Agreed.
Thank you. Moving on to regional operations beginning on page 284 with information items on page 286. Are there any questions? I'm going to go to the Member from Great Slave.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. And just so the Minister knows, I'm going to ask her this every year. Will the Minister please consider opening the DMV in Yellowknife on Saturdays? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.
I suppose someone has to ask it, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the issues surrounding there -- yes, with respect to more ensuring that we have staff available to undertake that request, and I can take it back away and look again at what some of those challenges at staffing were. What we have done and continue to do, Mr. Chair, is that there are more and more services coming available for E-services. I recognize before I even turn this back over that some folks will not be able to access E-services or won't be comfortable with E-services, but that certainly is an area that is taking a lot of the pressure off of the in-person times that are available. So thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I'll go to the Member from Great Slave.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. And thank you to the Minister for committing to look at it a little closer.
Mr. Chair, the Minister is right, there are lots of people who might not feel comfortable doing those services online, but I also want to recognize that I very much enjoy the ones that -- the services that you can do online for your vehicle. They're very helpful, indeed, for the folks who can use them; however, we cannot get a new driver's license online, and there are services that newcomers need to extend driver's licenses in the sense of their work visas expiring and then being put into maintenance by the federal government. So I would urge the Minister to consider those in her deliberations.
But getting to questions, I will change topics. I was very pleased when the folks from Yellowknife Airport gave a presentation to SCEDE in, I believe, the last six months or so. The revolving fund is a success story, I think by all accounts, and the surplus continues to grow. So does the Minister and her department have plans for the $52 million surplus budgeted for 2025-2026? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, there's, I know, some movement in this space with respect to a capital plan coming out of the airport in -- well, I think in just the next couple of months or next few months anyways. I'm not sure. Perhaps Mr. Loutitt may have -- or deputy minister Loutitt might have more details on whether or not or to what extent that includes the revolving fund. Thank you.
I'm going to go to the deputy minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So we do have a list of projects that we are undertaking under the capital program with the revolving fund. There's -- actually, I don't have them right at my fingertips, but the accumulated surplus is not as large as it does appear. A lot of it is the assets, and some of it is an accumulation of funds. So while it says that there's $37 million -- or sorry, $37 million are the assets involved with the airport, so they're not -- it's not money that can be spent on anything, but we are doing quite a few things to improve both the customer experience and the -- I guess work continues for the airport. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I'm going to go to the Member from Great Slave.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I was wondering if the Minister can commit to providing a more detailed breakdown to committee on the surplus and its activities that are planned. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, happy to do so. Again, that work was -- is due back this spring, and it would normally follow the process of going to committee. I'm happy to ensure that we are there as early as possible. Thank you.
Thank you. I'll go to the Member from Great Slave.
Nothing further from me. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I'm going to go to the Member from the Sahtu.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm looking an page 290 on the MTS revolving fund. We're going to be projecting a loss here again. Having the experiences of several years and in losses, what types of actions of recovery or reduction measures are being taken by the MTS operation? Thank you.
Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, there certainly has been several years of challenge in this space. There's, you know, obviously when the water levels are low, not only does it impact on the revenue that we would normally bring in but we then also wind up incurring the higher costs to ensure resupply still is completed. So a bit of a double hit in that respect.
Some of the things, though, that are happening in this space, Mr. Chair, there has been a governance review completed, and I know we've had the opportunity, as mentioned, to be in front of committee on this. It's examining what kind of structure would best help deliver the services that MTS provides, wanting to ensure that those services remain available and that even in times where there would be losses, that those essential services are provided, but also trying to see if there's a path by which we can do so that will hopefully find some efficiencies, increase the opportunity to bring in revenue. And, again, I think over the next year or that the hope is that we will over the next year see that governance -- those governance changes put into place and hopefully some resulting economic benefits. Thank you.
Thank you. I'm going to go to the Member from the Sahtu.
I'm glad the department is looking at the governance review. And I would probably subject what types of downsizing measures -- is land disposition being looked at? Are you downsizing the assets, the land, the footprint, to shrink your operating costs? Is some of the redundant assets being looked at maybe on the international community as selling them off, those types of actions on reductions there? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Okay, thank you. I'll go to the Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, at this point in time I'm going to have that take that one away and just commit to getting back to the Member. But it may not be me. It might actually be as this -- as the governance changeover takes place, our hope is that as that unfolds, part of that will look at what makes the operations more efficient and, really, that might be an opportunity to do some downsizing or to change assets. But, Mr. Chair, part of the governance review is to question whether or how to have the right people there making those decisions. And I -- you know, I'm not trying to be vague, Mr. Chair, but simply just that there's going to be some changes in the next few months in this space and want to give the right latitude for those coming in to make those strategic decisions. Again, happy to come back and continue to update committee so that folks who are in the regions can provide their feedback and updates as sort of some leadership comes in and steps in and make sure that they're -- that leadership in the MTS space is continuing to be engaged with opportunities for those -- again, those who know that space well. So I think, really, it's a matter of -- well, I will just simply commit that we'll continue to come back as the leadership at MTS is confirmed and solidified. Thank you.
Thank you. I'm going to go to the Member from the Sahtu.
Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. Thanks to the Minister for that reply. Although I really want to see this operation continue on a break-even point, I really need the barge in my areas there too but we're all subject to climate change and the impacts and implications of that action. So I look forward to the continuing governance review. Thank you.
Okay, thank you. Next on my list I got the Member from Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, this may be a bit of a stretch. I'm not sure if this is the proper department -- in the House in my Member's statement around the new -- a new buildings standards code for the Northwest Territories or a -- not a new one, a one, because we don't have one. And I thought that I guess it is kind of a -- is delivering capital, Mr. Chair. So I don't know if the Minister or not if she has her A-Team here with her would like to maybe elaborate a little more on the -- on where we are with that and anticipating getting that work done, funded and done. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm going to turn it to the A-Team. Let me start with deputy minister Loutitt, please.
Thank you. I'll go to the deputy minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So this is a project obviously -- the Member's correct that this is a project that needs to happen. We need to get the standard in place. So we right now have a working group, and we're looking at how we're going -- what kind of funding we're going to need to accomplish this, and we're hoping to do it in the life of this Assembly. It's one of the -- but at this point, we don't have the financial resources or the HR resources to tackle it, but we're in the planning stages for the program. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I'm going to go back to the Member from the Sahtu. Inuvik Boot Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. That's okay, we're very similar, close, a lot of the same issues.
Any estimate -- estimation, Mr. Chair, on what kind of financial resources this would need as well as maybe what kind of staffing requirements; how big a department this would be. I guess not a department itself but how big this would be. Thank you.
Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.
At this point. And, Mr. Chair, no, I don't have that yet but, again, really creating -- this is something where there's already these existing pieces of framework of the National Building Code that exists that we already apply in the GNWT, so bringing that in and making it one that can be put into legislation that can be applied more broadly really should be manageable at this point. We're hopeful within the capacity that we have to put it in place. And then, as far as putting our inspectors out, Mr. Chair, again, inspectors already are out inspecting buildings but they're doing so without the benefit of having a unified and singular piece of legislation. So, you know, hopefully this doesn't necessarily require new -- it may require some training once we are rolling out, but hopeful that it won't bring about a significant increase in budgetary demands. Thank you.
Thank you. I'll go to the Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. And thank you for that. I appreciate that work is ongoing, and I appreciate the -- as the deputy minister said, that there's a firm commitment to getting this work done, and I'm sure a lot of contractors and a lot of builders in the territory would be happy to see that.
Just switching for a minute on some of the capital work, and I -- again, if I'm stretching, that's fine, someone can tell me. But on the -- at MTS, I know we did have that one-time contribution, $14 million. I know that that's not budgeted now. Are we happy; are we confident with the number going in considering what happened last year with low water that we are adequately funded here through infrastructure to make sure that we're able to deliver this important service? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So that was a one-time contribution because of the losses that arose from having a low water season. Now, we are planning this year around low water from the perspective of our fuel services division and ensuring that we bring a full 100 percent value of fuel into those communities that would have otherwise depended upon reservicing, certainly in the Sahtu, from having the barges on the anticipation that we may face, again, a low water season. The High Arctic communities are not expected at this point to require anything other than barging and so in that sense, we would have the adequate resources planned for similar to the last couple of years where we would rely on coming either around the top or up the Dempster Highway.
As for what might befall us this summer and whether any barges will get through and/or if not, again, without knowing that in advance, Mr. Chair, I can't say for sure. We are -- you know, I know that the director of MTS has had some discussions with mayors who are impacted to make sure that we've got an awareness of the needs and a plan to service them. Whether it will cost more than what is planned for, unfortunately, Mr. Chair, beyond saying that we will commit to making sure those communities have their resupply, in advance without knowing what we face from Mother Nature, I can't give a definite -- effectively whether we're going to be back for a sup or not. Our hope is not. Our hope is that by providing the hundred percent resupply of fuel, that we won't be. But, again, we'll have to unfortunately wait and see what's thrown at us. Thank you.
Thank you. I'm going to go to the Member from from Inuvik Boot Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I appreciate we can't unfortunately see into the future. As I say, hope and pray. I opt for the pray rather than the hope so let's -- hopefully we'll pray we get there.
Just one final one on the Inuvik-Tuk Highway. And I know that there were some issues there around some of the low areas on that highway. I know it did cause some grief, and it wasn't the only reason, but certainly some grief with the additional snow that we had had up there. And I know that the Ministers were working with the contractors up there. There is a contract in place to ensure. So are we, again, now comfortable going into this season that we're able to get those -- that road adequately repaired so we don't deal with those low areas through -- that caused both flooding and additional snow build-up there, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I'm going to go to the Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. This is, indeed, a capital project that I am happy to say, after quite a bit of effort on both sides, Mr. Chair, we do now have contracts in place both for the operations and maintenance as well as to undertake the much waited-for and anticipated capital upgrades. That was -- both of those came in the fall of 2024 which means that by this construction season, we will see the upgrades beginning. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Okay, thank you. I'm going to go to the Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I thank the Ministers and the deputy minister, assistant deputy minister, for those answers. Certainly appreciate that. And wish Mr. Loutitt good luck in his retirement when he's not having to sit here and deal with us anymore. No more questions, Mr. Chair.
I'm going to go to the Member from Monfwi.
Thank you. Here, facilities management, there was an increase -- I mean, from 2023-2024, the increase in the budget has been consistent. So if the Minister can explain what is causing these -- why there's increase in these costs. So what is causing it? Thank you.
Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.
