Thank you. I'm going to go back to the Member from YK Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Can the Minister provide that detail to committee?
Yes, before I go to the Minister, just remind Members to say thank you. I'm going to go to the Minister of Finance.
Mr. Chair, I'm sure that the Department of ITI would be happy to provide a briefing on their film strategy. I think they've seen some successes with it. Thank you.
Thank you. I'll go to the Member of YK Centre.
Yes. Well, I don't want to take it on behalf of committee but I'm sure we won't refuse if they offer. The other thing on this section is can I get some breakdown as to further understanding as what the $1 million is targeted to? Now, I see it's attached to provide funding for businesses impacted by the 2023 fire. Can we get some breakdown, further elaboration as to how that's intended or directed? Thank you.
Thank you. I'm going to go to the Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So this is part of a funding program that ITI rolled out in support of small business small, medium sized businesses following the wildfire seasons. There was a total relief of $2 million. This portion appropriates or is a requesting to appropriate an amount that came in from CanNor. It provided support to help cover fixed costs, which would include things, for instance, like rents or, you know, utilities, items and the like, and that went through an approval process with ITI. Thank you.
Thank you. I want to go to the Member from YK Centre.
Just confirming this is new money, not replacement of some sort. That was a question.
Thank you. We'll go to the Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. It was this is a new $1 million that came in from CanNor to support the wildfire relief efforts for businesses. Thank you.
Thank you. I'll go to the Member from YK Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just to confirm, is this new money for people to apply for, or is the application process closed and this is an opportunity to backfill some outstanding applications?
Thank you. The Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I don't know if the process is if it's formally closed or not. I know that there were there was a suggestion that each region had individuals that were accepting applications. And I don't know if it was time limited per se, but it was there were eligibility elements to it that were under that's right, there was an additional SEED directive. So if individuals wanted to have a look back at the SEED directive, that would provide the full eligibility requirements as they apply from those who may have been affected in the summer. Thank you.
Thank you. I'll go to the Member from YK Centre.
Can I get some confirmation from the department it's not an overspent program and we're looking at ways to sort of help fill some gaps. It's similar to the original question, but it sounds like they're still taking applications but if there's no money, why are we taking applications. So I just need some clarity. Thank you.
Thank you. I'll go to the Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, I am just trying to confirm if there was I believe under the SEED directive it would be sorry, it's a SEED directive, and it's still open and available until March 31st of this year. Thank you.
Thank you. I'll go to the Member from YK Centre.
Thank you. So we're still taking money, but we don't have any money in the program? Or sorry, we're still taking applications, but we don't have money in the program; is that currently correct at this very moment?
Thank you. I want to go to the Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. This is the appropriation of the federal dollars. So any time the federal government signs an agreement or provides funding to the Government of the Northwest Territories, we still have to come forward even if we are, you know, open to signing the agreement, we still have to come forward to the Legislative Assembly to actually appropriate that money so that it can then go to the department. I mean, it goes back to the earlier conversation about shortterm debt. Until the money gets appropriated in, you know, we have to come here formally and make an adjustment to the main estimates to say the federal government has come forward with funding, it needs to be formally appropriated on the floor. That's what this process is. So this is federal dollars that came from CanNor to supplement the SEED directive. This is an attempt to have the House approve that funding so that it can go to the SEED directive that was specifically stood up in support of businesses after the wildfires. Thank you.
Thank you. I'm going to go to the Member from YK Centre.
So just a and I understand that. I just it sounds like at one way that there's money already committed to this initiative and this is just backfilling it in some way. And so that's why I'm curious on how the process is working specifically to this because if people are interested in sorry, I wouldn't use interest. I'd say if people still need support and if the program is still open or not open, if it's receiving money or it's spent or they're backfilling or overspent, that's the type of clarification I'm trying to (audio). So if there's still room for applications, I think I sort of heard that, and I also think I sort of heard that one needs to apply through SEED. If I'm incorrect, the Minister's certainly welcome to fix that. Thank you.
Thank you. I'm going to go to the Minister of Finance.
There we go. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I've lost my train of thought with all the physical activity there. But so it is a SEED program. There's a SEED directive that was issued back in the summer. The SEED directive provides details on eligibility and application process. I believe the application form is online if I'm not mistaken. And that application and that SEED directive is effective until March 31st of this year. This is the first chance given the election for us to come forward and seek a supplementary appropriation for funding that would have been received from CanNor. The Department of ITI went to CanNor during the wildfire evacuations to seek their support to enhance the funding that would be available under this envelope. They were successful. This is where that brings us to today. Thank you.
Thank you. I'm going to the Member from YK Centre.
No, I'm okay, Mr. Chairman. I just was just trying to follow the money. Thank you.
Is there any further questions from Members? I don't see none, I'm going to Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 4, 20232024, Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, economic diversification and business support, not previously authorized $1,308,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Supplementary estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 4, 20232024, Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, mineral and petroleum resources, not previously authorized $127,000. Is there any questions? None. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 4, 20232024, Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, total department, not previously authorized $1,435,000. Is there any questions? Don't see any, does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Committee, we will now consider the Department of Infrastructure on page 11.
Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 4, 20232024, Department of Infrastructure, assets management, not previously authorized $6,128,000. Is there any questions? So I'm going to go to the Member from Great Slave.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Can the Minister please tell committee how much is partially offset by CIRNAC? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I'll go to the Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. At this stage, there's $3 million that's coming from CIRNAC to support phase one of this work. Thank you.
Go to the Member of Great Slave.
Thank you.
Any further questions? None. I'll read it out again.
Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 4, 20232024, Department of Infrastructure, assets and management, not previously authorized $6,128,000. I didn't see you. Member from YK North.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So this is the harbour restoration. My understanding is that this work has been the first phase of harbour restoration, which implies more phases to come in the future. Is there an estimate of what upcoming costs will be for future phases of this project? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Go to Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So phase one is opening up really what was a bit of an emergency level or emergency sized channel for first year. That would help get the barge traffic moving again. So it's been many years that there has not been an adequate level of support for the harbour. Back in 2012, Public Works and Services of Canada was actually providing a lot more support so that their own kibscar facility vessels could actually maneuver as well as Department of Fisheries and Oceans. That stopped, and then as a result, the harbour built back up. So it became a bit of an emergency, and that was what was phase one. But phase two is to remove remaining buildup materials over four years in order to support the longevity of the harbour. The total project estimate at this time that I have is just other $13 million with some additional supports anticipated by CIRNAC. But, you know, again, at this point, for 20242025, we'll see what where that may land us. Thank you.
Thank you. I'll go to the Member from YK North.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just to wrap up on that one, I just want to emphasize how important I think it is to plan ahead and ensure we have proper funding to do these projects when they need to be done and not wait until something is in an emergency state before we, you know, try to fix it and we're always behind the 8 ball and usually things cost more at that point and have become more dire. So I'm hopeful in the case of this project that we will get ahead of it and plan ahead and do what needs to be done to ensure the harbour is restored. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I'll take that as a comment. I'm going to continue on. Is there any further questions? Member from the Sahtu.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. And thanks to my colleague there from Yellowknife North for asking the same questions here. I'm living downstream so I'm a little bit behind. So I'm glad my colleague's raising the same questions. I am concern is very important to the sailing seasons coming up. And I'm extremely glad that there's a multiyear program in place here to continue dredging and restoration of the harbour. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
