Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Given the Minister's recent visit along with her senior management to the Taltson Dam site, does the Minister agree that this expansion project is one of the most important pieces of infrastructure for the future of the NWT economy? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Minister of Infrastructure.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I agree. This is a priority of the 19th Legislative Assembly because it's a critical piece of infrastructure. The Taltson expansions is critical to the future of the economy of the Northwest Territories and also to be able to meet some of our greenhouse gas reduction targets. We remain committed to advancing this project and also working with Indigenous partners to explore some economic development and job creation opportunities. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
I know the Minister has seen the trends within the automobile industry regarding electric vehicles and the future. Does the Minister consider this economic trend as a key indicator for the importance of this expansion project?
Yes; another yes. Growth in electric vehicles has been considered in the business case. We all know that we need to be able to head towards electrification of the economy to be able to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions but also to stay competitive. The best way to be able to do this is through renewable hydro power such as the Taltson expansion.
Does the Minister agree with the need to supply energy to the information technology and digital economies of the future? Does the Minister consider these as essential factors for the business case for this project?
While the information technology and digital economies were not specifically considered in this business case, as I said, we need renewable power to green industry and electrify our economy. We also need to be able to attract green investment in mining and also reduce some of our greenhouse gas emissions.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Thebacha.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I hope I get a yes on the last one, too. I want the Minister to understand that, to prepare for the Taltson expansion, the superintendent must be reinstated in a central office in Fort Smith with proper office support and the lines must be under that superintendent. Would the Minister consider this? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The Taltson expansion project is in the business case, like I just said, development phase. This work is led by the Department of Finance with support from the Department of Infrastructure. The GNWT and the Indigenous government partners have established a working group and have actively engaged in the scoping and the development of the proposed Taltson hydro expansion project and also exploring options for a business partnership. I think the Member will be happy to hear that. I also relayed to the community members that, should the expansion project proceed through the business development phase, NTPC will consider what impact this will have on staffing for the region. Further to this, with my NTPC and Infrastructure hat on, NTPC regional offices are staffed by employees from a cross-section of divisions, with some reporting to supervisors who may not be based in their communities. The crew line is one example where safety, efficiency, and availability of resources uses this structure, which is considered best practice in the utility industry. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
