Mr. Chair, I move that this committee defer further consideration of the estimates for the Department of Health and Social Services at this time. Mahsi, Mr. Chair.
Mahsi. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour? All of those opposed? Abstentions? The motion is carried.
Carried
Thank you, committee. Is committee prepared to move on to the next department? Agreed?
Agreed
Thank you to the Minister and her staff. Sergeantatarms, please escort the witnesses from the Chamber. Mahsi.
Committee, we have agreed to consider Tabled Document 72319(2), Capital Estimates 20232024 for the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment. Does the Minister of ITI wish to bring witnesses into the Chamber.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Sergeantatarms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber.
Minister, please introduce your witnesses.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, on my left, I have the deputy minister Pamela Strand. On my right, Nina Salvador is director of finance.
Committee has agreed to forego general comments. Does the committee agree to proceed to the detail contained in the tabled document?
Agreed.
Mahsi. Committee, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment begins on page 46. We will defer the departmental totals and review the estimates by activity summary beginning at page 48 with minerals and petroleum resources, with information item on page 49. Any questions from committee? Mr. Johnson.
Thank you I see we have $100,000 for the mineral and administration and registry system, also known as the MARS system. I believe this is the software necessary to give us online map staking the minute the regulations are in force. Can I get, well, get confirmation that that's true and when we can expect to have online map staking.
Mahsi. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, that is, indeed, correct that that is part of what MARS will be doing, is creating the parameters by which there can be online map staking. It is also part of the platform that will allow for applications and submissions to occur online, for map viewing online, data analysis, a 24/7 availability. So it's more than just the online map staking. And it is tied, indeed, to the regulations. They're being built together so that those who are developing the platform know what it is that they are being asked to develop.
At this point, we're I'd like to suggest we if I could have another few more months to answer the question, and the reason I say that in terms of timeline is that by the spring, we'll have a better sense of the timing on some of the relevant regulations and their contents and can then potentially making decisions on what could be done to accelerate the delivery on the online map staking. But, yes, looking for June 2023 to have an update on a final go live date. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mahsi. Mr. Johnson.
Thank you. I'm sure I'll ask this question a couple more times to make sure that's all on track and we can, you know, finally be the well, get have every jurisdiction in Canada have online map staking.
I see you're asking for $100,000. I'm assuming that this system costs a lot more than that. I mean, it would be nice if it didn't. But can someone give me the estimated total cost for the mineral administration registry system? Thank you.
Minister. Mr. Chair, let me just direct that over to the deputy minister, please. Thank you.
Deputy minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So the MARS project is not just what you see in the capital estimates right there. It's a $4.2 million program that's over three years. So the subsequent year also has a very significant number. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mahsi for that. Mr. Johnson.
Thank you. Yeah, okay, I see that. So we spent $2 million on it last year, then it's presumably next fiscal we'll spend another $2 million or so to get us there. Can I just get a bit more information on this? Have we secured a tender for it? Is someone who's building us this, or yeah, I don't know where you actually go to buy a minerals registry system. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mahsi. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So there yes, you can actually go out and buy these kind of systems, but it's certainly not a small procurement that takes place. Right at this point it is internal, and so that's where you recall that there were transfers as between the Department of Finance, which is where ISSS, Information and Shared System Services resides, over to ITI so that internal work by GNWT public servants can take place. It will ultimately go out for contracting so that it can go to someone to an entity that is specialized in the delivery of the construction of a program like this. And, yes, I think that's the answer. Sorry, Mr. Chair. Thanks.
Mahsi. Mr. Johnson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yeah, I guess just my last question is there any chance that the feds will give us any money for this? You know, maybe it seems like something CanNor would be interested in. It certainly will have a big economic impact on our minerals industry. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I mean, Mr. Chair, at this point I don't have I mean, this is, right now, the budget that we have here is already underway. So I can't say that I've received any particular money from the feds on this particular project. Now that said, you know, to the extent that there's yes yes, at this point, Mr. Chair, that's not where the funding is coming from. So thanks. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mahsi for that. Any further questions from committee? Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. So I think I heard a few things that I just want to understand a bit better. So is there more money, then, that's required to go to MARS on 20242025; is that correct? Thanks.
This is getting interesting. We're talking about MARS and international space stations. Minister.
Mr. Chair, I'd suggest I'll direct it to the director of finance, please.
Director of finance.
Mr. Chair, we have a $1.4 million budget for MARS in 20242025. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mahsi. Mr. O'Reilly.
Okay, thanks for that. And so who's done the work then for the $2.176 million in 20222023; who's doing that work now? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Mahsi. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, again, Mr. Chair, some of the work that's occurring a lot of the work that's occurring has, indeed, been done through GNWT's public service. There are also some contracts with the entity that's responsible for LTOS platform, the Spatial Dimension Canada, which is involved there. I can't I don't have in front of me whether or not that's the entire amount that was referenced by the Member. But those would be the way that the money has gone, as I've said again, that there's the both internal funding that's been used for our own staff as well as for, again, the trimble which is through Spatial Dimension Canada doing LT2 the LTOS portion. Thank you.
Mahsi. Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. So can I get a breakdown from the Minister of who's done what and how much it's cost us for this project and right through to the end of it if there needs to be projections. Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, let me I'll certainly take that commitment away and just confirm that I am able to, to the extent to which we can break it down and that there's no running up against any procurement concerns. But subject to that, I will provide that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mahsi. Mr. O'Reilly.
Yeah, thanks. And if the Minister needs to stamp "confidential" all over it, I'll still be interested in seeing it.
So when this thing is finished, how much is it going to cost us in terms of O and M on an annual basis? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm not sure that we would necessarily have a final on that at this point. I mean, the system hasn't even been designed yet. So I mean, I can only speak to it from the perspective of knowing what happens over with ISSS that there certainly is some O and M that is associated with big technical projects. But, again, at this point, we don't even have the system actually designed. So it's premature for me to take an estimate. Thank you.
Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. So is this thing going to be run on a costrecovery basis? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, determining any associated fees with the new Mineral Resources Act and the various processes therein, then obviously determining the cost associated is part of the development. So point taken, that we could consider if cost recovery is feasible. Thank you.
