Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to talk about mining but in a different context. This question would be for the Minister of ITI, and I would ask the Premier not to jump up and try and answer. Can the Minister of ITI provide an update on where the department is with providing toilet facilities for truckers and visitors travelling Highways No. 1 and 3 as fuel and freight is heading to the mines? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.
Mr. Speaker, I read quick, but I don't read that quick. As it is, Mr. Speaker, the Member had asked me this question, or I think I had overheard him asking this question to the Premier, and so I have gone of my devices to inquire with the departments. Mr. Speaker, I can assure the Member there is a plan. I don't have the details in front of me fast enough to read it, but there is a plan. We are going to work with Infrastructure in order to ensure that the toilets and outhouses are being cleaned regularly. I will provide the details of that plan to the Member in writing, Mr. Speaker.
This comes up year after year. I am sure that, next year, we won't have to have this discussion because there will be a plan in place. I hope that, every time the Minister walks by a washroom, she thinks about it. I thank her for her answer.
I also don't want to have to answer questions about outhouses for rest of our tenure here. As I said, I know that Infrastructure and ITI have been working together for years. It's not a new problem. It has become acute, given what's happening with COVID-19 and some of the restrictions put on those who are such a critical part of our supply chain. I can assure the Member they are being cleaned every two weeks. We are looking at whether or not that needs to be increased. Again, as I said, with COVID-19, I have had it confirmed to me that we are going to have, between ITI and Infrastructure, an assessment done on patrolling the facilities to ensure that they are maintained to the standard that they should be for their use.
The type of facilities we have, I think, are inadequate. It just seems to be in January, February, and March, when the trucking season and material and fuel is going into the mines. Just to show some respect to the people who are travelling the highways and trying to provide us with the services that we need is to look at a different type of facility that actually has some heat in it and has somebody cleaning it, as well, on a daily basis. I would ask the Minister to commit to at least taking a look at some other options that we could possibly use that would make it a little more comfortable for the people using them.
As it turns out, some work has been done in that regard. A permanent heated type of facility would be about $150,000 per unit, and we have right now about 10 pullouts from the border to Yellowknife. We are looking at $1.5 million, Mr. Speaker, which may not seem significant, but is not insignificant and would certainly have to go through the budget planning process. Whether there are other options, I will certainly inquire to see the extent of the inquiries that we have made and whether there is anything else that can be done. Not to make light of the whole situation, these people are working in our supply chain. They are providing an essential service. I certainly do take seriously that they need to have a dignified way of doing this essential work that we are asking them to do.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to hear the answers. I look forward to, going forward, what the department comes up with. It's not just for truckers. When we are finished with COVID, we are going to have visitors up here, and we get the same complaints during the summer time. We just have to look at a better way of handling it. Whether we need one at every pullout, I'm not sure. I'm not sure how often people have to go to the washroom. I'm sure not too many times between the border and Yellowknife. Whatever works, I am willing to listen to solutions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Again, this is another time where this is a whole-of-government approach. We have ITI that does the wayside parks and Infrastructure that does the highway pullouts. Again, we are conscious that there needs to be a solution, and it needs to be ready and in place before the season begins so that we are not having to have this conversation every budget session in January or February. I will certainly commit to the fact that the plan can be laid out a little more clearly, and we will make sure to do that, as I say, well in advance of the season of next year. In the meantime, regular cleaning every two weeks, regular monitoring by one or the other department, we'll sort that out, will be happening. If, in fact, there are truckers or others trying to use the facilities in the next while and they are having difficulty, to the extent that it's because of COVID-19, there are 811 numbers, and to the extent that it's other matters, we certainly will take those inquiries and figure out a solution. They are essential workers. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
