Thank you. Minister for Infrastructure.
Thank you, Madam Chair. The Arctic Energy Alliance receives about $2.74 million in core ongoing funding from the GNWT. So the funding supports alternative energy and efficiency programs as well as for our six regional offices, which is Yellowknife, Hay River, Inuvik, Norman Wells, Whati, and Fort Simpson.
So last year, the GNWT provided over $5.2 million. So, I mean, core funding for this year, for 20212022, is about including LSAP is $6.6 million. I understand where the Member's coming from in terms of, you know, perhaps the projects, given the uptake in the amount of assistance that we're giving, that this is something that we're able to work with Canada on. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Great Slave.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm just also looking at these in the same area, the energy efficiency incentive program. It's at a hundred thousand. At one point, we had given $200,000 there. I'm just wondering if that's a COVID spike, or if we're looking to put more money here in coming years. Thank you.
Thank you. Minister of Infrastructure.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Is the Member speaking about our CAP program? No.
Did you want to clarify, Member for Great Slave?
The energy efficiency incentive program. Thank you.
Thank you. Minister of Infrastructure.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm going to see if Mr. Jenkins can speak a little bit more about it.
Thank you. Mr. Jenkins.
Yes, thank you Madam Chair. This is one we're allowed to go back and probably provide followup in terms of the $200,000 there on that program.
Minister.
Thank you for that. So funding will be provided to be able to align with an update on that program as needed. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Great Slave.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Does that mean that the department would be looking to come back for more money from us, or would be looking to find that money internally? Thank you.
Thank you. Minister of Infrastructure.
Madam Chair, no.
Thank you. Member for Great Slave.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I asked an either/or question, not a yes or no. So will you be coming back for more money from us?
Minister.
Madam Chair, so we'll find that capacity internally. So we'll look within our department. Thanks.
Thank you. Member for Great Slave.
Thank you, Madam Chair. And since the Minister brought it up, I'll ask around the CAP program, the community access program. I see that there is more money here than there was in the 20202021 Actuals, which is a great. Do we expect that this program will be fully subscribed. And if it is and there's more asks, will we be finding more money for it? Thank you.
Thank you. Minister of Infrastructure.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, the CAP program provides about $1.5 million in financial contributions and technical assistance, and I don't need to remind the Member what areas of assistance we provide. So the upcoming year, a total of 18 projects in 15 communities across the territory have been approved for about $1.45 million. The project proposals are accepted twice a year. Again, it's proposed so we encourage communities to be able to submit proposals. And the sooner the better. I mean, we try and ensure that a lot of these programs are done equally across the territories. It is application on annual. And, you know, some of the things that we look at, and just I think this is good information for the communities, are things like the merit of the project proposal, the level of community support that's included in the proposal, and whether sufficient funds are remaining in the budget. Right now, I do want to say that this program is fully subscribed. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Member for Great Slave.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm glad to hear that it's fully subscribed and the Minister's support of it.
How much does the department work with the communities to help them prepare those proposals? You know, we often hear about the capacity issues. So it's one thing if they're having to write the federal government for money but then we're even making them write proposals to us. So I just want to know how much the department helps with that? Thank you.
Thank you. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I'm going to ask Mr. Jenkins to be able to speak on I mean, he's in charge of the department and knows what the capacity is and be able to see how our department assists, because I think that's a very important question. Thank you.
Thank you. Mr. Jenkins.
Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. So we do have a staff person who works with communities in terms of applications. Also obviously we have regional superintendents, you know, across the territory that talk to communities, really to make sure that they're aware of sort of the deadlines, the application process. You know, and we were pretty successful this year. We had 18 projects in 15 communities in the summer and we had 12 projects in 12 communities in the winter. So again, it's roughly around $1.5 million. You know, the projects are approved for a certain amount. Sometimes money comes back because not all the funds are expended. But it's been a very successful program. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Member for Great Slave.
Thank you, Madam Chair. And, yeah, I think I've said it often that I support getting as much money into the communities to do their projects as possible and at their direction.
I guess my last question's just around the Tulita Solar Project. Well, I understand why there's no money there now; the project is complete. I'm just curious to know if the department is looking at another community in order to expand or create this type of program somewhere else. And I do believe there was also community training that was involved with this program with technicians. So it's another great way to increase community employment while reducing emissions and hydrocarbon impacts. Thank you.
Thank you. Minister of Infrastructure.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I'm going to my understanding is that we're not, but I just want to get clarification from the department to ensure that what I'm saying is, indeed, correct. So Mr. Brennan.
Thank you. ADM Brennan.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Yeah, so the Tulita project is obviously finished, and at this time the department is not really looking at the program, although we do have some federal funding under the ICIP program, which we've went into communities for some calls on. There was some discussions with I do believe it was the community of Fort Good Hope and then they went and sought some funding on their own, and I think right now they're working on it by themselves. So at this time while we don't have any projects or programs in place, there is some ICIP funding that could be utilized if a community was interested there. So, yeah, thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Member for Great Slave.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I did say that that was my last question but I did spur something that I thought of.
I'm just wondering, I've heard about the thermal anomaly around the Deh Cho area, and I'm just wondering if the department is looking at that potentially for any sort of heating or power source in that region. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Minister of Infrastructure.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I've not heard about that. You know, and I know in the Deh Cho we're looking at the transmission line, but I mean, that's another subject. I'm going to look at Mr. Jenkins to see if he has anything that I'm not aware of in terms of, you know, projects in the region. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Mr. Jenkins.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I believe that the Member may be referring to geothermal heat, the use of geothermal heat.
There is a project that's been work done on, research done on, in just near Fort Liard in terms of geothermal heat and sort of really just trying to understand the resource and would it be viable, really is the point that we're at. But there's been some work that's been done on that project. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess the first question is with respect to Arctic Energy Alliance, and I see that the funds there have been pretty stagnant there over the years. And I was just for new initiatives, one thing that somebody brought to my attention, I guess with the rising price of fuel for vehicles and that, is and which isn't on the list, is motorized bicycles which allow you to you know, to ride the bike and then coast for a while. Is there any chance of something like that being added? Thank you.
Thank you. Minister of Infrastructure.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I'm going to ask the department if this is something that, you know, we can look at. I mean, right now within some of our funding programs that align with some of the Arctic Energy Alliance projects, things like the vehicles, a number of other programs. So I'm going to see if perhaps Mr. Jenkins has anything to add in terms of I mean, great idea. You see it all over the other places in the world. So I just want to see if that's something that's doable. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Mr. Jenkins.
Thank you, Madam Chair. So a great question. We did work with the Arctic Energy Alliance to launch a pilot program for electric vehicles in 2020, and we've had some good success with that. So, you know, something for us to go back and talk with Arctic Energy Alliance about, other modes of transportation that are supported through batteries and electric vehicles. So something for us to take back and consider. But we have had good success with that electric vehicle rebate program so far. Thank you, Madam Chair.
