergency basis if it needs to, as it has been throughout the last several months as we have been dealing with COVID-19. That won't change in the next couple of months. As the Minister of ECE has already noted, there needs to be determination within the department whether or not they need to come back to FMB for money or whether they can find other sources of funding. I am confident in relying on what the Minister of ECE has said, that as soon as they have made that decision, if they need to come to FMB, we don't need a lot of turnaround. There won't be any internal delays in terms of bringing it forward if that's the direction that it needs to go.
Again, Madam Chair, I have at least committed that I am conscious that it's June. If we're going to have a project happen this summer, we need to give those answers soon, very soon, and I have committed to at least that much. I will be able to say one way or the other whether this will proceed this summer or not. The Minister of ECE will work out where they are going to get their funding, and then they will be able to provide that answer as to whether it is happening this summer or not. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to bring it again. I really encourage my ECE Minister to bring this forward to FMB to try to find the extra funds that are needed. I am not going to use COVID-19. We can't use it for an excuse. I know that we are busy with it; we have all been busy. We need work in our communities, bottom line. That's going to create 40 to 50 jobs, take people off income support. It has a rippling effect right across the whole board, in regard to people able to pay their bills. If they could make sure that they bring it to FMB and give it a good, honest shot, I would appreciate that. People in my riding in Tuktoyaktuk need that school to be fixed. It's an older school, like I said, unsanitary for my teachers. I really encourage my Minister to bring it forward to FMB. The sooner, the better. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member for Nunakput. I will take that as a comment. Did you have any further questions for the Minister?
Yes. Get my school. Thank you.
Again, another comment. Are there any further comments on page 8? If there are no further comments, does committee agree to move to the detail contained in the tabled document?
Agreed.
2020-2021 Supplementary Estimates No. 2 (Infrastructure Expenditures), Department of Education, Culture and Employment, capital investment expenditure, culture, heritage and languages, not previously authorized, $574,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Early childhood and school services, not previously authorized, $13,941,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Labour development and advanced education, not previously authorized, $86,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Total department, not previously authorized, $14,601,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. Please turn to page 9. I will now open the floor to general comments on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, capital investment expenditures. Are there any questions or comments to this page? There are no comments. Does committee agree to proceed to the detail contained in the tabled document?
Agreed.
2020-2021 Supplementary Estimates No. 2 (Infrastructure Expenditures), Department of Environment and Natural Resources, capital investment expenditures, environmental protection and waste management, not previously authorized, $210,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Forest management, not previously authorized, $1,389,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Wildlife and fish, not previously authorized, $944,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Total department, not previously authorized, $2,543,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Please turn to page 10. Committee, I will now open the floor to general comments on the Department of Finance, capital investment expenditures. Are there any questions or comments? Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I see $2.4 million for Secure Image Management System upgrade. Can the Minister explain to me what that is? Thank you, Madam Chair.
