Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As followup there to the cancellation of yesterday's disturbing news beyond our control, the cancellation of the MTS barging schedule. To answer some of the many questions that I've been getting so far is to get a grasp on how much cargo is sitting at the Hay River terminal destined for the Sahtu, and my question to the Minister of Infrastructure is if I can get that information to help and assist in providing options of shipment to the requests that I'm getting. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from the Sahtu. Minister of Infrastructure.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, and firstly, absolutely happy to provide a more detailed inventory not on the floor of the House. I've already committed that our officials from the Department of Infrastructure would be reaching out to regional leadership, regional SAOs to have sort of technical conversation and at then looking forward to having a chance directly to speak with leadership and with the MLA.
At this point, the information we have is that there actually is only a small amount of cargo at the MTS shipping yard, no doubt owing to communications we've put out earlier about, you know, being aware that we were really watching and monitoring water levels. At this point, the options would be either to leave that cargo for arrangements on the winter road or to you know, to look to have it shipped up in some other capacity, particularly by going over the top which is maybe not the easiest at this point. But they can leave it there, or they could certainly leave it for next year. So that will depend on each customer and on what they have. Again, right now, there's not a whole lot there. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thanks to the Minister for that availability.
My next question is, will the Department of Infrastructure, MTS, be working with, say, Water Surveys Canada to analyze the depths of water between the Dempster Highway and the community of Fort Good Hope to get an analystic ease of comfort if there is water levels there to support the tug boats needed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Fort Good Hope is still on track and fully expected to receive their barging services coming down from the top. So at this point and we do work the Department of Infrastructure and ECE and their hydrologists do connect and receive water reports regularly, so I could certainly perhaps share that. That might provide some additional comfort to the MLA. And, again, through the leadership channels that was mentioned earlier to ensure that everyone's aware of what we're monitoring, what's able. But at this moment, the information I have fresh off of the moment is that, indeed, the Fort Good Hope shipment is expected to be on track. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My last question to the Minister is if she can cooperate with my office and identify or developing a protocol of communications for the customers in Fort Good Hope and south of the two sets of rapids, Norman Wells and the community of Tulita, on working with a communique with the air barge company. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am aware of the air barge offers that are out there. Again, it is a private company that is offering those services. So where and how exactly that might fit into a government communication, I want to be just a bit cautious on. That said, I know the MLA's office and my office worked together this past winter when we were adjusting the winter road season as well as when we were adjusting to fly fuel into some communities when there were some shortages owing to last year's challenges. So both of those occasions, those types of pathways actually worked very well, and I heard that ultimately the winter road season, because of the communications, was very successful, residents saw that they had their concerns addressed. So very happy to do that again. It worked well once, twice, and will certainly work well again a third time. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister for Infrastructure. Oral questions. Member from the Deh Cho.
